Abstract

The market for natural makeup has been substantially increasing, primarily because many consumers believe that natural makeup is healthier and higher quality than unnatural makeup. However, perceived health hazards of unnatural makeup have been debunked, and, while there is no evidence disproving the perceived quality superiority of natural makeup, the manipulability of chemical ingredients suggests that unnatural makeup would be superior. Therefore, the question arises as to whether consumers choose natural makeup not because it is actually superior in quality, but because society has led them to believe it is healthier and more effective. A blind consumption test involving four popular brands of lip gloss - two natural and two unnatural - was conducted to determine whether consumers actually prefer their self-identified favorite makeup brands and how influence from the natural product movement affects how closely their self-identified preferences match their blind consumption preferences. Ultimately, it was found that consumers’ self-identified preferences rarely matched their preferences under blind consumption conditions, regardless of how influenced they were by the natural product movement. Thus, the results suggest that makeup consumers make decisions predominantly based on their emotional perceptions of certain brands, as opposed to actual sensed quality differences between makeup products; and, while the natural product movement may be one factor that affects consumers’ perceptions of makeup brands, it is by no means a sole or primary influence in forming consumer opinions.

Friday, August 12, 2016

The AP Research Journey Begins!

Week 1 (08/08-08/14)

Well, it's senior year and I must say I'm super excited to dive into AP Research!

I came into the class with the specific goal of using my research to explore my intended major, Chemical Engineering, which involves applying chemical principles to manufacturable products so that they can be more easily produced and satisfy consumer demands. However, being new to the field of engineering, I found that it might be fun and valuable for me to apply chemistry to a product that I am familiar with. So, lo and behold, I have decided to research the chemistry behind cosmetics, which I have cherished since 7th grade, when my older cousin Erika sold me a bareMinerals starter kit and taught me how to do my own makeup.

Something that has always concerned me, and something that is currently a growing issue in the cosmetic industry, is the desire for natural minerals (as opposed to harmful chemicals) to be incorporated into makeup products. After doing some preliminary research, I have found that both consumer demand and government regulation are driving cosmetic companies to pursue "all natural" or "organic" products. I intend to explore this trend through sociological, economic, and medical lenses in order to see how consumer preference affects cosmetic markets, how companies integrate natural ingredients (especially since most of them involve higher costs), and how "natural" products actually affect consumer health. (I put natural in quotes because sometimes producer claims can be misleading. For example, bareMinerals still contains unnatural fillers in their foundations).

Going forward, I will try to narrow down my topic focus to a specific product (I am currently playing with the idea of researching foundation to explore the effects unnatural fillers and chemicals, or lack thereof in higher-end, boutique products like Jane Iredale). I think that going through the lenses and looking up more articles on EBSCO and JSTOR will help me find currently pressing issues (or products that are currently causing the most concern). Eventually, I hope to have a specific product so that I can start exploring the chemistry behind natural and artificial branches of it, how it affects consumer health, and how companies can act going forward to improve products in a cost effective manner.

Also noteworthy, at the very end of the week, I discovered that I have a direct contact to Jane Iredale, the founder and head of a company that produces 100% natural makeup products. I will reach out to her in the coming week to see what the company is currently pursuing and whether or not I can get directly involved with them when conducting my research.

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3 comments:

  1. mrslyndsayhaagAugust 15, 2016 at 8:37 AM

    Audrey, I'm glad that you're excited about your research project, but I must admit, that I am super excited about it, too. Maybe more than you are. I think that you have honed in a topic that could be perceived as frivolous or unimportant, and I think you've managed to demonstrate (however superficially at this point) the rich context and significance surrounding investigation into this topic. I especially think the focus on "natural" products will be a fruitful exploration.

    Also, I really like how you have a clear goal in mind: to explore something in your intended major. I think having such a goal will help the research be engaging and rewarding.

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  2. Catherine O'NeillAugust 15, 2016 at 9:14 PM

    I love how you are applying your research to what you want your career to be in as well as you having a solid idea on what you want to research. The only thing I see as a problem is how are you going to expand on research that has already been done in the field if it is already known that many of these products marketed as natural are actually known as not being natural already? How are you add your own twist with your project? With such a strong connection and idea on what you want to research, I think you are bound for success once you iron out the kinks.

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  3. UnknownAugust 15, 2016 at 9:36 PM

    I really love the idea of your project! I think this is a great way to incorporate your future studies with a fun twist that will make it unique and interesting for you.

    I am not sure if this is really helpful but when you were talking in class today I had the idea that maybe you could focus on one ingredient in make up instead of analyzing like all the foundations for example. However, reading the rest of this post I like where you are going with the comparison focusing more on the consumer. To me, how you are laying out the lenses though sounds a lot like seminar. I think you can do more with your research though by going more in depth with one of those lenses. Do you think this is possible? Is there a lens that you find more interesting? I am thinking that also once you get a more concrete idea of your topic you can chose a more specific research path that will lead you to that focus.

    Also, that is really cool you have contact with the founder! I hope you get access to the lab because that would be a great experience and would add to your research.

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