Squalane, many people who know anything about skin care have heard of it. Businesses also often use it as a selling point to promote their products. So, what is squalane? What skin care does it have? What are the ways to get it? These are the issues we are discussing today.

What is squalane?

Squalane is a naturally occurring ingredient in animal and vegetable oils and fats, widely found in animal bodies and some vegetable oils.

It is one of the most important components of human fat, accounting for about 1% of infant fat and 2% of adult fat. Along with other ingredients in skin care products, it forms a layer of fat in the skin that locks in moisture, prevents it from evaporating, and acts as a moisture and water barrier.

What skin care effect does squalane have:

Skin care effect 1. As an ingredient that exists in the skin itself, squalane is particularly friendly to the skin. It dissolves easily in the sebum secreted by the skin, forming a breathable barrier on the skin's surface, moisturizing and softening the skin. It effectively soothes dry skin and keeps it elastic and plump.

Skin care effect 2. Squalane has a high degree of permeability and can penetrate into the skin, replenish cell lipids, and nourish the skin. After use, the skin is soft, hydrated and elastic due to the penetration and action of squalane.

Skin care effect 3. Squalane is not strictly an oil. It spreads well and feels smooth without being greasy or greasy. It is mild, non-comedogenic and does not cause acne or breakouts. It is moderately moisturizing and can be used on most skin types. Squalane is more expensive and is often used in high-end cosmetics.

Skin care effect 4. It forms a breathable and water-permeable barrier on the skin surface. The advantage is that it is not heavy, but has a moderate moisturizing effect. Especially when dry, it is not enough to use squalane, you need to combine it with other products.

How to obtain squalane:

How to get it 1. Extracted from shark liver

The earliest way to obtain it is from shark liver, which is then hydrogenated. However, only 1 ton is produced for every 3,000 sharks, which is far from enough to meet human needs. In addition, mass shark hunting is destructive to the ocean's natural ecosystems. The European Union has banned the use of animal-derived squalane as an ingredient in cosmetics, amid ongoing protests from animal welfare groups around the world.

Although extraction from shark liver can harm the ecological balance, it is still used, and four of the five largest squalane factories in the world are in Japan. But because the raw material is scarce and expensive, few products actually use it.

Access route 2, plant extraction

Squalane is also found in a variety of plants. Much of the squalane in use today is extracted from olive oil and then hydrogenated. The skin care effect of plant and animal squalane is similar, but because the steps of plant extraction are more complicated, the price is also more expensive.

Access 3. Synthesis

In order to meet the needs of skin care, we find cheaper raw materials, and it is now possible to chemically synthesize raw materials with similar properties to squalane, such as hydrogenated polyisobutylene, which has similar wetting, moisturizing and lubricating properties to squalane, but lower cost. It is mainly used in lipsticks, creams, etc. Most of this synthetic is used in cosmetics now, and although it is similar to natural squalane, it is less effective.