Squalane from olive oil – Squalane
General information / Trivia:
- Archaeological finds of olive trees date back >9000 years
- It is believed that olive trees were first cultivated 4000 B.C. in Syria and Crete
- Today the olive tree is an important part of the Mediterranean nature
- Olives are used for many different purposed: as food, for producing olive oil, and as skincare ingredients
- Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Squalene, and Squalane are the primary skincare ingredients derived from olives
Effects on Skin:
- Refatting / moisturising
- Soothes and revitalises the complexion
- Silky skin feeling
- Active carrier: helps the skin to absorb active ingredients
Scientific facts:
Squalene is a lipid naturally produced by human skin cells and is part of sebum. It plays a key role in protection and lubrication of the skin. Approximately 10% -12% of the skin’s oil are made up of squalene. It is also a skincare ingredient, which was traditionally made from shark liver. Today, there are also vegetable sources for squalene, primarily olive oil. It however is not stable as a skincare ingredient and oxidizes quickly.
For the use in skincare products, squalene is hydrogenated into squalane, a stable form of the ingredient.
Squalane is technically an oil, yet it does not have an oily feel. It has antibacterial, noncomedogenic (non-pore clogging), lightweight, moisturising, and skin barrier protecting properties. It is suited for sensitive and even acne-prone skin.
Links to studies:
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsomega.7b00625#
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4885180/