Why You Should Be Careful With Squalane in Cosmetics

There’s a Nasty Little Secret In Cosmetics With Squalane

 

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Of course you look at the ingredients before you buy cosmetics and skincare products. But do you look for squalane?

Squalene is a moisturizing oil that comes from sharks, and it also comes from plants (e.g. olives, wheat germ). But squalane from sharks is cheaper, so some companies prefer to use it.

What’s the Problem With Shark Squalane?

shark fin shark week sharks for squalene, meat and fins
Death by finning – shark fins

The sharks with the fattiest livers (and thus the most squalene) are deepwater sharks, and they are being decimated. There’s huge demand for their fins, and even their meat, as well as their livers. They simply can’t reproduce quickly enough to recover from this fishing onslaught.

We really don’t need yet another reason to kill sharks for our daily skincare routines.

squalane may come from shark livers

Is there a difference between Squalene and Squalane?

Squalane with an “e” is the original oil, while squalane with an “a” is the hydrogenated or processed version used in cosmetics – it’s got a longer shelf life.

How Difficult Is It, To Avoid Buying Shark-Based Products?

It would be easier if companies listed whether their squalane is ‘animal-derived’ or ‘plant-based’ – but many don’t. But you can certainly check the ingredients labels (if you can read the small print).

You might think that if a product is labelled “cruelty-free” then it won’t contain shark squalane – but that’s not the case. Cruelty free only means that a final product wasn’t tested on animals, but its individual ingredients could have been.

But if you buy products with the Leaping Bunny logo, then you can be more confident, because this is the most rigorous certification.

Next – What you can do to avoid it


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How To Avoid Shark Squalane

There are several things you can do.

  1. Check the ingredients label for squalane. If it’s listed as animal-derived, or if it simply says squalane, then it might be from sharks.
  2. Choose cosmetics and skincare products that have the Leaping Bunny logo, because it’s the most rigorous cruelty-free certification.
  3. Vegan products should not contain shark squalane.
  4. Vote with your purse / wallet. Commit to buying shark-free products, and tell your local retailers why. It may come as a shock to many people that beauty products contain shark liver, but it’s easy to convince them it’s a bad idea when there are plant-based substitutes.
  5. And tell manufacturers why you’re not buying their products. You can also use the Shark Allies website, which contains useful sample letters and fact sheets.

Yes, you may pay a few pennies more for plant-based (the price difference is not massive on individual products).

But it’s a small price to pay for the life of a magnificent shark.

 

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Warm regards,

signature Clare

 

 

 

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Tags

animal cruelty, climate change, cosmetics, eco friendly, green living, sharks, skincare, skincare products, skincare products containing squalane, squalane, squalene


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