U.S. Beauty sales are expected to reach $81.7 Billion by 2017 and of that, 38% is expected to be attributed to online key term searches, according to the trend report – Makeup and Skincare Brands Online, by digital marketing firm PM Digital.

The report explores the current state of beauty e-tail, highlighting the cross-channel influencers – and, it presents significant findings and figures that reveal how brands effectively cater to online shopping.

The study shows that Avon and Mary Kay have captured 20% of line market share of tradition web traffic over Olay, Maybelline, M.A.C. Cosmetics, COVERGIRL and Eyes, Lips, Face (e.l.f).

Over the last 5 – 7 years, e-commerce has been a consistent vehicle for how consumers purchase beauty products, and it will continue to be, according to the firm.

Chris Paradysz, co-founder and chief executive officer of PM Digital, explained:

“Successful marketing in the beauty industry has to strike the right combination of outside-in emotional brand connection and inside-out product performance. This study revealed the dominant players that consumers have fallen in love with. Here, it’s never casual, and it’s why we’re seeing social media and content accelerating as critical connectors.”

More key findings in the report:

• Search Engines drive nearly 40% of clicks to makeup and skincare sites, with Google alone accounting for 30% of referrals to makeup and skincare sites


• Social networks and email each make up 12% of traffic to makeup and skincare brand sites


• The top search keywords for makeup and skincare sites fall into three categories – products, concerns, and promotion/contest/giveaway searches


• Generic searches for makeup or skincare products usually result in Product Listing Ads for department or retail beauty stores


• Searches for branded products often result in PLAs with links to both department stores as well as the brand’s own sites


• Product features and reviews, how-to videos, testimonials, forums, and social media continue to be a leading factor in being a trusted perspective