Squalane

Also known as Perhydrosqualene, 2,6,10,15,19,23-Hexamethyltetracosane, Hexamethyltetracosane, Sugarcane squalane, Olive squalane

Squalane (2,6,10,15,19,23-hexamethyltetracosane; CAS 111-01-3; C30H62) is the fully saturated hydrogenation product of squalene, a natural C30 hydrocarbon that is also a primary component of human sebum (constituting up to 11% of human skin surface lipids). Unlike squalene, squalane has no unsaturated double bonds and is therefore highly resistant to oxidation and rancidification — making it a shelf-stable emollient with excellent skin compatibility. Historically squalane was derived from shark liver oil, but the modern cosmetic supply is primarily sourced from plant origins: sugarcane fermentation (Biossance's Neossance squalane) and olive oil squalene hydrogenation (Mediterranean olive squalane). In cosmetic formulations it functions as an emollient and carrier for lipid-soluble actives, typically at 1-100% (as a standalone facial oil). The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel originally assessed squalane and squalene in 1982 (J Am Coll Toxicol 1(2):37-56) and concluded both are safe as cosmetic ingredients. The 1982 conclusion was reaffirmed in September 2001 (republished Int J Toxicol 22(Suppl 1):1-35, 2003) and again in a June 2019 re-review that reviewed newly available studies and updated use concentration data (VCRP usage grew from 595 formulations in 2001 to 2,785 in 2019 for squalane). The 2019 re-review was subsequently published in 2023 (PMID 37752766). All three assessments concluded squalane is safe as used. The QRT row carries no conditions or concentration limits.