35 MOST TRUSTED BRANDS in Health & Wellness
We want to have faith in the products we buy—after all, no one wants to waste money. But when a purchase involves our health, the expectation of quality is paramount. That’s why this annual Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands survey focuses on 35 categories affecting our well-being, from medications and supplements to health devices and food—even what’s best for our pets. Professional guidance is important, of course. But with their rich histories, these are the products consumers have come to trust the most.
Dove Soap & body wash
It’s the numberone-selling soap in the United States, thanks in large part to its most famous ingredient: “moisturizing cream.”
Chobani
greek yogurt The name means “shepherd”—but not in Greek. Hamdi Ulukaya, who founded the company, came to the United States from his native Turkey in 1994.
Dr. Scholl’s
foot care William Scholl, a Chicago shoe salesman turned medical doctor, created his first arch support in 1904, before he’d even graduated from med school.
Zzzquil
Sleep aid Unlike some other over-the-counter sleep aids, Zzzquil contains no pain relievers. Also unlike other brands, it comes in dreamysounding flavors such as Calming Vanilla Cherry and Warming Berry.
Nature Made
fish oil Science has yet to establish the effectiveness of many supplements, but fish oil has long been shown to help prevent heart disease.
Depend
incontinence product Some people might feel uneasy having to ask a store clerk for help buying this product. Fortunately, Depend sends free sample kits to new customers.
Bausch + Lomb
contact Solution Used lenses can clog pipes and sink to the bottom of waterways. Bausch + Lomb’s recycling program has safely disposed of more than 2.5 million pairs since 2016.
Olay
antiaging Skin care A year after its launch, in 2018, Olay’s Regenerist Whip has become the top-selling new skin-care product. Number two: Regenerist Whip with SPF 25.
Nyquil
cold & flu remedy People with high blood pressure get sick, too, but decongestants can be dangerous for them. Nyquil’s HBP formula is specially made without decongestants.
Aveeno
moisturizer In the 1940s, an oatmeal bath by American brothers Albert and Sidney Musher worked wonders as an eczema treatment. Since then, Aveeno—from the Latin for “oat”—has pioneered dozens of nature-based skin products.
Visine
eye care Original Visine just treats redness. Relief from itching, dryness, or other conditions requires one of the more advanced formulas.
Always
feminine protection Ten states have dropped their tax on feminine-hygiene products in recent years.
Neutrogena
facial cleanser Wash your face with plain water, and your skin returns to its natural ph in ten minutes. Add famously mild Neutrogena, and the process takes only one more minute, according to the company’s research.
Metamucil
fiber Supplement Fiber from the husk of the psyllium plant is Metamucil’s main ingredient and has a surprising side effect: Studies show that it can lower your cholesterol.
Lean Cuisine
healthy frozen meal How healthy? Even the Salisbury Steak with Macaroni & Cheese is good for you. In fact, the website eatthis.com says that, in terms of its balance of calories, protein, fat, and carbs, it is Lean Cuisine’s healthiest meal.
Benadryl
itch relief/allergy relief In 1933, George Rieveschl sent out 200 applications in hopes of becoming a commercial artist. He got nothing but rejections. So he became a chemist at the University of Cincinnati, and within ten years he’d created a compound that helped reduce itchy allergic reactions. He called it Benadryl. After the oral medication became available without a prescription in the 1980s, Benadryl began to also be sold as an anti-itch cream. (It won in both categories.)
Kind
nutrition bar The glucose is non-gmo, the 20-plus flavors offer abundant variety, and the grains (such as amaranth, buckwheat, and sorghum) are unrefined and packed with protein.
Coppertone
Sun protection World War II airman Benjamin Green used veterinary petroleum to keep from getting sunburned while on duty. After the war, he added cocoa butter and coconut oil to the mix and created Coppertone suntan lotion. (The SPF came later.)
Robitussin
cough remedy In Latin, the word tussis means “cough.” It’s the same root found in the word pertussis, aka whooping cough.