How is squalane produced?

Shark liver oil has historically been the primary natural source of squalene, the precursor to squalane. In fact, it was from this oil that the molecule was first isolated in the early 20th century by the Japanese chemist Mitsumaru TSUJIMOTO. The traditional extraction process remains particularly brutal: the shark is eviscerated to remove its liver, a large organ that can account for up to 20% of the animal’s total body weight. The liver is then placed on an inclined metal rack and left in the sun to allow the oil to flow out naturally. After settling and filtration, this crude oil is used as the raw material to produce squalene, which is then hydrogenated to obtain squalane.

While this method long served as the standard in the cosmetic industry, it is now under intense scrutiny for ethical and environmental reasons. A study published in 2012 estimated that approximately 3 million sharks are still killed each year to meet the international demand for squalane. The species most targeted—such as the whale shark, the sleeper shark, and the deep-sea shark—appear on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Their low reproductive rates make population recovery exceedingly slow, worsening the ecological pressure. Moreover, despite capture bans in several regions, including the European Union, this practice persists in parts of Asia and South America, where product traceability remains limited.

Note: On the INCI list of cosmetics, the origin of squalane is not specified. Whether it comes from animal or plant sources, it is simply listed as "Squalane". Therefore, it is essential to verify that the brand clearly specifies the squalane used in its formulations is 100% plant-derived.

At Typology, we exclude animal-derived squalane from our formulations. The squalane in our skincare products is obtained from the unsaponifiable fraction of olive oil or sourced from sugarcane.

The squalane plant-derived was developed from the 1980s onward as a sustainable alternative to animal-derived squalane, providing the same cosmetic benefits. It is obtained from squalene extracted from vegetable oils — notably those derived from olive oil residues, but also from sugarcane, rice, wheat, sugar beet, palm oil, and even amaranth. Among these sources, olive oil remains the most widely used because it offers an excellent balance of yield, stability, and low environmental impact when sourced from organic or sustainable agriculture. Indeed, olive groves require minimal irrigation, are often integrated into agroecological systems, and valorize by-products (olive pomace, pulp, pits) that are typically underutilized.

Olive-derived squalane thus represents one of the most sustainable alternatives in the cosmetics market.

The extraction process involves several stages. First, raw vegetable oil is extracted either by mechanical pressing or by chemical extraction using organic solvents such as hexane. This latter method, although more industrial and less environmentally friendly, yields a higher output. The resulting oil then consists of two fractions: a lipid phase and a protein-rich solid residue that is utilized for other applications.

Before isolating squalene, the vegetable oil must be refined to remove unwanted substances, such as phospholipids, diacylglycerols, or free fatty acids, which can compromise its stability and organoleptic properties. However, this refining process results in a partial loss of squalene, estimated at about 13% during physical refining, 7% during bleaching, and 15.6% during deodorization.

Once purified, squalene is hydrogenated into squalane. Hydrogenation involves combining the double bonds of squalene with dihydrogen (H₂) molecules, making it more stable against oxidation, colorless, odorless, and non-comedogenic. This process imparts plant-derived squalane with a excellent compatibility with the skin and an extended shelf life, unlike crude squalene, which is naturally unstable in air.

Beyond its animal and plant origins, squalane can also be obtained by chemical synthesis from hydrocarbons sourced from the petrochemical industry. This process is based on the controlled transformation of terpenic compounds, themselves derived from light fractions of petroleum or natural gas. Through a series of isomerization and hydrogenation steps, the carbon chains are rearranged to replicate the chemical structure of squalane. This synthetic squalane exhibits physicochemical characteristics identical to those of animal- or plant-derived squalane: the same molecular structure and the same stability.

Unlike plant-derived squalane, synthetic squalane does not align with sustainability goals, as its production relies on nonrenewable fossil resources and emits greenhouse gases during refining. Therefore, its use remains limited.

Biotechnological processes today make it possible to obtain squalane from engineered microorganisms. The goal is not to produce squalane directly, but its natural precursor, squalene, through microbial fermentation techniques. This squalene is then hydrogenated to convert it into squalane, following the same principle used for plant-derived squalene. Recent research has achieved significant progress in this field. Microorganisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Corynebacterium glutamicum or Methylomonas sp. have been genetically modified to optimize the acetyl-CoA metabolic pathway, which underlies squalene biosynthesis.

Beyond yeasts and bacteria, photosynthetic microalgae and cyanobacteria are also under investigation. They offer the possibility to directly convert CO2 into squalene, opening the door to renewable production using sunlight. These biotechnological processes now represent a sustainable, scalable, and environmentally friendly alternative to animal or petrochemical sources. Although industrial-scale production is still in its early stages, biotechnological production of squalane offers an appealing pathway to reconcile performance with environmental ethics.

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