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Foundation analyses the fastest-growing Google searches for skin care ingredients
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Ascorbic Acid topped the list of biggest search increases in early 2025
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Retinol remained the most searched-for ingredient, with over 60k average monthly searches
Ascorbic Acid saw a 174% increase in searches between December 2024 and early 2025, reaching an average of 14,800 monthly Google searches during that period.
Despite this significant quarterly and annual rise, Ascorbic Acid is simply another name for Vitamin C, which itself experienced a more modest 22% growth in searches over the same quarter.
Olivia Ford, Performance Lead at Foundation, commented:
“Ascorbic Acid is essentially Vitamin C. It’s found in the same foods, such as broccoli and strawberries, and delivers the same skin care benefits. These include supporting collagen formation and boosting antioxidant levels. What we’re seeing is a shift in how people search. As the term Ascorbic Acid appeared on more product labels, consumers wanted to understand exactly what it meant and how it could benefit their skin. It may be a more technical name, but skin care enthusiasts were clearly intrigued and keen to learn more.”
The second skin care ingredient to gain momentum in early 2025 was Marula Oil, which recorded a 123% increase in Google searches over the same time period.
Marula Oil is known for its moisturising and conditioning properties and is rich in both Vitamin E and Vitamin C, contributing to its growing popularity among skin care consumers.
The top ten skin care ingredients that saw the biggest growth in the first quarter of 2025 were:
Olivia comments:
“Overall, it's interesting to see that Retinol still holds prime place for the ‘most searched’ ingredient, with no sign that this is going to decrease this year as its still on the rise in percentage increase. There are a few players here that weren’t in the list last year, so its interesting to see how searches change in the space of twelve months.”
