13 Best Squalane Skin-Care Products to Strengthen Your Skin Barrier

Editor Tip: For the ultimate cold-weather defense, Dr. Gohara recommends layering a hyaluronic acid serum underneath this mask, which is chock-full of soothing squalane and brightening vitamin C, and layering a barrier repair cream (we like EltaMD Barrier Renewal Complex and Kiehl's Advanced Repair Ultra Facial Barrier Cream) on top. "The triple threat of hyaluronic acid, squalane, and barrier repair will leave your skin singing," she says.

Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, moringa seed oil | Who It's For: Those with dry or compromised skin | Fragrance-Free: No

Best Antioxidant Serum: Revision Skincare Vitamin C Lotion 30%

Why It's Worth It: On the prestige end of the spectrum is Revision Skincare's Vitamin C Lotion, which Dr. Chang bills as "a brightening face lotion with 30% vitamin C to help repair and brighten the skin." To be more precise, the vitamin C present is THD ascorbate (otherwise known as tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate), which is known as a highly stable form of the discoloration-fighting powerhouse. And while squalane isn't a headliner, it plays a major role in boosting moisture and radiance and alleviates any potential discomfort that may come with such a potent concentration of vitamin C.

Editor Tip: Board-certified New York City-based dermatologist and founder of Smarter Skin Dermatology Sejal Shah, MD, is loyal to this formula, using it as a serum in her daily routine.

Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 | Who It's For: mature skin | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Balm: SkinCeuticals Hydra Balm

Why It's Worth It: Ideal after an in-office procedure or when your skin is having a meltdown—think redness, flaky, and other signs of irritation—SkinCeuticals Hydra Balm comes to the rescue with its thick, occlusive formula, which gives skin a chance to heal. Along with squalane, it's infused with aloe vera extract and bisabolol—two anti-inflammatory ingredients—and locks them in with petrolatum, which forms a light, protective barrier over skin.

Editor Tip: If you're new to retinoids, like over-the-counter retinol, keep a tube of this on hand to offset any flaking and redness as you're getting acclimated.

Key Ingredients: Petrolatum, bisabolol, aloe vera | Who It's For: Those with severely dry, irritated, or otherwise compromised skin | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Exfoliant: Then I Met You Birch Milk Refining Toner

Why It's Worth It: Then I Met You's Birch Milk Refining Toner has a gentle concentration of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), a.k.a. a 1% blend of glycolic and lactic, and polyhydroxy acids (PHA) to refine the appearance of pores, brighten your complexion, and combat breakouts. But the majority of the lightweight fluid is geared towards moisturizing skin—you'll find 70% birch juice alongside squalane to soothe skin as the acids carry out their exfoliating mission.

Editor Tip: Founder Charlotte Cho swears by this product for treating bouts of hormonal acne.

Key Ingredients: Birch juice, glycolic acid, gluconolactone | Who It's For: Anyone seeking radiance or clarity | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Acne Treatment: Skinfix Acne+ Adapinoid Gel

Why It's Worth It: A 2023 Allure Best of Beauty Award winner, Skinfix's Acne+ Adapinoid Gel takes a novel approach to breakouts. Rather than obliterating zits with harsh actives—damaging skin as a result—this non-comedogenic formula actively nourishes the skin barrier while it works. It contains 0.16% adapinoid, a gradual-release retinoid that works as you wear it, alongside niacinamide and a bevy of soothing ingredients, squalane and vitamin E among them.

Editor Tip: You can also use the formula below the neck. "It's great for body acne," reported our tester, Allure PR associate Allison Hill.

Key Ingredients: Retinoid, niacinamide, glycerin | Who It's For: Acne-prone skin types, or people with oily skin | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Brightening Serum: Caudalíe Vinoperfect Brightening Dark Spot Serum

Why It's Worth It: One of the star ingredients in Caudalíe Vinoperfect Brightening Dark Spot Serum—aside from a patented vine sap that the brand claims is 62 times more effective than vitamin C—is olive-derived squalane. Dark spots don't stand a chance, nor does a dry, dull complexion with a glow-boosting formula like this. Since this formula is oil-free, it's a great lightweight option for people who have oily-prone skin and prefer to keep their distance from oil-based concoctions.

Editor Tip: Model Rose Huntington-Whiteley is a fan of the formula, telling Allure: "It’s exactly what it says; it leaves skin looking beautiful and radiant."

Key Ingredients: Viniferine, glycerin, bisabolol | Who It's For: Hyperpigmentation and dark spots | Fragrance-Free: No

Best Moisturizer: Superegg Sound Renewal Serum Cream

Why It's Worth It: AAPI-owned skin-care brand Superegg touts a lineup of egg-inspired skin care, which includes the newly formulated Sound Renewal Moisturizer. It feels incredibly nourishing the second it hits your skin: The lightweight gel-cream—which was reformulated in 2023 to absorb more quickly and now contains green tea extract, peptides, and madecassoside (a compound found in Centella asiatica)—bathes skin in a soothing blend of squalane and panthenol for all-dry hydration.

Editor Tip: The Superegg This Moment Hand Care won a 2023 Best of Beauty Award in the Clean Beauty category for its ability to ease rough, dry skin without a greasy finish.

