🗞️SKINCARE NEWS

🏆U.S. News Ranks the Best OTC Health Products of 2026

U.S. News & World Report has released its fourth annual rankings of over-the-counter health products. Here’s a quick summary:

• U.S. News surveyed 357 pharmacists and 129 dermatologists across the U.S. to determine which brands professionals actually recommend to patients✅

• U.S. News OTC rankings aim to provide clarity for everyday health decisions💡

• Click through each category to see the full list. The top winners in each category are listed below🏆:

  • Acne Treatments: Differin 

  • Anti-Dandruff Shampoos: Head & Shoulders 

  • Eczema Treatments: CeraVe 

  • Face Moisturizers: CeraVe 

  • Face Washes and Cleansers for Sensitive Skin: CeraVe 

  • Hair Growth Serums and Oils: Nutrafol 

  • Hair Regrowth Treatments (Medicated): Rogaine 

  • Lip Balms: Aquaphor 

  • Moisturizers with SPF: CeraVe 

  • Retinol Creams and Serums: La Roche-Posay 

  • Scar Creams and Treatments: Mederma 

  • Sunscreen for Body: Neutrogena 

  • Sunscreen for Face: La Roche-Posay 

  • Vitamin C Serums: La Roche-Posay 

  • Wrinkle Creams: La Roche-Posay

🔥 What’s Trending Now in Skincare?

Spate’s 2026 report reveals what’s trending now in skincare. Here’s a quick summary:

• Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) has officially claimed the top spot in skincare popularity, boasting a massive 322.3% year-over-year growth with a popularity index of 1.4 million➡️Spate’s popularity index combines data from digital platforms, currently including Google, TikTok, and Instagram📈

• In second place is Centella asiatica with a year-over-year increase of 146.9% and a popularity index of 1.0 million🌿

• Interest in Volufiline has skyrocketed by 1,200% as shoppers look for non-invasive ways to increase facial volume by stimulating adipose tissue (Popularity index: 219,800)✨

• Beta-glucan is seeing a 739.9% surge in popularity as a powerhouse for skin barrier health, often used to soothe skin while using intense actives like tretinoin🛡️

• Other top ingredients include beef tallow, retinol, salicylic acid, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), collagen, turmeric, and ceramides✅

📲SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS

📸 Carousel Update? Instagram Testing Captions on Individual Slides

Instagram is currently testing a new feature that allows users to add a unique, individual caption to every photo or video within a carousel. Here’s a quick summary:

• Users selected for the test pool are seeing a notification in the post composer explaining they "can now add a caption for each photo or video" before publishing🔔

• Instagram Chief Adam Mosseri has previously noted that carousels are essential for growth because they give the algorithm multiple chances to show your content to users, with data from early 2025 showing that carousel posts consistently drive about 12% more engagement compared to standard single-image posts📈

• By adding slide-specific captions, Instagram is moving toward a more "utility-focused" format that rivals the depth typically found in blog posts or newsletters📖

• This testing phase follows a March update that gave users the ability to rearrange the order of their carousel slides after they had already been posted🔄

• While Meta has confirmed the feature is in active testing, it has not yet provided a specific date for a global release to all accounts✅

🔥TRENDING TIKTOK & INSTAGRAM SOUNDS

Here are trending sounds that can be used for educational content🔥

📈SKINCARE BESTSELLERS

^{*The bestseller lists are dynamic and can change in real-time. The bestseller lists are compiled on Monday mornings.}

^{**This post contains affiliate links.}

Thanks for reading the DermFriends Newsletter. Stay tuned for more updates, tips, and trends next week!