I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but recently there has been a strange phenomenon in grocery stores everywhere: sardines are flying off the shelves. At the onset of the trend a few months ago, sardines had gone so viral that Trader Joe’s even implemented a two-tin-per-customer limit for a short period of time. On Reddit threads, conversations stirred about how locations nationwide were facing a sardine shortage. ELLE’s beauty editor, Katie Berohn, had even received messages from friends shopping at an Upper East Side Trader Joe’s branch saying sardine tins were being gatekept. “You have to ask for them at the front desk,” they shared, along with a picture of empty shelves where they would normally be. But what many people didn’t know is that it was all in the name of beauty. If you’ve been scrolling on BeautyTok lately, there’s a good chance your timeline has been a bit fishy. Over the last few weeks, influencers—and the influenced—have been raving about sardines and the various recipes and health benefits that the tiny tinned fish can produce.

Now, sardines are nothing new. I’m sure many of us have stories of our parents or grandparents popping open a can of tinned fish and scooping its contents onto a cracker as the air filled with an oceanic stench. It was only a matter of time before the next generation adopted the practice with a bit of a rebrand from boring pantry staple to coveted beauty secret. On TikTok, the hashtag #sardines has amassed hundreds of millions of views with over 200,000 videos posted by people sharing the results of incorporating sardines into their diets, including glowing skin and shiny, healthy hair.

Beauty influencer Toni Bravo is leading the recent sardine charge on TikTok, but she’s no stranger to the idea of eating seafood for health benefits. “I grew up eating cod liver oil, so tinned fish were like a delicacy in comparison,” says Bravo. Over the last few months, she has gone viral many times over for sharing her sardine recipes featuring the colorfully illustrated tins of the canned fish brand Fishwife. The brand, which quickly surged in popularity, prides itself on sustainably sourcing premium wild-caught fish and providing customers with a variety of flavors and options. Chef and food influencer Stephanie Ho and health-and-wellness influencer Ally Renee are also known to reach for this brand, citing the health benefits and high-quality taste.

In February, Bravo posted a video to TikTok opening with, “Everybody wants a skin care routine until I bring up sardines.” Her 1.1 million followers took it and ran. “It was mainly a joke, but I know the benefits of sardines because I’ve heard about them my whole life,” says Bravo. Bravo isn’t the only one who has mentioned the tie between sardines and skin care. Model Anok Yai revealed in a TikTok interview with Hypebae that she eats a can every night for glowing, smooth skin, referring to the tinned fish as her “beauty secret.”

Will sardines really clear your skin? “There is some truth to the trend, but it’s important to keep expectations realistic,” says board-certified dermatologist Kristina Collins, MD. “Sardines are a nutrient-dense food that contains omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, selenium, protein, and vitamin B12, all of which support overall skin health.” According to the National Institutes of Health, these fish are also rich in skin-loving nutrients including zinc, taurine, calcium, and magnesium, which all work to combat inflammation, strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier, and aid in cell turnover, which results in brighter, healthier-looking skin. The health benefits of sardines and fish in general have long been proven.

But don’t consider tinned fish a cure-all. “No single food is a miracle cure for clear, glowing skin,” says Collins. “Healthy skin is the result of an overall balanced diet, good skin care habits, sun protection, adequate sleep, and managing inflammation.” Nutrition plans like the Mediterranean diet have touted major skin care benefits such as enhancing moisture retention, boosting elasticity, and even combatting inflammatory conditions like psoriasis and acne. The main source of protein in this diet comes from seafood, which is no surprise. But as for sardines’ recent virality, that was simply luck. “It was very unexpected that it would be received like this, but I’m glad that more people are being introduced to sardines from my videos,” says Bravo.

For anyone who’s made it this far and is still wary about eating tinned fish, there are many recipes out there that might change your mind. For Bravo, there are three ingredients that she can’t live without for her sardine recipes: hot sauce, freshly ground pepper, and lemon. For a more substantial meal, a simple rice bowl with spicy mayo or hot sauce, avocados, and pickled onion usually does the trick. And if the flavor isn’t enough, healthy skin might be worth a bit of fishy aftertaste.