Squalene Vs Squalane: What’s The Difference?
Squalene, squalane… tomayto, tomahto. Actually, stop right there, because that one letter makes more of a difference than you might think. (Just to be clear, we’re talking about the skincare ingredient, not your favorite salad ingredient…)
By now you’re probably well versed in the likes of retinol, tretinoin, peptides and hyaluronic acid. But squalene and squalane? These two are a whole different ballgame. For starters, the words look and sound almost EXACTLY THE SAME, but the ingredients themselves? Not so much. Now, if we didn’t know better, we’d think those science bods were doing everything in their powers to confuse us. But they have better things to do than worry about confused skincare fans wondering what on earth squalene and squalane are...
And thankfully, that’s why we’re here.
So, what’s the connection between squalene and squalane and how are they different? OK, here we go…
What Is Squalene With An ‘E’?
In the red corner we have squalene, a naturally-produced polyunsaturated hydrocarbon that makes up around 12-13 percent of your skin’s sebum. Don’t worry about the polyunsaturated thingamajig bit. Just know that squalene is a lipid found in the oil that helps keep your skin moisturized and hydrated by preventing transepidermal water loss (TEWL), as well as protecting it from environmental damage. So, yes, it’s kind of important. Actually, it’s really important.
Like most of the good stuff in your skin (think collagen, hyaluronic acid and co.), your levels of squalene deplete with age, which is why skin generally feels drier, rougher and more dehydrated after the age of around 30. And this is where skincare steps in, hoping to replace all the squalene your skin loses with topical squalene that’s been sourced by other means.
This is where the problem lies. Unfortunately, as a skincare ingredient, squalene is rather unstable, meaning it oxidizes and becomes pretty useless when it’s exposed to air. Another black mark is that, historically, it was harvested from shark liver oil because this particular squalene was shown to closely mimic our own. Thankfully, it can now be sourced from plants like olives, rice bran, sugar cane and wheat germ, but still, its instability and short shelf-life remain.
What Is Squalane With An ‘A’?
The reason squalane and squalene are so alike is because the former is a derivative of the latter. For fear of getting too sciencey on you, squalane is a hydrogenated type of squalene. Hydrogenation means hydrogen has been added to it to make it less likely to react with oxygen. This process not only makes squalane a much more stable emollient than squalene, but it also creates a softer, lighter and more user-friendly version of this skin-moisturizing lipid.
More good news: squalane is just as effective as squalene. Group hug.
What Are The Benefits Of Squalene And Squalane?
Both have similar moisturizing benefits, and they’re ideal for all, as they’re very well tolerated by most skin types. They’re great for dry and mature skin, but equally as effective if you have oily or acne-prone skin. Because they help heal and fortify the skin’s barrier function and reduce TEWL, they’re also often a go-to for relieving symptoms associated with conditions like psoriasis and eczema.
So, As A Skincare Ingredient, Is Squalane The Best Option?
Yes and no. For sure, squalane is more user-friendly and has a longer shelf-life, but it can still be sourced from shark liver oil, so don’t think it’s always the innocent party here. Some people believe squalane is only ever derived from plants, while squalene is the bad guy that’s always harvested from deep sea sharks. Not true. To reiterate, they can both unethically come from sharks and, unless a skincare company tells you otherwise, you should always presume the worst. Why so? Because a.) plant-derived squalene and squalane are around 30 percent more expensive to source and manufacture than the shark alternatives, and b.) unfortunately, the whole sorry business is, as yet, unregulated. Sigh.
How To Make The Right Choice
Always scrutinize your products’ ingredient lists and look out for phrases like ‘100 percent plant-derived’, ‘vegan-friendly’, ‘cruelty-free’ or ‘vegetable-based.’ And if it’s still not clear, contact the manufacturer to demand full disclosure. No BS.
Better yet, stick with us! We use sustainable squalane extracted from olive oil across all our skincare products because we care about the world we live in and don’t mind spending a little extra in order to look after our oceans and climate. Check out our Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream and Vitamin C Super Serum+ and you’ll see ‘olive oil squalane’ sitting right there among all the other awesome, plant-powered ingredients.
Simple solution, right there.
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![The Most Effective Ingredients For Sagging Skin]()
One wish: to enjoy the tight, gravity-defying skin of 20 years ago. Sadly, it’s not going to happen, so the next best thing? Skincare ingredients that boost collagen and help your skin appear subtly firmer and just a tad more lifted.
Let’s get one thing straight: skincare cannot perform miracles. We’d love to be able to tell you that our new Caffeine Facial Serum can give you the skin of someone 30 years your junior or that our Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub will eradicate every single one of your much-loathed dark spots after just one use. But we’d be lying. Skincare is awesome, absolutely. And yes, it can 100 percent help to subtly improve the appearance of acne breakouts, wrinkles and aging skin. But it has its limits. And knowing that your favorite moisturizer or prized facial serum can only do so much is crucial. Otherwise, you will always be disappointed. And that’s not what we want for you.
OK, so now this bombshell is out of the way and you understand that skincare ingredients aren’t going to give you an instant facelift or smooth out your laughter lines like fillers or Botox, here’s what they can do.
