The Receipt
- 01A nice, light emollient. That’s the whole job, and it does it well.
Education, not a diagnosis. If something changes quickly, hurts, bleeds, or worries you, see a dermatologist.
Ingredient Receipt · Hydrators
Squalane
INCI: Squalane
Squalane is a stable, lightweight emollient derived from squalene. What it does, who it suits, and what it doesn’t do.
- Dryness
- Barrier
01 · In plain English
Squalane is the “oil for people who don’t like oils”: light, non-greasy and fragrance-free in its plain form.
02 · What it does
Squalene is a natural part of skin’s surface oil (sebum). Squalane is its hydrogenated, more stable form, used as an emollient that softens skin and reduces water loss.
Commercial squalane comes from plant sources (olive, sugarcane) or, historically, shark liver.
03 · Who it’s for
- Dry or normal skin wanting a light oil.
- Sealing in a humectant serum.
04 · What the evidence says
- Softening skin and reducing water loss as an emollient.limited evidence
05 · Myths, checked
“Squalane is anti-aging because skin makes less squalene with age.”
It’s a pleasant emollient. That isn’t the same as reversing aging.
insufficient evidence
06 · Insufficient evidence
- Treating acne or dark spots.
07 · How to use it
- A few drops after serums, or mixed into moisturizer.
08 · Pairs well / go carefully
Pairs well with
- Hyaluronic acid, glycerin, retinoids.
Go carefully with
- Nothing specific.