Pinterest Trend Report with 80% accuracy rate?!

Sometimes we just search without knowing exactly what we are searching for. If you look at images though, you’ll know whether they are something you are looking for or not. “Pinterest” is a combination of the word “pin” and “interest.” It literally refers to a social media platform that shows collections of images that are pinned up on the screen. People often visit Pinterest to search for reference images for work.
Every year, Pinterest issues a trend report called “Pinterest Predicts” based on user behavior. Perhaps because of its usefullness as search platform and the intuitive features based on images, Pinterest’s trend forecast has reportedly shown over 80% accuracy rate for three consecutive years. (*Pinterest, Global Search Data, analysis period July 2018-June 2022)

Here are some global trends for 2023 worth noting for Amorepacific.

#Gemini hair (two-toned/dual hair colors)

Combinations of non-traditional, mixed hair colors are on the rise. The number of searches for mixes of two-toned hair colors has shot up, especially among Millennials and Gen Z. Is this perhaps because they have been wearing face masks for such a long time and have been thinking of ways to express themselves besides makeup? The interpretation behind the trend is that people came to prefer bright hair colors to look different from others in a world where everyone looks similar to one another.

Ι [KEYWORD] “Pink and lavender hair” +345%, “Brown to pink balayage” (*a type of ombre) +280% “Blue and black hair” +215%, “Lavender and blonde hair” +150%, “Multi tone hair color” +135%

# Micro makeover (shorter cuts)

Long braided blonde hair and fancy, long nail art. This was the look that came to my mind for some time when I pictured the beauty industry in the UK and the US. Gone are the days of long hair and long nails, now short nails and hair have become the latest thing. This is a trend, however, that doesn’t seem so new in Korea. Maximalist beauty had its moment in the UK and the US, but now, people are ready for small beauty.

Ι [KEYWORD] “Chopped bob haircut” +550%, “Micro French nails” +235%, “Micro bangs” +110%, “Short stiletto nails” +80%, “Short braid hairstyles” +45%

# Crown care

Gen X and Boomers are showing growing interest in scalp care. Skincare has been at the center of beauty for years. Now, everyone has begun to think of the scalp and crown of the head also as skin. The hair loss treatment market in Korea is also expanding. Accordingly, home-made natural hair masks (using avocado, honey, eggs, and banana) and self-scalp care routine is enjoying an enormous amount of attention.

Ι [KEYWORD] “Natural hair mask for growth” +80%, “Scalp treatment for dry scalp” +70%, “Scalp massage techniques” +55%, “Clean scalp” +55%, “Clean scalp build up” +45%

#Sci-fi fits

Gen Z and Millennials are opting for futuristic looks. They are wearing items that you expect to spot in apocalyptic sci-fi movies and video games. Inspired by dark cinematic fantasies, many artists are pushing the boundaries of fashion. Some interpret the trend as a reflection of our current times as being characterized by dystopian society. In general, the futuristic style features silvery materials and items that appear as an extension of the Y2K look. I was curious what Gamer Girl meant, so I looked up the internet and it’s a Japanese-style girl character who has cat ears and loves to play games.

Ι [KEYWORD] “Gamer girl look” +3370%, “Avant garde outfit” +225%, “Dystopian outfits” +215%, “Cyber streetwear” +70%, “Futuristic glasses” +70%

#Romcom core

The Y2K mood is expected to continue this year. Things like slip dresses, tube tops, and cargo pants, inspired by popular romantic comedies from the 2000s, are gaining in popularity among Millennials and Gen Z. They don’t just accept Y2K fashion for the sake of aesthetics, but they also want that main character energy from the movies in the 2000s. It means small moments in everyday life like trips to the coffee shops and chatting with friends feel like a scene from their favorite romcom.

Ι [KEYWORD] “2000s girl” +235%, “Summer outfits vintage 90s” +150% “Pink mini skirt outfit” +145%, “Cool girl aesthetic outfits” +140%, “Rhinestone dress” +90%

# Rust married (orange wedding)

The heyday of “something blue” that always appeared in western weddings is now gone, and orange has become the new trend. The color orange is said to symbolize optimism, adventure, and creativity. It is said to be a choice made to add those special values to important moments in life like weddings. Although the wedding practices in Korea are different from the West, it’s worth nothing that a burnt orange color is now in style and that people are pursuing creative weddings that are different from others.

Ι [KEYWORD] “Burnt orange wedding theme” +695%, “Orange dress outfit wedding” +285%, “Copper saree” +285%, “Terracotta wedding bridesmaid dresses” +230%, “Orange wedding centerpieces” +150%

#Hipstoric home

The reinterpretation of “hip” and “historic” objects has gone mainstream. Vintage interior design has stepped into the spotlight, especially among Boomers and Gen X. While rejecting the mass-produced, they are re-imagining handed-down pieces and using them as a means of expressing themselves. This move to break away from the conventional interior design and to apply your own unique appeal in their space is also observed in Korea.

Ι [KEYWORD] “Eclectic interior design vintage” +850%, “Mixing modern and antique furniture” +530%, “Maximalist decor vintage” +350%, “Antique room aesthetic” +325%, “Antique windows repurposed” +50%

#Mushrooms

Mushroom-shaped design motifs are going to be high in demand as an interior and decoration item. I searched for these keywords, and many of them were rainbow-colored creating a fantasy-like, funky mood. Mushrooms grow in shadows and some can cause hallucinations, so they are usually associated with playfulness and fortune. During lockdowns, people chose their homes as the place to unfurl their creativity. This kind of extremist self-expression is forecast to continue to rise in the years ahead..

