What is squalane and here's why it should be part of your skincare routine

It’s not easy to keep track of the skincare ingredients that are continuously flooding our social media. It’s even tougher to wean out the ones that work hard from the ones that not only do nothing but end up irritating your skin further. However, we’d like to wager that if you open your beauty closet right now and go through the ingredient list of a few products you’ll see either “squalene’ or ‘squalane’ scribbled on at least a few of them. These are not compounds that have been discovered recently but they’ve seen an impressive surge in popularity in recent years. Perhaps due to their superpower-like hydrating properties. 

A lot has been said about product layering. Especially during winter, to keep the skin hydrated and its barrier intact. However, sometimes even your convoluted 12-step routine isn’t complete without a Hulk-like moisturizing agent. Enter Squalene. A powerhouse ingredient that, as Dr Geoffrey Vaz, MBBS and MD in Dermatology explains it is a lipid produced naturally by skin cells. More specifically by the sebaceous (oil) glands. 

What is Squalene?

Vaz said, “Squalene is similar to the natural ingredients and oils in the skin and it’s great, especially for those who have dry skin. It is predominately used to moisturize which keeps the skin hydrated, soft and plump. Not only is it non-greasy and absorbs quickly but it also prevents the skin from oxidative damage. Lastly, with it being non-comedogenic, it can be used on people with acne-prone skin.” 

To sum it up succulently, squalene is a fatty compound produced by our oil glands to repair and protect the moisture barrier. Its list of benefits doesn’t end there. It also works to soften skin, scavenges free radicals, balances sebum, reduces inflammation, regenerates tissues and keeps the skin moist. We don’t throw the term ‘miracle worker’ around easily but it might be apt here. 

Unfortunately for us though, squalene is not the gift that keeps giving. Our body gradually stops producing it after we turn 30. Absurd, right? You would think that after 30 is when our skin needs the most protection. This is when we should be gathering up all the squalene we can get our hands on and smearing it all over. However, we can’t do that and it’s not because our oil glands give up on us. You see, squalene in its natural form is highly unstable. This is why for all skincare and beauty purposes the compound is turned into squalane.  

Vaz explains, “Squalene is a naturally occurring plyunsaturated hydrocarbon. In its natural state, it has a very short shelf-life because it tends to get rancid when exposed to oxygen. Hence, it becomes difficult to include squalene as an ingredient in skincare products. To counter this there is Squal’a’ne. It is a hydrogenated version of Squal’e’ne. The hydrogen it contains doesn’t react to the oxygen. It has the same moisturizing properties and benefits as Squal’e’ne but with a longer shelf life.” 

Squelene V/S Squalane

When the ‘e’ turns to ‘a’ the compound not only retains all the moisturizing goodness but has a better chance of surviving in the world. It has a long shelf life and high efficiency. And this is precisely why squalane is the one that makes it into our skincare and beauty products. Vaz says, “Squalene can help reduce dark spots and improve skin tone because of its powerful antioxidant properties. It helps brighten overall skin tone and helps even out the complexion. Squalene gets  absorbed deeply, hence, it helps by being an effective anti-ageing ingredient.” 

However, no good thing comes without its barriers and limitations. For a long time, the largest source of squalane in skincare was shark liver oil. Yep. Our faces scrunched too. Of course, for ethical reasons, most brands now use plant-based sources like olives and rice bran to get their fill of squalane. It can also be derived from amaranth seed, wheat germ, and even sugar cane.  

Who should use Squalane? 

If we haven’t said this enough already, Squalane is a brilliant emollient. It works hard to naturally seal in the moisture. It’s this property that makes it a brilliant addition to the skincare regiment of people with extremely dry and dull skin. However, since squalane is an overachieving ingredient, it is also an adaptogen. This means that adapts to your skin type and caters to your skin in the way that it needs. Vaz says, “Squalane is best suited for people with dry skin or acne-prone skin. It can be used as an anti-inflammatory for various skin conditions like- eczema, psoriases, inflammatory acne, dermatitis, and rosacea.”   

One of the best ways to include squalane in your skincare routine is by using it in conjunction with AHAs as, “it can boost absorption and reduce dryness. Pairing it together hydrates the skin and keeps it sealed and gives it a long-lasting effect.” says Vaz.