[noun] Squalane is a stable derivative of squalene, one of the main components of the sebum produced by human skin. As this active ingredient has a similar molecular structure, it has excellent affinity with the skin’s hydrolipidic film. While synthesised by the sebaceous glands, it can be also found in plants, yeasts and microalgae.

Squalane takes its name from the place it was first discovered, in the liver of a shark (the Squalus mitsukurii), but today’s advances in biotechnology mean that plant-derived squalane can be produced in sufficient volumes for use in emollient skincare in the cosmetics industry.