Why is squalane controversial?

The Japanese chemist Mitsumaru Tsujimoto first isolatedsqualene in 1916 from shark liver oil, hence the name he attributed to it. Squalene makes up to 96% of the oil found in shark livers. Following this, for stability against oxidation, squalene was hydrogenated into squalane. Resistant to extreme temperatures and pressures, squalane was initially used as a lubricant in the aeronautics sector. Then, around the 1950s, it made its appearance in skin and hair care, due to its harmlessness and emollient virtues.

According to a study conducted in 2012, 3 million sharks were killed each year to meet the international demand for squalane. The cosmetics industry remains the primary user of animal-derived squalane even today. Although sharks are listed on the red list of endangered species and their capture is prohibited by the European Union, they are still hunted in other parts of the world and some cosmetic products still contain animal-derived squalane. This massacre and environmental tragedy are, however, unnecessary as it has been possible for several years to obtain squalane from plant sources (sugar cane, olive, wheat, palm). There is no difference between these two compounds. They provide the same benefits and promise the same results. However, due to economic reasons, plant-derived squalane is more expensive than animal-derived squalane, which is why the latter is still widely present in skincare products. Sometimes, a mixture of plant and animal-derived squalane is observed in the same formula.

Note: On the I.N.C.I. list of skincare ingredients, the origin of raw materials is not indicated. Thus, both plant and animal-derived squalane are referred to under the name "SQUALANE".