Squalane Oil Benefits for Your Skin

Let’s face it—if you’ve landed here, chances are you’re on the endless pursuit of effortlessly nourished, hydrated skin. You’re not alone in noticing that hydration doesn’t come as naturally as it once did. The good news? There’s a simple yet powerful solution to help your skin bounce back.

Enter squalane oil—the game-changing ingredient derived from nature and scientifically backed for locking in moisture, delivering antioxidant protection, and offering anti-ageing benefits — all without clogging pores. 

Love the sound of this powerhouse botanical skincare ingredient, and wondering if it’s all too good to be true? Join us as we dive into the science behind squalane (and squalene), its never-ending list of benefits, how to incorporate it into your daily skincare ritual, and what ingredients to pair it with for even better results. Let’s get started! 

Before we can delve into the science behind squalane, we need some background on squalene (yep, that’s with an “e”).

Squalene is a lipid or oily compound naturally produced by our bodies , animals, and certain plants. However, like collagen, as we age, our body’s natural ability to produce squalene declines, contributing to dry skin. 

Squalene is a core chemical compound that plays a role in sebum production — your skin’s natural oil secreted by the sebaceous glands. As such, it’s not hard to see where the correlation between skin suppleness and squalene comes from. 

But hold up. If we’re talking about squalene, what on earth is squalane? Great question! Simply put, squalane is a hydrogenated version of squalene. This will likely make no sense to you right now, but stick with us for a few more minutes, and it’ll all be clear.

To quickly recap the essential details (in case you’re speed reading), squalene (with an “e”) is an oily compound our bodies naturally produce. However, its natural production declines as we age, leaving us with drier skin.

Now, let’s hear a drum roll because squalane (with an “a”) is about to enter the stage. 

To counteract the consequences of our body’s natural decline of squalene, we can use skincare products containing squalane. However, you may be wondering where on earth it comes from.

As we briefly touched on earlier, squalene is also found in animals and certain plants, namely olives, rice bran, and sugarcane. However, when derived from these sources, squalene is considered unstable when used in skincare products, meaning it has too short a shelf life and is easily spoiled.

As such, animal or plant-derived squalene must first be hydrogenated,  which is the process of converting squalene from an unsaturated oil to a saturated oil   (this is where the name change comes from). The result is a much more stable form that can be confidently used in various skincare products, ranging from cleansers and lotions to oils. 

The good news: Squalane benefits are abundant. The bad news: thankfully, we’re yet to find any! Without further adieu, let’s dive straight into the reasons that make squalane oil worth adding to your skincare lineup:

1.  It boosts skin hydration: As previously mentioned, squalene is naturally produced in your body and plays an important role in your skin’s sebum production. As we age, often starting in our 30s, our production declines, resulting in skin dryness. As such, adding a stable form of squalane—known as squalene—to your skincare routine will mimic your skin’s natural oil, helping to keep your skin moisturised while simultaneously reducing transepidermal water loss. 

2.  It minimises the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles: Regular topical usage of squalane oil is also suggested to increase collagen production, which in turn reduces the appearance of fine lines and improves skin firmness. 

3.  It provides antioxidant support: This incredible ingredient boasts antioxidant properties, which can help protect your skin from free radical damage, such as pollution and UV damage. Research  also suggests it can also help detoxify the skin .

4.  It’s non-comedogenic: Face oils are often avoided by certain skin types, especially oily and acne-prone skin. However, squalane oil is non-comedogenic, so it won’t clog your pores or create unwanted breakouts. The cherry on top?  Squalane offers anti-inflammatory benefits , making it a potentially great choice for acne-prone and sensitive skin types, owing to its ability to help reduce redness and swelling. 

A quick note on the hair benefits of squalane. I know we’re here to talk about the benefits of squalane for skin, but it would feel like a disservice to ignore the additional reasons we’re the hype crew for this incredible ingredient. 

Using squalane oil on your hair can help replenish its shine and hydration and prevent hair breakage and further damage. Wondering why? Hair has its own natural oils that external factors, like weather, age, diet, hair products and style tools, can negatively impact. As such, squalane oil’s potent hydrating properties offer advantages beyond the face and body. Simply massage through a few drops of squalane oil and rinse in the shower! 

[Want more tips on how to improve your hair care ritual? Read full article: Hair Care Routine 101: Your Gateway to Luscious Locks]

While squalane is available in many different forms of skincare products, we recommend squalane oil above all else. As such, we will explain the best way to use squalane oil. 

When layering skincare products, the general rule is to apply your lightest products first, ending on your thickest. As such, you should  cleanse your skin, exfoliate your skin (if necessary), and use any water-based serums (like Hyaluronic Acid) followed by oil-based serums (like your Squalane Oil).  Finally, complete your skincare ritual by locking your serums in with a quality face moisturiser. During the day, don’t forget to add your SPF50+ last! 

[Keen to learn more about layering your serums? Read full article: How to Layer Serums: The Ultimate Guide]

Because squalane is an emollient, one of its duties is to protect the skin barrier. This means it will sit on the skin’s surface for a while before it manages to absorb and get to work beneath the skin.  As such, you will want to apply this as one of your last serums, locking it in with moisturiser to ensure its benefits aren’t lost before it’s had a chance to fully absorb. 

You can apply squalane oil twice daily, morning and night. Another bonus is that it is friendly with most other skincare products, meaning it pairs perfectly with other serums and moisturisers for optimal results.