As a beauty editor, I’m always dying to know what’s next. Which hair, makeup, and skincare trends are heading straight for us? What product, ingredient, or technique will take over Instagram and TikTok? It should come as no surprise, then, that trend-spotting is one of my favorite parts of my job. It feels good to get out ahead of the curve.
I already got my download on the biggest 2026 hair and makeup trends, thanks to my chic and eternally trend-forward colleagues. However, one major category was missing: skincare, so I did what any good beauty editor would do. I decided to reach out to the experts—dermatologists, to be exact. All three agree: 2026 is the year of skin longevity. People will be focusing on simple, streamlined, and highly effective routines to make their skin the best it can be. Keep reading for all the details (and product recommendations).
IN: Skin Longevity
Aderonke Obayomi, MD, MPH, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Mount Sinai in NYC. She says we’re moving away from quick fixes and entering an era in which the overwhelming “trend” is a focus on skin longevity, or preserving and maintaining healthy, youthful-looking skin over time. “We’re moving away from chasing the next viral ingredient and toward building skin health that lasts,” she says. “My patients are getting much more informed. They’re asking “will this actually work long-term?” rather than “will this give me instant results?” It’s less about aggressive treatments and more about supporting your skin’s natural function: maintaining a strong barrier, protecting with sunscreen daily, and using proven ingredients consistently.”
This aligns with the top 2026 wellness trend, which is centered on “long-term optimization,” rather than short-term results. “Patients are becoming more informed and more cautious about where they get their health information and treatments,” Krysha Mallari, Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner & Functional Health Expert at Body+Beauty Lab, recently told Who What Wear. “Practices that prioritize safety, individualized care, and long-term optimization rather than generic solutions will continue to stand out and deliver the most meaningful results.” Beauty and wellness have always been intrinsically linked, so I’m not surprised at this crossover.
Obayomi says consistency is everything when it comes to longevity, which is why she recommends products that people will *actually* use every day. She starts with sunscreen. “EltaMD UV Clear Face Sunscreen SPF 46 ($45) and La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen ($36) are some of my favorites because they’re elegant enough to wear daily under makeup. For a treatment that builds results over time, the CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum ($19) is accessible and effective without being too aggressive and irritating. Peptide serums are also becoming very popular and are another way to boost collagen stimulation without being quite as irritating as retinoids. I particularly like SkinCeutical’s P-TIOX ($150).
Shop the Edit:
EltaMD
UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
CeraVe
Resurfacing Retinol Face Serum
SkinCeuticals
P-Tiox Anti-Wrinkle Peptide Serum
IN: Skincare as Wellness
Speaking of wellness, the experts agree that the line between it and skincare will get even blurrier in 2026. Azadeh Shirazi, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist and founder of AziMD Skincare. She says wellness is set to become “the new luxury” in skincare. “Glowing skin is no longer just about what you put on your face, but how you care for your body overall,” She says. “Tools like LED masks will continue to rise, but alongside a deeper appreciation for sleep, stress management, movement, and diet as part of a true skincare journey.”
As for which LED mask she recommends, Shirazi is a “big fan” of the Currentbody LED Mask ($470). “I recommend LED therapy often in my practice because red light has real, science-backed benefits and clinical studies for collagen stimulation, inflammation reduction, and overall skin clarity. This is one of those tools that can quietly elevate your entire routine and give really great results when used consistently.”
Kseniya Kobets, MD, FAAD, is the Director of Cosmetic Dermatology at Montefiore-Einstein Advanced Care. She agrees that skincare and wellness are becoming even more intimately intertwined, noting that, beyond LED masks, personalized, AI- and tech-advanced tools and products are going to boom—namely “wearable tech like the Oura Ring ($), which can track your beauty sleep and recovery, to more personalized skincare and makeup routines driven by data.” She also notes Korean innovations, like PDRN (AKA the internet-famous “salmon sperm” ingredient) and new sunscreen technologies, will continue to gain momentum.
Shop the Edit:
CurrentBody Skin
LED Face Mask
VT COSMETICS
PDRN Reedle Shot 100 Serum
IN: Streamlined Routines
“The days of 50 different serums are done,” Obayomi says. “People are exhausted, their skin is sensitized, and they’re realizing that more steps often mean more problems.” She references past trends like skin-cocktailing, which involved layering exfoliating acids, retinol, and other potent ingredients. The idea was that more ingredients would offer better, faster results. However, Obayomi says it can actually do the opposite. “Dermatologists like myself have been saying this for years: more products do not equal better skin. In 2026, the focus is on fewer, smarter products. Multitasking formulas that actually deliver. Moisturizers with built-in actives. Sunscreens that also moisturize. The goal is a routine you’ll actually stick to, not one that takes 45 minutes and you forget the steps.” To put it simply, Obayomi says, “We’re seeing a correction where patients are stripping back to basics, and their skin is thanking them for it.”
Shirazi agrees. “We’re also moving away from the overwhelming 10 to 20 step routines and toward smarter, more comprehensive formulas that do more with less.” Think peptides, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory ingredients. “I believe people are starting to understand that over-exfoliating and constantly doing more can actually sabotage healthy skin.”
Simplified, streamlined routines save time and money. Take it from Obayomi. “You don’t need to spend a fortune on a cleanser or moisturizer, and many great products can be bought at your local drug store. CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser ($13) and Vanicream Moisturizing Cream ($14) are workhorse products that do exactly what they’re supposed to do—nothing more, nothing less. For a serum that multitasks, La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($40) hydrates, plumps, and helps with fine lines all in one step.”
