THE FUSE

If your For You page has been serving up videos about salmon sperm skincare lately, you are not imagining things. This ingredient has been popping up all over K-beauty content, and people want to know what it actually is and whether it belongs on their skin. "Salmon sperm skincare" is the viral nickname for PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotide), a DNA-derived ingredient most commonly sourced from salmon DNA. While the nickname has fueled social media interest, PDRN itself is the skincare ingredient used in Korean beauty and dermatology-inspired formulas. While the name has fueled countless TikTok videos, the ingredient itself has been used in Korean dermatology and skincare for years. Today, PDRN appears most often in serums and hydrogel masks designed to support hydrated, smoother-looking skin.