Related alkanes Boiling point 176 °C Appearance Colorless liquid | Formula C30H62 Density 810 kg/m³ | |
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Squalane is a hydrocarbon and triterpene derived by hydrogenation of squalene. In contrast to squalene, due to the complete saturation of squalane, it is not subject to auto-oxidation. This fact, coupled with lower costs associated with squalane, make it desirable in cosmetic applications, where it is used as an emollient and moisturizer. The hydrogenation of squalene to produce squalane was first reported in 1916.
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Squalane
Source and production
Squalene is traditionally sourced from the livers of sharks. Approximately 3000 sharks are required to produce one ton of squalane. At an estimated annual global use for cosmetics of about 2000 tons (2016), this would mean millions of sharks would be required to satisfy global demand. Due to environmental concerns, olive oil and sugarcane as non-animal sources have been developed and commercialized. Other plant sources yielding commercial supply are sunflower and rice, although the latter source only gives mediocre purity (75%). In a biotechnological process, farnesene is produced from fermentation of sugarcane sugars using genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains. Farnesene is then dimerized to isosqualene and then hydrogenated to squalane.
Cosmetics use
Squalane was introduced as an emollient in the 1950s by French company Laserson & Sabetay. The label of squalane as "natural moisturizer" is somewhat exaggerated. While squalane can be found in small quantities in sebaceous secretions (sebum), it is squalene that is most commonly found in nature, most notably in the livers of sharks. Squalane has low acute toxicity and is not an irritant at the concentrations used in cosmetics (up to 100%).