As for Shirazi, she recommends AziMD’s Restore Cream ($110). “It’s a hydrating, age-defying moisturizer packed with so many beneficial ingredients, including peptides, plant stem cells, and ceramides. [It’s] great for both day and nighttime use for strengthening, plumping, and restoring youthful skin.” She also loves Neutrogena’s Collagen Bank Moisturizer with SPF 30 ($22). “I tell patients all the time that if you’re doing nothing else, moisturize and protect your skin from the sun. This one helps support collagen while giving daily broad-spectrum protection, which is truly one of the most effective anti-aging steps you can take long term.”
Shop the Edit:
CeraVe
Hydrating Face Wash
La Roche-Posay
Hyalu B5 Serum
AziMD Skincare
Restore Cream
IN: Sophisticated Barrier Repair
While barrier-supporting skincare products and ingredients aren’t new, Obayomi says we’re going to see an even greater emphasis on them in 2026. Not only that, but they’re going to get more sophisticated and effective, too. “We’re past the ‘slugging’ trend and into targeted repair using ceramide-rich and lipid-based formulations that restore balance without feeling heavy. Patients now understand that a healthy barrier is the foundation for everything else: if your barrier is compromised, none of your other products will work properly.”
There’s no shortage of barrier-focused products to choose from, but luckily, Obayomi has some recommendations to cut through the noise. “La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm B5+ ($19) is a hero product I recommend constantly for compromised skin. It soothes, repairs, and protects. For the face, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer ($26) is packed with ceramides and niacinamide to restore the barrier. And for those willing to splurge, SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore ($155) is a gold-standard formula for serious barrier support.”
Shop the Edit:
La Roche Posay
Cicaplast Balm Vitamin B5 Cream
La Roche Posay
Toleriane Double Repair
SkinCeuticals
Triple Lipid Restore Treatment
OUT: Beef Tallow and Other “Natural” or DIY Remedies
Beef tallow (AKA rendered cow fat) certainly had people talking in 2025. While often used as cooking fat, people started using it as a natural form of skincare, and more and more ‘natural’ brands started formulating it into moisturizers and even sunscreen. Obayomi says it’s sure to fall by the wayside in 2026, especially since it doesn’t deliver on its internet claims. “I need to address this one directly because I see it constantly on TikTok, and patients come in asking me as well,” she says. “Beef tallow is not the miracle moisturizer the internet wants it to be.”
First, Obayomi says it’s extremely thick and fat-derived, meaning it’s comedogenic. “It can clog pores. If you have acne-prone or oily skin, this is a recipe for breakouts.” Second, it hasn’t been adequately studied for use in skincare. “Better alternatives exist that actually have research behind them. The FDA doesn’t even regulate it for skincare, which means there’s no consistency in sourcing, purity, or quality. What’s in that jar depends entirely on the cow: what it ate, what hormones it was exposed to, and its overall health.” Third (yes, there’s a third!), there’s no evidence that it’s a good substitute for retinol, as some people on the internet claim. “Many TikTok creators compare beef tallow to retinol because it supposedly contains vitamin A. According to the USDA, that’s simply not accurate in any meaningful concentration.”
At the end of the day, Obayomi says there are so many affordable, effective, and dermatologist-tested moisturizers out there. These products have been formulated, studied, and optimized for skin health. So, to put it simply, “Skip the beef tallow.”
That goes for any and all DIY skincare formulas, too. “The homemade mask and kitchen-counter serum trend is losing steam because people have learned the hard way that consistency and formulation matter,” Obayomi says. “A yogurt mask might feel nice, but it’s not going to give you the results of a well-formulated product. Plus, many ‘natural’ ingredients like essential oils can actually be irritating or allergenic.”
Shirazi agrees. “Patients are becoming more educated and asking better questions about efficacy, safety, and formulation. Just because something is traditional or trendy doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for facial skin, especially for those prone to acne, sensitivity, or pigmentation. As a dermatologist, I always encourage my patients to choose ingredients and products that are studied, stable, and truly beneficial for their long-term skin health.”
OUT: Aggressive Over-Exfoliation
Remember how the experts say barrier support is bigger than ever? That means aggressive exfoliation is on the outs. It’s one of the best ways to damage the skin barrier. “I’ve spent a lot of time in my practice repairing skin that’s been damaged by too many acids, too much retinol, and too much exfoliation,” Obayomi says. “The ‘more is more’ approach to actives is fading because people are finally connecting the dots between their irritated, dry, reactive skin and their overly aggressive routines.”
Kobets agrees, saying, “I also think over-stripping and excessive exfoliation are becoming less popular, as there is growing recognition that maintaining a healthy skin microbiome and skin barrier is essential—especially in acne-prone skin.” Consider this your sign to skip the aggressive at-home peels and opt for gentle, consistent exfoliation instead.
OUT: “Overdone” Botox and Filler
While Botox and filler will continue to be popular, Kobets says “purely” using either one is on its way out. This is aligned with the newfound focus on skin longevity. Expect “a shift toward regenerative medicine such as PRP, which tends to look more natural and less ‘overdone.’” Consulting a dermatologist is the best way to know which regenerative treatments are best for your specific skin concerns.
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