Some routes to it require the animal to die and some do not, and the label rarely says which was used.
The two diets, side by side
A vegetarian diet excludes animals that were killed. A vegan diet excludes animal products entirely, whether the animal survived or not. Squalane can fall either side of that line depending on how it was made.
Squalane depends on the brand. Shark liver oil was the original source, and most cosmetic squalane now comes from olive oil, sugarcane fermentation, or wheat germ; Biossance and The Ordinary both state a plant origin outright. Shark-derived squalene has not vanished, and some vaccine adjuvants still use it.
What it is
- Comes from
- Historically, squalene (the unsaturated precursor) was extracted from shark liver oil [not vegan]. Today, most commercial squalane is derived from: (1) olive oil [vegan], (2) sugarcane fermentation [vegan], or (3) wheat germ [vegan]. However, shark-derived squalene is still used in some pharmaceutical vaccine adjuvants.
- Which animal
- shark
- Requires slaughter
- Yes
- Where you meet it
- Moisturizers, facial oils, sunscreens, hair serums, lip balms, some vaccine formulations.
- What replaces it
- Plant-derived squalane. Brands like Biossance (sugarcane) and The Ordinary (plant-derived) explicitly source from plants.
Editorial notes
This is a major improvement story in beauty. The shift away from shark squalene has saved an estimated millions of sharks per year. When purchasing, look for 'olive-derived' or 'sugarcane-derived' squalane on the label or brand website.
Frequently asked questions
Is Squalane vegetarian?
Depends on Source. Some routes to it require the animal to die and some do not, and the label rarely says which was used.
Is Squalane vegan?
Depends on Source. Squalane depends on the brand. Shark liver oil was the original source, and most cosmetic squalane now comes from olive oil, sugarcane fermentation, or wheat germ; Biossance and The Ordinary both state a plant origin outright. Shark-derived squalene has not vanished, and some vaccine adjuvants still use it.
Is squalane vegan?
It depends on the source. Squalane can be made from shark liver oil, which is not vegan, or from plants such as olives and sugarcane, which are vegan. Because the finished molecule is identical either way, the ingredient name tells you nothing. Check the source.
What is squalane made from?
Commercially, squalane is made from either shark liver oil or plant sources. The most common plant sources are olive oil and sugarcane fermentation, with wheat germ, rice bran, and amaranth used less often. All of the plant routes produce a chemically identical, vegan version.
Is squalane the same as squalene?
No, though they are closely related. Squalene, spelled with an "e," is the naturally occurring, unstable precursor; squalane, spelled with an "a," is the hydrogenated, shelf-stable form used in cosmetics. Both can come from either animal or plant sources.