Why we love Squalane (and you will too)

What it is

Squalane (not to be confused with Squalene—more on that later) is a light emollient (aka skin softener) that helps balance oil production in your skin. If your skin is in need of an extra hydration boost, Squalane is definitely the beauty product for you.

How it works

Squalane mimics your skin's natural oils and helps replace essential lipids in your skin that naturally decline as we age.

Squalane vs Squalene

With just one letter difference, these two are annoyingly easy to mix up—so to make it a little easier, we’ve stylized them in this section.

Squalene is produced by your body naturally but decreases with age, so it’s included in many skincare formulations for anti-aging. Did you know? Squalene is traditionally sourced from shark liver, but these days, there are more sustainable (and vegan!) ways to get similar benefits with Squalane.

Squalane can be sourced from olives or sugarcane, has a lighter consistency and a longer shelf life… so, choosing Squalane over Squalene was a no-brainer for us.

Where is our Squalane sourced

We’ve found a manufacturer that produces Squalane derived from sustainably sourced sugarcane in Brazil in a low-waste way—we’re talking locally sourced sugarcane (to minimize transportation related pollution), recycling residual dried plant material to power their plant, and using byproducts to fertilize the sugarcane fields. They’ve thought of ways to reuse pretty much everything and we’re seriously impressed.

What it does for your skin

Since it mimics something your body produces naturally that decreases with age, you can expect some anti-aging effects. It has anti-inflammatory benefits as well that help with skin problems like acne + eczema.

What to pair it with

Squalane is a great emollient (even for people with oily skin) and is occlusive, meaning it helps the skin retain moisture. Pair it with a humectant (like hyaluronic acid) for a boost of hydration.