Mikayla Nogueira: Snatch It PDRN Controversy
What is POV Beauty’s new product?
From vagina steaming to chin straps, the internet pushes out new beauty trends every month. According to skincare enthusiasts, we should all be putting salmon sperm PDRN on our faces. South Korean scientists have been using the ingredient in skincare for over a decade. Only recently, in 2022 and 2023, have our fishy friends swum onto the skincare radar of American consumers.
POV Beauty is an influencer skincare brand founded by Mikayla Nogueira, and it intends to be one of the first American brands to bring PDRN skincare to the American market in 2026.
Nogueira is best known for her 2023 “Lashgate” scandal, where she allegedly wore false lashes in a paid TikTok advertisement for L'Oréal mascara. The infamous TikToker launched her brand in 2025, and their newest product is Snatch It, a salmon sperm PDRN that comes in an eye serum and a face ampoule.
What is Snatch It?
The brand claims that Snatch It is made in Korea and has been dermatologist- and clinically tested. POV Beauty’s website previously marketed the product as vegan and cruelty-free, though those claims have since been removed. According to the brand, the formula is designed for sensitive and mature skin, using a non-irritating blend that leaves skin feeling plump, taut, and visibly radiant.
What is PDRN?
The new products spotlight a familiar lineup of buzzy “hero” ingredients: ceramides, Sicca exosomes, and a peptide complex, but the real star is PDRN. Short for polydeoxyribonucleotide, PDRN consists of DNA fragments extracted from the sperm cells of certain salmon or trout. Scientists love the ingredient for its benefits, such as cell repair and regeneration. POV Beauty is capitalizing on the hype with its Snatch It line, positioning the products as boosters of skin elasticity and long-term skin longevity. A key selling point is the ingredient’s supposed low molecular weight, which is said to penetrate the skin.
What is low molecular weight, and why does it matter?
Nogueira proclaimed in a TikTok video that Snatch It was formulated with a low molecular weight. If your first thought was, “What does this science mumbo jumbo matter?” you’re not alone. I researched the terminology because what I learned in my ninth-grade science class wasn’t going to cut it.
Molecular weight refers to the size of molecules, and in this case, apparently, size does matter. The size of a molecule determines how deeply an active ingredient penetrates the skin. Small molecules sink into the skin, whereas larger molecules sit on top. A PDRN with a high molecular weight may be more hydrating, but a low–molecular-weight PDRN has a better chance of penetrating the skin.
PDRN comes in injectable and topical forms. Like many skincare ingredients, topical versions will always face more limitations than injectables. From what I understand, it’s the difference between contouring your nose and getting a nose job. Neither is better than the other; it just depends on what you’re looking for. As a consumer, you should consult a licensed medical professional to help determine what’s best for your needs.
Why is there controversy around Snatch It?
POV Beauty is a baby brand, but each product release is marred by controversy, and Snatch It is no exception. This time around, consumers are pointing out that Nogueira accepted payment to advertise five separate salmon sperm PDRN products on her TikTok page. Nogueira admitted to developing Snatch It while simultaneously accepting sponsorships from competitor brands.
Nogueira has a documented history of accepting paid partnerships while formulating products for her brand, as well as allegations that she has misrepresented product effectiveness in sponsored reviews. She has also been criticized for enthusiastically endorsing multiple skincare products in paid promotions only days or weeks apart.
Within less than a year, she featured various brands, including Rejuran Healer Turnover Ampoule, IOPE PDRN Caffeine Shot, and Arencia. She also made three separate videos about Medicube in 2025, between April 7th and April 12th. Viewers have questioned Nogueira’s recommendations, as the sheer number of products she promotes makes it difficult to determine which product, if any, is improving her skin.
Further doubt was cast on her credibility after Nogueira told consumers to throw out their other PDRN products. She claimed that POV Beauty’s salmon sperm PDRN is the most effective and well-researched option on the market. She continued, stating, “What brands are not telling you is that majority of the salmon sperm PDRN serums on the market don’t do shit. Including some of the most viral popular ones.” She added that they lack a low enough molecular weight to penetrate the skin.
These comments might have been relatively inoffensive if the founder were not so forward-facing. The issue lies in the fact that Nogueira previously advertised competing salmon sperm PDRN products to her audience. She disparaged the same products she promoted last year, including Medicube. Viewers questioned the beauty creator’s ethics, particularly in light of “Lashgate” and her other controversies.