Choose the right formulation, crafted with thoughtful, clinically-proven ingredients, and skincare can very much improve the look, feel and health of your skin. And if you’ve ever woken up after trying a new serum for the first time, only to be greeted in the mirror by visibly brighter skin, you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about.
So, which ingredients should you pin your hopes on if you’re specifically looking to lift and firm sagging skin? Well, skin starts to go south because of dwindling collagen supplies so boosting collagen production is your first and best bet. Bearing in mind everything we’ve just said about managing expectations, therefore, here are five topical favorites we believe are the most effective for encouraging healthy collagen and helping you on the road to firmer, more toned skin.
1. Peptides
Without blinding you with science, peptides are chemical compounds made from amino acids. They’re very similar to proteins, but where proteins are large molecules made up of long chains of amino acids, peptides are their baby cousins, containing much shorter chains. Why is this of interest? Because due to their similarity, peptides have the smart ability of being able to penetrate the skin where they work like little messengers, signaling for your cells to produce more proteins. And which protein is most abundant in your skin? Yes, you got it, collagen.
In simple terms, applying topical peptides encourages your cells to keep on producing collagen (and elastin, for that matter), thus helping to counteract the skin’s inevitable loss of this vital protein and staving off all that comes with it – namely wrinkles, lines and sagging skin.
Try: Firming Collagen Day Lotion which contains vegan collagen peptides, amongst other skincare powerhouses like ceramides, green algae, vitamin E and aloe.
2. Retinol
When it comes to boosting your skin’s supply of healthy collagen very few topical ingredients trump retinol. Ask your derm or any skincare expert and we bet 1,000 bucks they will agree. So, what makes it so darn good? Well, it’s been studied for decades and it never fails to deliver the same skin-regenerating results. You see, retinol has an innate ability to communicate with your skin at a deep cellular level to encourage a speedier production of collagen and elastin in a bid to heal and strengthen your skin. Simple as. Well, it’s not that simple, but that’s all you really need to know.
Of course, retinol isn’t for everyone – it’s so good, it can be a tad irritating for some skin types – but if you used it slowly and carefully, always patch testing it first, you’ll find it can be a fantastic way to help keep your skin firm and youthful-looking for years to come.
Try: Retinol Facial Serum which has been formulated with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, helping it to be as gentle on your skin as possible.
3. Bakuchiol
If retinol isn’t for you but you’re looking for something that does almost the exact same thing and offers very similar results, allow us to introduce you to bakuchiol.
One of the newest ingredients to the skincare world (but an absolute keeper unlike other ridiculous ingredients that are all fluff and no function), bakuchiol is nature’s best alternative to retinol. How so? Because it works just like its long-running counterpart, stimulating collagen synthesis and accelerating cellular turnover at a deep, below-the-surface level.
Bakuchiol is extracted from the seeds and leaves of the babchi plant and has been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. The reason it’s gained such momentum in Western skincare recently is that, granted, it's very similar to retinol, but more importantly it comes with way fewer unwanted side effects. Of course, its gentle nature means it works more slowly but if you sensitive skin and have patience, bakuchiol is a great choice for fighting the visible signs of aging –including sagging skin but certainly not stopping there!
Try: Rejuvenating Longevity Serum which combines bakuchiol with antioxidant-rich lingonberry stem cells and snow algae.
4. Vitamin C
If you don’t know by now how awesome vitamin C is then we’ve been doing something wrong! In our minds, this antioxidant wonder kid can do no wrong.
Like retinol, vitamin C is one of the most trusted and clinically-proven ingredients in the entire world of skincare. It’s known mainly for providing brightening benefits but never forget what an excellent antioxidant it is, offering the absolute best in environmental protection by neutralizing free radicals before they get a chance to destroy collagen – and believe us, that is exactly what free radicals will do if you don’t get in there first.
But it's not just vitamin C's antioxidant prowess that’s crucial for preventing collagen and elastin breakdown. Its highly acidic nature also works hard to boost your collagen and elastin levels. So there’s that.
Try: Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream which gives your skin a delicious overnight boost of protective vitamin C, along with skin-loving botanical oils like jojoba, rosehip and evening primrose.
5. MSM
Sure, we’re all about vitamin C for president here at TruSkin, but another of our skin-firming favorites comes in the form of methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM to friends like you.
Very well tolerated by even the most sensitive of skin types, MSM is a naturally-occurring form of sulfur. And if you didn’t know, sulfur is one of the most important elements in the human body, often touted as the ‘beauty’ or ‘healing’ mineral.
What does that mean for sagging skin? Yeah, we’re getting to that. And the answer is simple: MSM plays a key role in the production and composition of collagen and keratin. Its anti-inflammatory qualities also help decrease damage to the skin caused by lifestyle aggressors like stress, lack of sleep and a sugar or carb-heavy diet. Oh, and as an extra sidenote, MSM also boosts the body’s production of glutathione which is one of your most important, naturally-occurring antioxidants. Take that free radicals!
Try: Vitamin C Super Serum+ which partners MSM with its bestie, vitamin C. Why do they love each other so? Because vitamin C helps the skin readily absorb MSM, thus doubling up their combined collagen-boosting effects.
The Most Effective Ingredients For Sagging Skin
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