What is squalane? And why it's in our tallow balm

Squalane turns up on more and more ingredient lists, including ours. But what is squalane, how is it different from squalene (with an "e"), and why is it in a tallow balm? Here's the plain-English version.

What is squalane?

Squalane is a lightweight oil used in skincare to give products a smooth, silky feel. It's clear, it has almost no smell, and it doesn't feel heavy. The squalane in The Original is derived from olives.

Squalane vs squalene: what's the difference?

One letter, and it matters.

• Squalene (with an "e") is found naturally in plants, and your skin makes it too. It's one of the main parts of your skin's own oil. On its own, it isn't very stable, so it can go off quickly.
• Squalane (with an "a") is a more stable form made from squalene. That's why skincare uses squalane: it keeps much better in a jar.

Where does squalane come from?

Squalane can be made from a few sources, including olives, sugar cane and, historically, shark liver. Ours is olive-derived. No sharks were involved.

Why is squalane in a tallow balm?

Tallow on its own is rich and heavy. We added olive squalane to The Original to make it lighter and less greasy, so it spreads easily and feels like something you'll actually want to use every day.

It's also part of our thinking. Your skin's own oil is mostly fats, wax esters and squalene. Tallow brings the fats, Golden Jojoba Oil brings the wax esters, and olive squalane brings the third one. We call that the TriMatch™ Formula. See all four ingredients.

Is squalane good for dry skin?

It's a popular moisturising ingredient because it feels light but still helps skin feel softer and more comfortable. As always, everyone's skin is different, so patch test anything new.

Is squalane a seed oil?

No. Olive-derived squalane comes from olives, the fruit. We say "no industrial seed oils" on The Original, and none of our four ingredients is an industrial seed oil.

The short version

Squalane is a light, stable oil made from squalene. Ours comes from olives, and it's there to make a rich tallow balm feel lighter. Want to see how it fits with the rest? Read what tallow balm is, or try The Original with our 60-day guarantee.