Squalane Review

Overview

Squalane is becoming an increasingly popular ingredient in skin care products. It is currently being sold as a major active ingredient in many anti-aging creams on the market today. It is also sold in many forms, including as a stand alone product in liquid form and in the form of capsules as a health and skin care supplement. Squalane is derived from the livers of deep sea sharks that live at least one thousand meters below sea level. Squalane is transparent and fragrance free and is said to closely resemble the natural oils of the body and therefore can be easily absorbed into the skin.

Product Details

Countries such as Japan, where shark hunting and fishing are prevalent, tend to be major manufacturers of skin care products that feature squalane as a major active ingredient. However, skin care manufacturers in other countries are now importing squalane and using it as an ingredient. The properties of squalane are said to include soothing sensations on the skin and scar reducing qualities. Those manufacturers who sell anti aging products with squalane say that it can also reduce fine lines and wrinkles, as well as promote new cell renewal and growth. Squalane can be bought as a stand alone product in liquid form at prices of on average $12.

A Japanese manufacturer of anti aging skin care creams which contains squalane as a main active ingredient in its products sells an anti aging cream at a price of $36.75. A bottle of one hundred and eighty soft gel capsules containing squalane can be purchased at a price of $39.00. A number of critics have severely criticised the inclusion of squalane in skin care products and health care capsules for the skin as they say that this increase in demand is encouraging the illegal hunting of sharks in a number of countries. Squalane was also included in a number of experimental vaccines given to soldiers involved in the Gulf War, and some experts believed that it may have a role to play in the Gulf War Syndrome experienced by many soldiers on their return.

The Good

• Squalane does not have an unpleasant fragrance.
• It can be purchased as a stand alone product.
• Apparently squalane can be easily absorbed by the skin.

The Bad

• The inclusion of squalane in anti aging creams is heavily criticised by some who believe it is one of the causes of illegal shark hunting.
• Some experts believe that squalane may have a role to play in Gulf War Syndrome.
• There is no actual concrete evidence that it has anti-aging qualities.
• Some experts urge caution as they say that not all creams which claim to contain squalaen actually do so, and in some cases it is another oil.

The Bottom Line

It seems that squalane as an ingredient in skin care products will court controversy for some time to come. It is certainly attracting a lot of criticism from organisations that campaign against shark and whale hunting. Whatever your personal opinion on this is, even if you do decide to give squalane a try, there is no actual evidence that it is superior to other anti-aging ingredients on the market.