By Bibiana Dianiskova
In beauty industry where everything is magical and ever changing, it might be difficult to spot trends that are really worth a try! However, let me highlight an ingredient which has proven to be really effective and popular at the moment: Squalane!
What is Squalane?
It is actually an ingredient that comes from something so natural – called “squalene” – and yes, keep an eye on that “e”! Our skin naturally produces squalene and it can be found in many animals and plants as well.
“Squalene is a lipid, or fat, made naturally by our oil glands to hydrate and maintain the barrier of our skin. “
– dermatologist Charlotte Birnbaum
It is believed to make up 10-12% of your skin natural oils. However, as we age our skin produces less and less squalene.
Squalane vs. Squalene
Because squalene itself can be easily oxidised it is not stable to use when it comes to cosmetic formulas. Basically, squalene becomes squalane through a process called hydrogenation. After going through this process the ingredient won’t oxidise nor lose its benefits when exposed to air.
However, a very important thing to mention is that when we talk about squalene with an “e” found in skincare it is often derived from animal sources. The primary source is shark’s liver, which makes this ingredient “squalEne” very unethical. Due to this question of ethicality, most cosmetic companies stopped using squalene and moved onto using a plant-based derivative squalAne.
Nowadays, most of the companies would source their squalAne from plants such as olives, rice bran, wheat germ or even sugar cane. This makes the ingredient plant-based + ethical, saving many sharks. And also, the ingredient goes through hydrogenation so it is more stable to use in skincare, which gives a product containing it longer shelf life.
Benefits of Squalane
Squalane is a great skincare ingredient especially because it can be used on all skin types! No matter if your skin is dry, sensitive, oily and congested, or combination – you will definitely benefit from including this ingredient in your skincare!
And additionally:
It is antioxidant
Squalane has antioxidant properties so it can protect your skin from free radicals which are produced during oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when we expose our skin to sunlight or other environmental stressors. Free radicals damage our skin by causing visible signs of aging. Therefore, this makes squalane great anti-aging warrior. Over time, it can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, UV damage and hyperpigmentation ! Additionally, it can help you ease skin irritation.
Protects the skin barrier
Squalane is known to be a great emollient. It is often included in skincare products in order to help you maintain a healthy skin barrier by locking in the moisture. This is great especially if you suffer from eczema, or if your skin is sensitive.
Even though squalane is a lightweight ingredient which absorbs quickly, it penetrates deep into your skin. Due to its gentle and weightless texture, products containing this ingredient can be used on oily skin without clogging the pores.
Squalane hydrates
My personal favourite benefit of using squalane is because it has HYDRATION benefits! If you have dry skin you will fall in love with this ingredient! It locks moisture into your skin and works especially well as a skin moisturiser or an oil.
Why do we love Biossance?
When talking about squalane, we have to mention one of our favourite sustainable brands specializing in squalane based products: Biossance!
Our favourites from Biossance
How to incorporate squalane into your routine
Squalane is such an amazing and multitasking ingredient which can be used not only on your face, but also on your hair and body!
There is a variety of different products containing this amazing ingredient. You can incorporate it into your routine in a form of oil, moisturiser, treatment, cleanser, or even a foundation!
If you want to maintain healthy and moisturised skin, body, and hair shop our squalane KeiSei edit with some of our favourite products!
Shop the Squalane edit:
Will you include squalane into your beauty routine, or are you already using a product containing this amazing ingredient?
Let us know in the comments below!
Bibiana Dianiskova
Bibiana is a marketing graduate based in London with a huge passion in content creation. She is a proper beauty and wellness enthusiast and a lover of books, podcasts and Netflix.
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This article may contain some affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, KeiSei Magazine receives a small percentage of the sale price, or some brands may have paid a small fee to be featured. We only recommend brands that match our sustainable and ethical criteria and that we truly believe in.
2 comments
I absolutely love this article, so well written, interesting, and informative: thank you so much!
Thank you for the feedback Izzy! Let us know if you try squalane 🙂