Squalane (Olive and Sugarcane): Evidence and Safety

Quick safety points

• The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) expert panel re-reviewed squalane and squalene and concluded they are safe as cosmetic ingredients under the use practices and concentrations in its report. We read only the abstract, not the full report. [1]
• We found no source we read that describes allergy or irritation from squalane in people. That is a gap in what we read, not a promise it never happens. Test a new product on a small patch first; see patch testing.
• Squalane can come from olive by-products, from microbes grown in a tank, or from shark liver oil. A label may not say which. [2][3][4]
• Shark liver oil capsules are a separate topic. They are not covered here and we do not recommend them.
• Pregnancy, breastfeeding, babies, pets and medicines are not described for squalane in the sources we read. Ask a doctor, midwife or vet if unsure.

What squalane is

Squalane is a clear, thin, almost odorless oil used in facial oils, creams and balms. It is not a plant "butter" or a classic carrier oil pressed from seeds. It is made in a factory in two steps: first squalene is collected from a source, then hydrogen is added to it (called hydrogenation), which turns squalene into squalane. [2]

Squalene vs squalane. Squalene is the natural form. It is found in human skin oil (sebum), where it makes up about 12% according to one review, and in plants and shark liver. [3] Squalane is the hydrogenated version. A lab study describes it as a stable squalene derivative. [7] "Hydrogenated" here means a chemical change in a factory. It does not mean a trans fat, which is a food topic.

Where the squalene comes from.

• Olive. Squalene is present in extra virgin olive oil and in olive by-products such as pomace. [5] A 2025 lab study recovered about 83% of the squalene from olive pomace with a milder solvent, then hydrogenated it, but got only 19.8% squalane yield from the real by-product because impurities disturbed the catalyst. That is a research route, not proof of how products are made. [2]


• Sugarcane. Sugarcane squalane is sold as a plant-based option. The sources we read do not describe how it is made, so we do not describe a process.


• Microbes. A 2025 lab study grew single-celled organisms to make squalene as an alternative to shark liver. [4]


• Shark liver. Shark liver has been the major source. One review says about 3,000 sharks are needed per ton of squalene and that the species are endangered. [3]

How it feels. Thin and light, spreads easily, and does not feel heavy. This is a general description of the product, not a finding from the studies below.

How it is used

• Skin: sold as a pure facial oil, or used as one ingredient in a moisturizer.
• Hair and lips: we found no human study of squalane for either use.
• Carrier role: a lab study used squalane as the oil base for a vitamin E nanoemulsion. [11]
• Food: squalane is not a cooking oil. For olive oil in the diet, see extra virgin olive oil in the diet.

Traditional use (not proof)

Squalane itself has no long traditional use: it is a modern, factory-made ingredient. The older story is about shark liver oil and olive oil, which are separate products. Neither history shows that squalane works.

What research shows

Proper evidence not found in the sources we read for squalane used alone on human skin, hair or lips. What exists is mostly lab work, one product-level trial and one safety review.

Lab and animal findings. In cultured human skin cells, squalane at 0.005 to 0.015% reversed several UVA-related changes in collagen-making and inflammation markers and helped cells move in a scratch test. [7] In pig-ear skin, a squalane-rich nanoemulsion moved far more vitamin E through the skin than a coconut-rich one. [11] A pilot study in people found more squalene, and peroxidized squalene, in acne-prone skin, but it measured the skin's own squalene, not applied squalane. [6] Cell and skin-sample results do not show what happens on a face.

Claims checked

Forms, grades and why they matter

• Pure squalane oil vs blends and creams. In a cream, squalane is one ingredient among many, so a result from the cream belongs to the whole formula.
• Source on the label. Look for the plant source named (for example olive) rather than only "plant-derived" or "squalane". Shark-derived squalane may carry the same name.
• Cosmetic vs food grade. Cosmetic squalane is not a food. See cosmetic grade vs food grade.
• Do not carry results over. Skin oils differ in make-up and in biological and toxic effects, so a result for one oil does not carry to another. [10]
• Purity. Impurities in the starting material can affect hydrogenation in the lab. [2] We found no source on contaminants in commercial squalane.

Safety and cautions

• Patch test: do one on a small area, as for any new oil or cream.
• Allergy: no case reports found in the sources we read; the CIR abstract does not list sensitization data. [1]
• Babies and pregnancy: not described for squalane in the sources we read. See natural oils for baby skin.
• Swallowing: squalane is a cosmetic ingredient, not a food or supplement. Do not give it to children.
• Shark liver oil supplements: different product, not covered here.
• Pets: not described for squalane in the sources we read.

Quality and storage

We found no source on squalane shelf life. Keep the bottle closed, cool and out of sunlight, and stop using it if the smell or feel changes. See rancidity and storage of natural oils.

Related pages

• Carrier oils explained
• Check before you use natural oils and butters
• Patch testing natural oils and butters
• Comedogenic ratings checked
• Olive oil
• Skin barrier care