America's Most-Searched Skincare Ingredients, Ranked

We analysed over five years of Google search data to determine which skincare ingredients Americans search for most, and how dramatically the landscape has shifted since 2020.

Last updated: April 13, 2026. Our editorial team will refresh this page with new data once per month.

State scores reflect the most recent 12-month period. National volume data reflects 2020–early 2026.

The short answer: peptides now dominate American skincare interest by a wide margin nationally - and at the state level, peptide serum has overtaken retinol serum to lead in 18 states, up from 11 in our previous data pull.

Jump to your state ↓

The Full Rankings (2026)

We tracked monthly search volumes for "[ingredient] skincare" queries across 13 popular skincare ingredients. This format isolates skincare-specific intent.

A bare search like "peptides" includes fitness, bodybuilding, and supplement queries that have nothing to do with skincare. Adding "skincare" to each ingredient narrows the results to consumers researching ingredients for their skin.

Here's where they stand in early 2026 (January–February averages):

To put peptides' lead in perspective: 82,250 monthly searches is more than the combined total of hyaluronic acid (18,500), retinol (5,500), snail mucin (4,150), and vitamin C (4,000) - combined.

How the Rankings Changed: 2020 vs 2026

Six years ago, the skincare ingredient landscape looked very different.

Peptides barely registered in 2020 with just 172 monthly searches, ranking near the bottom of our list. By 2023 it had overtaken every other ingredient to reach #1 with 10,300 monthly searches, and has continued to accelerate since.

Vitamin C dropped from #3 to #5 despite maintaining relatively stable search volumes. It didn't decline - it was simply passed by ingredients growing much faster.

Year-Over-Year Growth (2024 to 2025)

To avoid skewing from partial 2026 data, we compared full-year averages from 2024 and 2025:

Hyaluronic acid posted the largest year-over-year increase at +409%, consistent with its resurgence after several years of declining interest. Tretinoin saw the sharpest decline at -53%, and collagen also fell by 19%.

The Full Historical Picture (2020–2026)

*2026 figures are based on January–February 2026 only.

Which Skincare Ingredient Does Your State Search For Most?

Separately from the national rankings above, we analysed Google search interest for five skincare serum keywords across all 50 states and Washington DC.

All five keywords use the same product format - "[ingredient] serum" - for a consistent, like-for-like comparison of purchase and research intent.

State scores use relative search interest (0–100), population-normalised by Google. A score in Wyoming is directly comparable to a score in California regardless of population size.

The keywords: retinol serum, hyaluronic acid serum, peptide serum, vitamin C serum, niacinamide serum.

States scoring 0 for a keyword had insufficient search volume for that ingredient to register in Google's data for that period.

The National Map - April 2026 Update

Peptide serum now leads in 18 states - up from 11 in our previous data. It has overtaken retinol serum as the most widely dominant ingredient across US states, gaining ground in California, Connecticut, Minnesota, Oregon, and others.

Retinol serum still holds 14 states, anchored by Hawaii (score: 100) and Iowa (76). Niacinamide serum gained ground too, rising from 9 to 12 states, with Rhode Island making headlines this update.

Every State's Skincare Ingredient Profile

Scores represent relative search interest (0–100), population-normalised. A higher score means residents of that state search for that ingredient at a higher rate per capita.

Each state's #1 ingredient score is highlighted.

*DC: multiple ingredients tied at 100. Maryland: vitamin C serum and niacinamide serum both score 41; niacinamide serum listed as #1 by convention. Ohio: retinol serum and niacinamide serum tied at 35. ↑ indicates a change since the previous data pull.

Standout States

Regional Patterns

Peptide serum is taking the coasts. California (42), Connecticut (37), New York (63), New Jersey (62), Oregon (38), and North Carolina (40) all now have peptide serum as their top product search - all states that previously leaned retinol serum.

Retinol serum retreats to the interior and the islands. Hawaii (100), Iowa (76), Massachusetts (61), Pennsylvania (54), South Carolina (50), South Dakota (64), New Mexico (58), Utah (58), Michigan (41), and Louisiana (43) still favour retinol serum. These are some of the country's most committed retinol-serum states.

The South is America's niacinamide belt. Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Virginia, and West Virginia all have niacinamide serum as their most-searched skincare product. Delaware and Vermont match Texas and the South with scores of 55.

The biggest story this update: peptide serum has arrived at the mass market. When peptide serum led only 11 states, it was possible to argue it was a coastal or urban trend. At 18 states - including Kansas, Indiana, Illinois, and Alaska - it's no longer a niche product preference. Peptide serum is going mainstream.