BEAUTY

Tried and Tested: Our Beauty Director Tries Buzz Ingredient Squalane

See what happened to her skin

Sitting in an airconditioned office constantly means my skin often feels dehydrated and dull. 

With so many active skincare ingredients on offer, we often forget about hydration. But the thing will hydration is that it can solve so many skincare issues (think, lines and wrinkles, skin texture, skin plumpness).

I’m always on the lookout for products with super hydrating abilities to put back that lost skin plumpness as well as add a shot of radiance so when I learned that Californian clean skincare brand Biossance was launching into Sephora stores here in Australia, I was very keen to try out the products.

First off, I decided to try the cult-followed product in the range, Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil. It’s a luxe face oil which promises to visibly brighten, firm and even out both skin tone and texture.

This super lightweight facial oil’s hero ingredient is squalane. If you haven’t heard of squalane yet, you soon will because this new buzz ingredient is cropping up in everything from serums to night creams.

So firstly, what is squalane? In a nutshell, it’s hydration. We make our own squalene in our bodies but with age, our reserves deplete until we’re literally scrapping the bottom of the barrel by the time we’re in our 40s, 50s and 60s. Meaning, to keep things looking plump, we need to keep up our levels topically.

Squalane is responsible for that plump, healthy skin that babies have (babies have a tonne of squalane when they’re born, it’s even in the vernix that they’re coated with at birth), so I was really keen to try this newbie facial oil. There is also added Vitamin C, a well-known skin brightener (and personal favourite of mine), plus it’s completely clean, safe and sustainable. As a person trying to stay as clean as possible in my skincare routine, this facial oil ticked a lot of boxes.

Check your ingredient lists and you may find different forms of this new ingredient. For starters there is squalane and squalene… What’s the drill? Biossance’s squalane has been created from sugarcane in a completely sustainable and clean way, creating a clean alternative to squalene (note the “e” in there) which is formulated from unsustainable (and frankly downright cruel) deep water shark liver.

What I thought of this facial oil? I loved it on first application for its super hydrating abilities; the change in my skin was honestly immediate. And over time (I have been using it for the past month now), I do think I can see a different in my pigmentation and skin clarity. The other bonus is, this facial oil is so clear and lightweight I find it works just as well for day as for night, making it a great skin protector against all that air-conditioner.

Side note: I also took this facial oil on a long-haul flight and my travel-buddy said my skin was looking radiant as we lined up in the endless US customs queue. My skin has been feeling really supple since and I honestly think it’s due to all that squalane. In fact, I’ve started using the Biossance 100% Squalane Oil all over my body and I’ve noticed impressive results in terms of skin suppleness.

If you’re keen to add more hydration into your skin, perhaps give squalane a try. The brand says it’s a great ingredient for all skin types, including sensitive (in fact this buzz ingredient is ideal for sensitised skin) and oily skin types. Softer more supple skin could be yours!

biossance

Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil, $112, is available at Sephora stores and online now.

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