SQUALANE – WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?

What is squalane? For a while I thought it was an ingredient extracted from shark cartilage and added to beauty products to make you magically younger-looking, (unsustainable, cruel and more than a little bit gross!) so I was super surprised when it started popping up as a key ingredient in plant-based skincare, what the heck is it?

Squalene is a lipid that is naturally made in our own skin cells, it keeps our skin moist and soft. Our bodies hit peak production of this natural moisturiser when we are teenagers, from then on, our bodies produce less and less squalene with age and our quest to keep our youthful glow begins.

Squalene is found naturally in olives, sugarcane and rice bran. To be used in skincare or haircare it needs to stabilise through a process called hydrogenation to become squalane oil which makes it safe to use and means that it will survive on your bathroom shelf for a good long while without losing its effectiveness or turning rancid.

HELLO HEALTHY GLOW

Using squalane oil regularly will boost your skin’s hydration (lipids), fight skin damage (antioxidants) and reduce redness (anti-inflammatories) PLUS it can also increase your skin’s production of collagen as it can penetrate pores and work in your skin on a cellular level.

BABETOWN BOOSTER

It comes in a cute pink glass dropper bottle and it has just 1 ingredient – plant-based Squalane oil. Babetown is ultralight, fast-absorbing and good to go for all skin types including acne prone skin. Apply it to cleansed skin after your serums. Use it both morning and night if that’s your jam. It’s a great moisture base for makeup too and while you’re there rub a little in your hair to help prevent split ends :)

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Turns out I was right about the sharks though. Squalene can also be harvested from shark livers! YUCK. So be sure to check the label to be certain that the squalane you are slathering on your skin is 100% plant-based, environmentally friendly, sustainable and cruelty-free.