Ι [KEYWORD] “Funky house decor” +695%, “Weirdcore bedroom” +540, “Fantasy mushroom art” +170%, “DIY Funky house decor” +77%, “Vintage mushroom decor” +35%

#Chance of Showers

More and more Gen X and Boomers are choosing to take a shower and rinse their body instead of soaking their body in the tub. This is interpreted as a reflection of the global push towards water conservation. This is probably related to TikTok content, which includes everything before and after having a shower, including exfoliation, deep conditioning, shaving, and moisturizing, all of which are emerging as a mega trend. There seems to be a growing trend in everything related to bathrooms, from shower items to shower booth interior.

Ι [KEYWORD] “Shower routine aesthetic” +460%, “Amazing showers walk in” +395%, “Home spa bathroom” +190%, “Doorless shower ideas” +110%, “Shower bomb” +90%

#The YOLO years

Parties for the middle-aged and senior populations are the next big thing. From 100th birthday parties to 50th wedding anniversaries, all kinds of jubilee cakes and decorated s are enjoying popularity among Boomers and Gen X. Now that we have passed the dark days posed by the pandemic, people are now looking for ways to enjoy the present moment. Last year, Gwyneth Paltrow made headlines for celebrating her 50th birthday. Perhaps how Hollywood actors lavishly accept their old age as they get older is becoming popularized.

Ι [KEYWORD] “Golden anniversary party” +370%, “Silver jubilee cake 25th anniversary” +245%, “50th anniversary s decorated” +135%, “80th birthday party decorations” +85%, “100th birthday party ideas” +50%

#The 4th trimester (*Pregnancy is usually divided into three phases. Refers to the time after giving birth.)

Western people are also becoming more interested in postpartum care, everything from postpartum meals to gifts and essentials. Many, including Millennials, have shared their small moments on pregnancy, giving birth, and infant care on their social media accounts. This seems to be the reason for heightened interest in postpartum care. Unlike in Korea, where there is a whole industry dedicated to postpartum care, there is relatively low awareness on postpartum care elsewhere. In the West, people take leave freely after giving birth and there is a great regional public healthcare system, such as home visits by doctors and the family doctor system. This has possibly made people have little need for postpartum care. In Korea, people usually give their friends, who have recently given birth, child-care items. Interestingly, however, many people in the West look up gifts for the mother like silk gowns, fur sleepers, and necklaces.

Ι [KEYWORD] “Postpartum gift” +140%, “Postpartum basket” +135%, “Postpartum essentials” +85%, “Postpartum essentials” +70%, “Postpartum must haves” +40%

#Pool parties for dogs

There is also growing buzz surrounding parties for companion dogs among Boomers and Gen X. They are searching for a variety of ideas like party invitations, party decorations, and even party favors for dogs. This is interpreted as people now holding birthday parties that they would traditionally have for their children, for their companion dogs.

Ι [KEYWORD] “Mini pool ideas” +830%, “DIY dog areas in backyard” +490%, “Dog party favors” +135%, “DIY dog pool” +85%. “Dog birthday party ideas decoration” +65%

#All the raves

Rave (party) culture will reign in the year ahead. As the endemic has begun, Millennials and Gen Z are going to club, and house parties are all over the globe. Techno style, rave fashion and house music outfits are all on an upward trend. They are looking for free style looks using club outfits of Berlin, the capital of European hipsters, as reference.

Ι [KEYWORD] “Berlin rave fashion” +250%, “House music outfits” +185%, “Music mixer” +115%, “Techno style” +60%, “Rave party aesthetic” +35%

#Now processing (Alternatives to talk therapy)

Self-mental care through art is on the rise. In the West, mental health counseling is a common way to look after yourself. Recently, Gen Z and Millennials have been going beyond talk therapies, and instead seeking new, creative ways to work on themselves. They are on the lookout for creative ways to express their emotions, such as music, journal writing, and expressive art. The number of queries for art journal therapy, in particular, has surged by a whopping 37 times.

Ι [KEYWORD] “Art journal therapy” +3755%, “Writing therapy” +1840%, “Journal writing prompts therapy” +220%, “Expressive art therapy activities” +120%, “Music therapy” +30%

#Vitamin seaweed

Seaweed is said to be the next hottest super food of 2023 following acai berries. A long-standing staple in Asian cultures, seaweed is growing in popularity in the Western world. Everything from nori, seaweed snacks, sea mustard and kelp is trending up among Millennials and Gen X all over the globe. This is not only because they are filled with nutrients and minerals, but also because they are tasty. People are looking up all kinds of different seafood recipes like nori pesto, nori rolls, laver chips, gimbap, and laver butter. Korean nori reportedly accounts for 70% of the world market, so there was certainly a reason Seojin’s was selling gimbap.

Ι [KEYWORD] “Seaweed snacks recipes” +245%, “Salmon bowl” +245%, “Green algae” +60%, “Nori recipes” +60, “Benefits of chlorophyll water” +35%

Outro: How do they make predictions?
Does this apply to Korea, too?

Pinterest analyzes billions of English queries that are generated every year based on user behavior (pins saved, boards generated, search terms). They reportedly analyze two-years' worth of queries instead of a year to select meaningful insights, and data scientists identify trends through modeling.

Since English queries are the standard search terms, I thought the trend may be different from that of Korea, but looking at the 2023 trend, there were so many trends I was familiar with that I wondered whether this is the power of the Korean Wave. This is probably attributable to the fact that everyone worldwide is going through similar shifts as we have come out of the pandemic, and that numerous keywords overlap with the content trends on other platforms like TikTok and YouTube.

Pinterest Predicts 2023 introduces a total of 27 trends. It would be a good idea to give it a look since they have other interesting trends besides the ones I’ve introduced to you today. (Source: https://business.pinterest.com/pinterest-predicts/)