Spate sees consumers pulling away from eye makeup and toward lip and skin products

Consumers are turning away from eye products to focus on lip and skin makeup solutions. Machine intelligence platform Spate reports a 7.7% drop in online interest in makeup across Google and TikTok. The platform attributes the fall in engagement to lesser interest in eyeshadows and eyeliners. 

Personal Care Insights connects with Spate to learn more about its September Makeup Trends Report and how companies can address declining interest in eye makeup by developing multi-functional lip and skin products. 

A spokesperson from Spate says, “One of the biggest takeaways is the drop in interest in eye makeup products like eyeliner and eyeshadow, which is contributing to a general decline in the makeup category.”

“We’re also seeing more interest in innovative textures like jelly blush, which offer something new and playful. And of course, TikTok is playing a huge role here, driving trends alongside platforms like Google.”

Spate also introduces a Popularity Index that combines Google searches and TikTok views to provide insights into beauty trends. The index allows the company to report shifts without tying them to a platform, instead reflecting broader trends across the industry.

“We saw a need for a metric that could track trends across both platforms and adjust for each platform’s growth rate differences. This would allow beauty brands to see which trends are truly gaining traction and how they’re performing across different consumer touchpoints,” continues the spokesperson. 

“It’s about giving brands the ability to understand not just which categories are popular, but which products and trends are gaining momentum.”

The report gathers data from the last 12 months on Google and the past four months on TikTok.

Lasting lip stains

There is a growing preference for minimal, long-lasting alternatives such as eyeliner tattoo services, which increased by 42.6% on TikTok. Consumers are more focused on complexion and lip products.

Online interest in eye products is being swapped out for an increased presence of face makeup.Lip stain and peel-off lip stain are the leading trends driving year-over-year increases in the lip stain category. Spate reports consumer preference for lip products that offer “longevity and ease of use.” Year-over-year, lip stain’s online presence has grown 149.4% and peel-off lip stain by 81.4%.

Fun formats like tattoo lip liner and peel-off lip tints are also gaining traction. Spate suggests brands engage with these trends by creating and promoting similar formats, leveraging social media platforms to connect with trend-driven consumers and enhance their market presence.

Additional benefits for lip products include a glossy finish and long-lasting results. The report cited high demand for multi-use products and diverse textures.

Brands can capitalize on these trends by implementing diverse textures, multifunctional products and extended wear to meet consumer preferences.

“Brands should focus on products that offer subtle enhancements to complexion and lips because consumer interest is shifting there,” says Spate’s spokesperson. 

Blush boom

Blush is a growing trend with a popularity index of 10.8 thousand and 12.5% growth year-over-year. This trend holds 53.0% of its popularity on TikTok, indicating a similar presence across the social media site and search platforms.

The company reports that consumers are focused on suitability for various skin types and undertones, particularly mature skin.

Spate attributes the popularity of Pink Blush and Cheek Stain to a consumer shift toward diverse and playful cheek products. Jelly blush searches jumped 1,309.2% year-over-year, but this is identified as a “smaller trend.”

Interest in jelly blush spiked in February 2024 following the launch of Milk Makeup’s Cooling Water Jelly Tint.Consumers are after multi-functional lip and skin products that can be used all over the face.

Setting spray stays

Setting spray searches rose 5.4% year-over-year and has a 45.7% share on TikTok, meaning its popularity is comparable on both search and TikTok platforms. Its trend trajectory shows upward movement on both platforms.

Spate names the product a “competitive trend across low to mid-range price points.”

Consumers seek key benefits such as dewiness and consideration for various skin types. Buyers also want the spray to focus on mature skin.

Mature skin emerged as a “significant concern” in the blush and setting spray trends. Spate says that brands that innovate with targeted solutions for this demographic are “well-positioned” to meet consumer needs and capture consumer interest.

“With growing attention to concerns like mature skin, brands should explore inclusive and targeted solutions, especially in categories like blush and setting sprays, where this concern is more relevant,” says the spokesperson.