Why Is Squalane So Controversial?

Japanese chemist Mitsumaru Tsujimoto first isolated squalene from shark liver oil in 1916, hence the name he gave it. Squalene makes up to 96 % of the oil contained in shark liver. Squalene was then hydrogenated to squalane for oxidation stability. Because squalane can withstand extreme temperatures and pressures, it was first used as a lubricant in the aerospace industry. Then, in the 1950s, it was used in skin and hair care due to its safety and emollient properties.

According to a 2012 study, 3 million sharks were killed each year to meet international demand for squalane. Today, the cosmetics industry is still the main user of animal squalane. Although sharks are on the Red List of Endangered Species and the European Union bans their capture, they continue to be hunted in other parts of the world and some cosmetic products still contain animal squalane. However, this massacre and environmental tragedy are unnecessary, as it has been possible for several years to obtain squalane from plant sources (sugar cane, olives, wheat, palm trees). There is no difference between these two compounds. They offer the same benefits and promise the same results. However, because vegetable squalane is pricier than animal squalane for economic reasons, the latter is still widely used in skin care. Sometimes you can find a mixture of vegetable and animal squalane in the same formula.

Note: The I.N.C.I. list of skin care products does not indicate the origin of the raw materials. Thus, both vegetable and animal squalane are listed under the name "SQUALANE".