Google shared beauty trends 2017. The research covered U.S., France and Japan markets.

Each market has distinct values when it comes to skin care.

In the U.S. and France consumers view bathing as a way to create a personalized experience. Japanese consumers highly prioritize understanding the science behind different beauty regimes and are quick to investigate new methods like carbonated beauty products.

Skin care trends are spreading from market to market, despite different values.

Trends like masks saw traction in Japan and then traveled to the U.S., and trends like bath bombs took off in the U.S. and then picked up later in France. New regional trends that haven’t yet spread may indicate what’s coming next to the other markets.

While trends spread across markets, they evolve differently within each market.

Although Japan is leading the way in terms of many skin care trends like masks, trends evolve differently in each market based on cultural behaviors and values. For instance, a trend in the U.S. may evolve to cross products and uses. France, on the other hand, will add an organic or natural spin to new trends.

Vegan skin care, carbonated cleansers and body masks.

Though still quite low in volume compared to other top trends, searches for the vegan skin care category have grown by 83% year over year in the U.S. While most prominent in the U.S., this trend is beginning to see growth in France. However, the average person in the U.S. is 13X more likely to search for vegan skin care products than someone in France. The vegan trend is not present in Japan at this time.

Cellulite-related terms are popular in France. The average person in France is 30X more likely to search for cellulite than the average American and 170X more likely than someone in Japan.

French consumers are looking for solutions, including cellulite suction cups and oils. This may be an opportunity for brands to emphasize anti-cellulite product benefits or to develop new offerings that cater to cellulite concerns.

While consumers across the U.S., France, and Japan are searching for terms related to cleansing and pores, this pattern is most prevalent in Japan. The average person in Japan is 6X more likely to search for cleansing than the average American and 13X more than someone in France.

Japanese consumers show a particular passion for intricate techniques and indicate strong interest in the compositions of each solution. Growth in searches for enzyme, carbonated, and water cleansing indicate demand for techniques that are gentler by nature, but still powerful.

Trends like carbonated face masks that started in Japan have already hit the U.S., and carbonated cleansers may be next.

Top U.S. concerns associated with masks are mainly tied to removing excess oils for acne purposes. In France, consumers want to shed some skin. Relative to other trending face masks in France, peels are the most associated with the top concerns related to masks.

In Japan, moisture seems to be the solution of choice with high interest in sheet masks. Unlike the U.S. and France, consumers in Japan associate sheet masks as a solution for acne-related problems.

Across all three markets, facial masks are making waves on YouTube. Masks are an experience for the senses, which means they naturally make for entertaining and educational video content. Top influencers in the U.S.create couple videos, while videos in France and Japan show families experiencing masks together — getting their kids in on the fun.

The mask trend had more time to develop in Japan, and search data shows advancement in how masks are being used there. For instance, while there is high search activity around facial masks in all three markets, in Japan there is interest in using masks for legs, cuticles, hands, and heels. The growth of body-related masks in Japan may be an indicator this trend will soon take off in the U.S. and France.

Trendy ingredients in U.S. are apple cider vinegar, turmeric, and manuka honey. Top trending ingredients in France are mainly oil-based. Other trending ingredients to keep an eye on in France include aloe vera and hyaluronic acid.

When it comes to ingredients in Japan, it’s about quality, not quantity. There is not as strong of a variety of ingredients searched in this market compared to France and the U.S.

Trending ingredients in Japan are more likely to be synthesized rather than naturally occurring.

Men’s skin care.

Though total volume is relatively low in comparison to other top trending terms, there has been an increase in searches for men’s skin care products across all three markets. 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.

The trends described above could be important not only to the beauty industry. They cover more industries than we can imagine. For instance, acne skin problem indicates that air pollution, water pollution, weak nutrition, quality of life and hight stress level questions are on the radar of the researchers. Such routine skin problem actually touches urbanists, healthcare industry, human resources regulation.

Hight interest to men’s skin care products persistently signals about change in social roles and future social shift.

It is important to remember that Google works with historical data. The company analyzed users search for the topics which already are in people mind. In order to identify the trend it is necessary to research the combination of signals from other markets.

The full version of the Google beauty trends 2017 report you can find following the link.

Photo: Molly Rose, Emani Vegan Cosmetics, Google Beauty Trends 2017.