CBD, Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol have all been in the skincare limelight in recent years as being the ‘must have ingredients’ and while these are all still heavily featured in many products there’s a new kid on the block, namely ‘squalane’. Yep, squalane with an ‘a’.

Squalane has been hailed as the new superhero with similar properties to that of collagen. It is known for helping to reduce dryness, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and doesn’t block pores. Its light-weight formula is perfect for acne prone, ageing or congested skin but is pretty much suited for any skin type.

What is squalane and squalene?

Squalene with an ‘e’ is found in the natural sebum of your skin and attributes about 10-12% of it, it’s the stuff that makes our skin glowing and dewy when we’re younger but deteriorates as we age. In this form it is unstable and challenging to effectively blend into a product but by hydrogenating it to become Squalane it can be used more readily. 

Squalane was first sourced from sharks but thankfully now we find it in rice, olives and sugarcane which makes it Eco-friendly and kinder to marine life so although plant based Squalane is more expensive brands are moving towards this more sustainable alternative.

Squalane in skincare

Not only has Squalane have a wealth of skin health benefits, it is also a firm favourite with brands as it’s incredibly stable, has a long shelf life and can be blended easily with other ingredients. This ‘wonder’ ingredient is now at the top of the list of most skincare fans and is being widely praised as a game changer in beauty formulations. As well as helping with dryness and wrinkles it is also a natural antioxidant which helps protect the skin from environmental factors such as UV damage and reducing pigmentation. The good news is, you can’t have too much of it. Not only is it beneficial for the face, it’s also great for your body.

To top it all off, it’s hypoallergenic so there are no known allergies to squalane so it’s suitable for the most sensitive skin. Sign me up!

We use Squalane in our Nurture Intensive Face Oil, Calm Face Oil, Restore Body Oil and our No.1 Strengthening Hair Oil.

Image by Lucio Patone via Unsplash