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Glycolic Acid, Heartleaf Lead Toner Ingredient Trends: Spate

Growing consumer interest in all-over skin care presents an opportunity for brands to launch full-body toners and formulas designed for areas like the underarms and bikini.

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By: Lianna Albrizio

Associate Editor

A typical skincare routine comprises four steps: cleanse, tone, moisturize and SPF.

Just as sun protectant options vary, so do toners. Because its key functionality is reducing pore size and improving skin texture, consumers seek ingredients that best align with these benefits. And, according to the beauty trend trackers at Spate, the two fastest growing ingredients alongside toner in the US are glycolic acid and heartleaf.

Interest in Glycolic Acid Goes Full-Throttle

Glycolic acid is a popular ingredient for tackling hyperpigmentation. Alongside toner, it sees an average of 114.5K monthly searches, marking a +10.4K increase compared to last year. Spate says several top-search queries are tied to The Ordinary.

On TikTok, glycolic acid has seen an increase of 20.1 million views compared to last year and averages 872.5K weekly views, alongside toner. What’s more, glycolic acid toner has a high shop views share of 91.9%, reflecting a high share of videos eligible for commission and availability on the TikTok shop. Related trending hashtags include #hyperpigmentation, with 327.7K average weekly views, and #darkspots, with 167.5K average weekly views. Interestingly, consumers also use glycolic acid toner for body odor, as indicated by the hashtag #bodyodor (86.3K average weekly views).

While glycolic acid is widely popular in skincare, consumers are increasingly open to using skincare products on their body. This presents an opportunity for brands to launch full-body toners and formulas designed for areas like the underarms and bikini.

Heartleaf Blows Up

The heartleaf hashtag is blowing into SkinTok and K-Beauty Tok – especially in relation to the Anua Heartleaf 77 Soothing Toner.

On TikTok, Spate analysts say heartleaf toner garners an average of 123.8K weekly views. Analysts say this trend is largely driven by K-beauty brands, as seen in the popularity of related hashtags like #koreanskincare with 319.8K average weekly views and #kbeauty with 318.2K average weekly views. The heartleaf toner is also available in a toner pad format, said to be more convenient and less irritating. What’s scratching analysts’ heads is the growing popularity of a lesser-known ingredient outside niche circles.

This demonstration of consumer curiosity in exploring new ingredients is paving the way for more innovative skincare solutions, particularly in the realm of soothing products.

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