The report has picked these four trends out as rising among search terms popularity, and they are the major global internet firm’s predictions for what’s likely to define the market in the coming period.
Devices
Body brushes, facial rollers, anti-cellulite suction cups and blackhead tweezers are some of the key devices that recur in top searches across the three key markets considered by the report (Japan, France and the US).
“Consumers are seeking support from devices to aid in their beauty routines,” explains the Google report.
“The top trending devices in the U.S. are mostly focused around brushing and scrubbing, while consumers in France and Japan are embracing devices that stimulate the skin with suction or massage for example.”
DIY
DIY beauty is a major searched-for term in the US and France; however, it has very little traction in Japan, according to the data.
The DIY trend is built around the influence of the naturals trend and food’s growing impact on beauty generally, with many searches relating masks in the US.
In France, the trend’s reach appears to be broader: consumers are searching for homemade shower gel, homemade soap, homemade bath bombs and more.
“In the U.S., “DIY” is the new “homemade.” The overall DIY category (incl. terms “DIY,” “homemade,” and “how to”) in the U.S. is growing at 8%,” Google observes.
“While still considered strong growth for such a large category, searches that specifically include the term “DIY” are growing by 38%, while searches that include the terms “recipe” or “homemade” are declining overall. Brands should note these shifting language preferences and index more towards the phrase DIY in order to better reach target audiences.”
Bathing
Baths appear to be back: it is on the rise as a top trend in the US and France, and growing twice as fast compared to Japan.
“Bath bombs are the top volume bathing trends in both the U.S. and France. Although this trend has been growing as a rising star in the U.S. since late 2015, the trend only began to take off in France during the summer of 2016,” notes Google.
““Bath bomb” in English is trending in France, indicating that this trend most likely originated in an English-speaking market before making its way over to France.”
Male grooming
Although lower in volume at this point in time than other top themes, Google notes that the men’s skin care trend is demonstrating sustained growth in all three markets and is likely to continue growing over the years to come.
“While men’s body- and soap-related searches continue to grow, there is a lot of interest in skin care products for the face, including face wash, moisturizers, and branded facial brushes.
“As searches for men’s skin care-related products are evolving from more general terms like “men’s skin care” to more specific terminology such as “men’s face wash,” there is opportunity to educate men (and those who shop for them) on the different nuances for each product type.”
About the Google Beauty Trends report
The Google report identifies and compares consumer habits and demands across three key global markets: the US, France and Japan.
To compile the report, Google pulled top volume queries related to the beauty category and looked at their monthly volume from September 2014 to September 2016.