When Did Skincare Get So Fishy?
We asked experts why fish-derived ingredients are everywhere.
Whether we’re injecting salmon sperm into our faces or eating sardines for glowing skin, it’s hard to deny the fact that skincare is in its fishy era. But beyond the trendy Kardashian-backed facials and obvious TikTok rage bait, dermatologists say fish-derived ingredients are more than their buzzy, over-the-top marketing tactics — they’re an effective, scientifically-proven way to tap into regenerative benefits.
Since skincare fans are so fixated on efficacy over gimmicks, it’s only natural that there’s a fair amount of skepticism surrounding fishy products. While terms like “caviar extract” and “salmon DNA” might subconsciously raise red flags, skin experts say the current trend of fish-derived ingredients might actually speak to an overall push towards inside-out skincare practices.
@a.closmain My favorite skincare meal. Salmon crunchy skin. Omega-3 for the skin barrier, protein for collagen support 🍣 40min 200°C~, no oil just salt and pepper💫 #glowingskin #collagen #salmon #omega3 ♬ som original – 𝚜𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚡🎧
“Consumers are increasingly skeptical of synthetic-sounding ingredient lists,” board-certified dermatologist Allison Leer tells Hypebae. “Meanwhile, fish-derived ingredients are structurally similar to compounds found in the human skin. This is important because when a skincare ingredient closely resembles what the skin already produces, the potential for meaningful interaction increases significantly.”
Similarly, board certified dermatologist Dr. Annette Czernik finds that fish-derived ingredients can stimulate skin cells in a way other ingredients are unable to, “Salmon PDRN, for example, works at a cellular level to repair and regenerate tissue, which is a very different mechanism than something like hyaluronic acid, which mostly just pulls in moisture.” By bridging the gap between naturally-occurring actives and clinical results, marine ingredients repair skin beyond just surface level glowiness.
@songofskin Salmon DNA is my 🙌🏻💫 favorite for baby skin #salmondna #koreanskincare #salmon #pdrn #skincare #cream #heveblue #skincareroutine ♬ original sound – tos💗
In addition to repairing cells, ingredients like PDRN also play into our recent obsession with science-backed skincare. “For the consumer, the interest lies in the bio-hacking element. It’s the idea that you can use DNA fragments to signal your skin to act younger and heal faster. The unusual origin of these ingredients adds to the allure — it feels like a specialized, high-tech secret from the worlds of professional dermatology and longevity science,” cosmetic chemist and skin biologist Dr. Shuting Hu says.
As marine biotechnology becomes a major point of interest, experts say the shift from preventative to regenerative skincare is abundantly clear. While experts suspect that the novelty of fishy ingredients will eventually die down, many maintain that the repair abilities of fish-derived ingredients mean they’re anything but a fleeting moment. “The packaging and buzzwords may change, but the focus on nourishment, repair and healthy aging is definitely sticking around,” licensed esthetician Shantani Smith-Pannell adds.
