Squalane Oil: What You Need to Know

Anyone else seeing squalane oil all over the skincare world lately?

Us too! And you know us, when there’s a trend we have to get to the bottom of it. Why the hype? What makes it great? And the greatest question of all: is it worth the hype? So today, we’re breaking down squalane oil and answering:

• What is it?
• Why use it?
• Who should use it?
• What are the best products?

No more time to waste – let’s get into it!

What is Squalane Oil?

In order to know what squalane is, you must first know what squalene is. Squalene is a fat-soluble anti-oxidant that is naturally produced by our skin…in fact its produced by our sebaceous glands (you know those things that create oil on your face?). Like similarly structured molecules such as Vitamin E, squalene can help protect against environmental stressors.

FUN FACT: Squalene is most commonly found in sharks! Up to 80% of the oil in some sharks’ livers is comprised of squalene. That’s a lot considering a shark’s liver makes up 25% of its body mass. For sharks, squalene helps the body utilize oxygen more efficiently.

All that said, if you care at all about protecting the sharks (I hope you do), look for plant-derived sources of squalene or squalane.

The problem with squalene is it’s a little finicky (a.k.a. not so shelf-stable). So someone along the way came up with squalane, which is derived from squalene, less finicky, odorless, colorless, and just as effective so YAY!

Why Use Squalane Oil?

Squalane oil is typically used as an effective lightweight moisturizer and an emollient in products. It works so well as a moisturizer because it can squeeze itself into the spaces between skin cells, making your face feel smoother. Squalane can also help keep moisture in your face by sealing that outer layer tight without being too heavy!

Another great thing about squalane is its not considered an irritant. Usually no one will have any side effects from using squalane – even our sensitive skin friends!

Here’s a quick list of the benefits of squalane:

• Fights off skin-damaging free radicals
• Has powerful anti-aging properties
• Gives a dose of anti-inflammatory benefits
• Boosts blood circulation which promotes collagen production

Not too shabby, right?!

Who Should Use Squalane Oil?

Just like with any oil, if your skin is already super oily, you may want to stray away from adding too much oil to your routine. That said, as far as facial oils go, squalane is super light and nourishing so generally everyone can benefit from it! The concern really just comes in at how often you use it.

DRY SKIN. If you can’t seem to ever get enough moisture in your skin, it may be due to a lack of natural sebum production. Since your skin might be lacking in producing enough squalene, you will seriously benefit from a dose of squalane.

COMBINATION SKIN. Hey that’s me! Squalane oil is a great way to up your moisture in areas that need it, but not totally clog up the areas that don’t. I use squalane oil every night, but not during the day to help balance my dose of moisture.

OILY/ACNE-PRONE SKIN. It’s probably best if you pass on the squalane oil. Plus, there is some research out there that shows when squalene is oxidized it can lead to acne so…why add more if you’re already dealing with those pesky pimples?

Moral of the story: if you have dry or combination skin, give squalane oil a try! As a lightweight, yet nourishing moisturizer it can do wonders for your skin. If you’re hesitant to fully incorporate an oil, try making it part of just your nighttime routine to start!

Favorite Squalane Oil Products

The first time I ever tried squalane oil was with a few different Biossance products. Biossance basically created its entire line around squalane oil…so that’s when you know it’s a game-changing product! That said, Biossance tends to be on the pricier end (not too crazy, but not exactly wallet-friendly), so when Claudia and I recently partnered up with The Ordinary by DECEIM, we were so excited to give their squalane products a try!

We love both The Ordinary and Biossance for all things squalane! Here are our absolute favorites:

The Real Deal

Since incorporating squalane oil into my routine, the best way to describe my skin is BALANCED. Seriously, my oil production is WAY down since I’m already giving my skin what it needs!

The result? Balanced, happy skin with significantly less irritation and breakouts! There’s nothing better!

Have you tried squalane yet? Do you have any favorite squalane oil products? Let us know!