How is squalane produced?

Shark liver oil has historically been the main natural source of squalene, the precursor to squalane. Indeed, it was in this oil that the molecule was first isolated, in the early twentieth century, by the Japanese chemist Mitsumaru Tsujimoto. The traditional extraction process remains particularly harsh: the shark is eviscerated to remove its liver, a large organ that can account for up to 20% of the animal’s total body weight. This liver is then placed on a sloping metal support and exposed to the sun to allow the oil to drain naturally. After settling and filtration, this crude oil is used as the raw material to produce squalene, and is subsequently hydrogenated to obtain squalane.

This method long stood as the standard in the cosmetics industry but is now heavily questioned on ethical and environmental grounds. A study published in 2012 estimated that around 3 million sharks are still killed each year to meet the global demand for squalane. The most targeted species, such as the whale shark, the sleeper shark and the deep-sea shark, are largely listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. Their low reproductive rates mean population recovery is extremely slow, exacerbating ecological pressure. Moreover, despite capture bans in several areas, including the European Union, this practice continues in parts of Asia and South America, where product traceability remains limited.

Note: On the INCI list for cosmetics, the origin of squalane is not specified. Whether it is derived from animal or plant sources, it merely appears under the designation “Squalane”. Thus, it is essential to ensure that the brand explicitly specifies a 100% plant-based origin for the squalane employed in its formulations.

At Typology, we exclude animal-derived squalane from our formulations. The squalane in our products is extracted from the unsaponifiable fraction of olive oil or derived from sugar cane.

The squalane plant-based was developed in the 1980s as a sustainable alternative to animal-derived squalane, offering the same cosmetic benefits. It is obtained from squalene extracted from vegetable oils — notably those from olive oil residues, but also from sugarcane, rice, wheat, sugar beet, palm oil or even amaranth. Among these sources, olive oil remains the most widely used, as it offers an excellent compromise between yield, stability and low environmental impact when it originates from organic or sustainably managed cultivation. Indeed, olive groves require little irrigation, often integrate into agroecological systems, and valorise co-products (olive pomace, pulp, kernels) that are typically underexploited.

Olive-derived squalane thus represents one of the most sustainable alternatives on the cosmetics market.

The production process relies on several stages. First, the crude vegetable oil is extracted either by mechanical pressing or by chemical extraction using organic solvents such as hexane. The latter method, while more industrialised and less environmentally friendly, allows for a higher yield. The resulting oil thus contains two fractions: a lipid phase and a protein-rich solid residue, which is utilised for other purposes.

Before isolating squalene, the vegetable oil must be refined to remove undesirable substances, such as phospholipids, diacylglycerols, or free fatty acids, which can compromise its stability and organoleptic properties. However, this refining process is accompanied by a partial loss of squalene, estimated at approximately 13% during physical refining, 7% during bleaching and 15.6% during deodorisation.

Once squalene has been purified, it is hydrogenated into squalane. Hydrogenation involves combining the double bonds of squalene with dihydrogen (H₂) molecules, rendering it more resistant to oxidation, colourless, odourless and non-comedogenic. This process confers plant-derived squalane a high level of skin compatibility and an extended shelf life, unlike crude squalene, which is naturally unstable in air.

Besides its animal and plant origins, squalane can also be obtained by chemical synthesis from hydrocarbons derived from the petrochemical industry. This process relies on the controlled conversion of terpenic compounds, themselves derived from light fractions of petroleum or natural gas. Through a series of isomerisation and hydrogenation steps, the carbon chains are rearranged to replicate the chemical structure of squalane. This synthetic squalane exhibits physicochemical characteristics identical to those of animal- or plant-derived squalane: the same molecular structure and stability.

In contrast to plant-derived squalane, synthetic squalane does not align with a sustainability approach, as its production relies on non-renewable fossil resources and emits greenhouse gases during refining. Its use is therefore limited.

Biotechnological processes now enable the production of squalane from genetically modified microorganisms. The aim is not to produce squalane directly, but its natural precursor, squalene, using microbial fermentation techniques. This squalene is then hydrogenated to convert it into squalane, following the same principle as applies to plant-derived squalene. Recent research has achieved significant progress in this area. Microorganisms such asSaccharomyces cerevisiae, Corynebacterium glutamicum or Methylomonas sp. have been genetically modified to optimise the acetyl-CoA metabolic pathway, which underpins squalene biosynthesis.

Beyond yeasts and bacteria, photosynthetic microalgae and cyanobacteria are also under investigation. They offer the opportunity to directly convert CO2 into squalene, paving the way for renewable production using solar energy. These biotechnological processes now constitute a sustainable, scalable and environmentally friendly alternative to animal or petrochemical sources. Although industrial-scale production remains in its infancy, the biotechnological production of squalane represents a promising pathway to reconcile performance with environmental ethics.

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