Written by Shea Keaveney
“Moisturising the skin maintains the integrity of the skin’s barrier function and is vital for good skin health” states Dr Anita Sturnham. This is one of the reasons that people all over the globe are constantly on the lookout for skin care products that are going to give them the best results. One of these products is Squalane Oil.
Squalane oil mimics the skin's natural oils, this can help to keep your skin smooth. Additionally, there is now awareness that squalane can be sourced more ethically. Previously, squalane oil has been sourced from shark liver oil. However, plant-based sources are now wider available. Squalane oil has not just been credited with helping individuals with their skin health, but also hair health. Read on to find out more about the benefits for yourself.
Squalene vs Squalane
Squalene is a colourless poly-unsaturated hydrocarbon liquid that’s found naturally in many animals and plants, including human sebum. Sebum is a substance produced naturally by our sebaceous glands in order to moisturise and protect our skin.
Squalane is a hydrogenated version of squalene. Hydrogenation is the process of converting squalene from an unsaturated oil to a saturated oil – squalane.
Without this process squalene in its natural form is unstable. This makes it difficult to use in skin care products, due to a very short shelf-life. The hydrogenation process creates a stable form of the molecule which makes squalane more suitable to use in skin care products. Therefore, it does have many of the same benefits to sebum.
Sebum is important for our skin as it protects and moistures. However, sebum production can decrease for many reasons such as: oral contraceptives, exposure to harsh chemicals, age and prescription retinoids.
It is important that you can find a replacement for the decreased sebum production to ensure your skin is still getting some much needed moisture and protection.
Where does squalene/squalane come from?
An outdated source of squalane is shark livers. This has contributed to sharks becoming a prime target for hunters. Fortunately, It is now becoming increasingly popular to source squalene from olives, rice bran, amaranth seed, wheat germ and sugar cane.
As always, Kokoa is committed to being 100% vegan and we never include ingredients derived from animals. Therefore, our squalane and wild orange boosting oil contains squalane sourced from the finest olives. The only extra added ingredient is our wild orange essential oil.
What are the benefits of squalane oil?
As we get older our bodies produce less sebum, which results in less natural squalene in our skin. Sebum production begins to slow down in your 20s or 30s. Meaning that your skin is no longer getting as much natural moisture and protection, as it has previously.
Sebaceous glands open into hair follicles and secrete sebum from these, therefore they produce sebum to help moisturise your skin. Underactive sebaceous glands can lead to dry, cracking skin. Therefore, squalane oil can be a supplement for decreased amounts of sebum.
As Squalane mimics the effects of sebum, the benefits are similar to those of your skin's natural protective layer.
Squalane oil hydrates your skin and softens the texture acting as a natural moisturiser to your face. As a result, squalane oil can considerably benefit those that suffer from dry skin.
As discussed above, dry skin can often be the result of cells not producing enough sebum and therefore not receiving enough squalene. Additionally, unlike sebum, squalane oil has a comedogenic rating of 0.
Can squalane oil clog pores?
The short answer is no. Why? Squalane oil is non-comedogenic.
If you suffer from oily skin or acne it is probable that you have overactive sebaceous glands. Sebaceous glands are responsible for producing the oily substance that naturally protects our skin – sebum. However, if your sebaceous glands are producing too much sebum your skin will appear oily or greasy. What’s more your pores may become clogged leading to breakouts or conditions such as acne.
Due to this, it is crucial that those with oily skin avoid comedogenic ingredients that will further clog your pores. A non-comedogenic product, such as squalane oil, is one that will avoid clogging pores.
Research also suggests it is unlikely to be an irritant to human skin, which is good news for those with sensitive skin too! So, whether your skin is dry, oily or sensitive – you should be good to go with squalane.
Squalane for hair
The benefits of squalane oil are not just limited to your face. Squalane oil can also mimic the role of sebum in the hair. Sebum protects your scalp and hair in the same way it does on your face – by forming a protective barrier to protect from harmful elements. Squalane oil will help to moisturise your hair and prevent breakage; this is particularly beneficial to those who are based in countries with extreme climates due to the effect weather can have on our hair.
Conclusion
If you like what you hear about squalane oil and the benefits it can have – why not try our squalane and wild orange boosting oil. It contains all the benefits that we have mentioned above and like all our products is 100% natural, 100% vegan and 100% cruelty free. If you’re still unsure after all that, check out our 5 star reviews here!