Key Ingredients: Panthenol, peptides, hydrogenated lecithin | Who It's For: Everyone | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Sunscreen: EltaMD UV Restore Tinted

Why It's Worth It: New York-based board-certified dermatologist Claire Chang, MD, supports daily use of EltaMD's UV Restore Tinted. This oil-free, 100% physical sunscreen protects skin with SPF 40 (well above the recommended 30) and features squalane, which, as Dr. Chang explains, "restores skin's natural moisture and smoothness." Plus, the tinted formula simultaneously masks instances of discoloration and dark spots without the need for a concealer.

Editor Tip: The tint suits fair to medium skin tones, so if you have darker skin, consider the brand's UV Daily Broad-Spectrum SPF 40 Deep Tinted, which lacks squalane but comes in an easy-to-blend shade.

Key Ingredients: Ginger root extract, vitamin C, vitamin E | Who It's For: Fair to medium skin tones | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Mask: Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

Why It's Worth It: Blast from the past: The Laneige Water Sleeping Mask was a 2017 Best of Beauty Award winner, and for good reason. Unlike some overnight masks, it goes on as a refreshing, clear gel, which both delivers moisture and then seals it in with a blend of squalane, niacinamide, and microbiome-friendly bacteria derived from green tea. "I woke up with super plump-looking, hydrated skin—as if I had been dramatically splashing water in my face as I slept," says our tester. A little goes a long way, so all you need is a light layer to get the effects (and to prevent a mess on your pillow).

Editor Tip: If you want to target skin laxity, Laneige recently launched its Bouncy & Firm Sleeping Mask: a pillowy formula infused with peony extract and low-molecular-weight collagen—all in the form of the brand's Hydro-Melt Glow Capsules, which mimic the skin's natural lipids and forms a protective barrier.

Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, glycerin, beta-glucan | Who It's For: Everyone | Fragrance-Free: No

Best Eye Cream: Biossance Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream

Why It's Worth It: Say goodbye to crepey lines around your eyes and less noticeable dark circles, thanks to Biossance's Squalane + Marine Algae Eye Cream. This light pink-hued treatment melts into skin, color-correcting and providing intense hydration as you gently pat it in. Marine algae and para cress extract pull their weight, too, firming and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. And, of course, squalane ensures the much-needed, added moisture stays put.

Editor Tip: The brand is known for spotlighting squalane in its formulas; other dermatologist-approved picks from the line include Squalane + Omega Repair Moisturizer and 100% Squalane Oil.

Key Ingredients: Paracress extract, astaxanthin, hyaluronic acid | Who It's For: People with crows' feet | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Oil: Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil

Why It's Worth It: Your search for the best squalane oil ends here. Whether you wear it during the daytime or exclusively at night time—or both—Indie Lee's Squalane Facial Oil is a non-greasy formula that layers wonderfully underneath SPF and makeup and sinks in thoroughly. Suitable for all skin types, this fragrance-free, olive-derived squalane makes your skin look noticeably more supple and radiant in seconds.

Editor Tip: Even though it's referred to as an "oil," squalane is actually an emollient—so it doesn't leave skin feeling greasy.

Key Ingredients: Squalane | Who It's For: Everyone | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Tinted Moisturizer: Bareminerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30

Why It's Worth It: The Bareminerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 is a multitasking hero, which Dr. Gohara says will leave skin looking "radiant, glowing, smooth, soft, and protected." The tinted gel-cream is packed with squalane and hyaluronic acid to pump long-lasting hydration into your skin, while also providing daily UV protection and a subtle dose of skin tint-like coverage across 20 shades.

Editor Tip: This particular tube has racked up five Allure awards thus far (three Best of Beauty and two Readers' Choice), earning it a spot in our coveted Hall of Fame. Need we say more?

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin | Who It's For: Multitaskers | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Best Multitasking: Milk Makeup Sunshine Oil

Why It's Worth It: Milk Makeup Sunshine Face Oil dispenses a potent yet non-greasy formula via an easy, non-messy rollerball applicator, which is one of the reasons it earned a 2021 Best of Beauty Award. Alongside a rich blend of grapeseed, avocado, mandarin, grapefruit, tangerine, and lemon oils, vitamin C and olive-derived squalane work in harmony to intensely upgrade your radiance levels. Click and roll your way to serious dewiness.

Editor Tip: You can even use the pen to moisturize your cuticles and smooth flyaways—the options are endless.

Key Ingredients: Grapeseed oil, avocado oil, vitamin C | Who It's For: Frequent travelers, or those with dry skin | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Frequently Asked Questions

Squalane is naturally found in your skin—sort of. Sebum, which serves as skin's innate moisturizer, consists of triglycerides, wax esters, and squalene, as Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, previously explained. (Note the slightly different spelling of "squalene.") Squalene is "one of the many natural lipids your body produces to hydrate the skin and is estimated to make up about 10 to 12% of your skin's oil," says Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and associate clinical professor at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

The body's natural production of squalene slows down over time—primarily after the age of 30, according to Stuart, Florida-based board-certified dermatologist Samantha Fisher, MD. But we've found a way to convert squalene into squalane (through hydrogenation), so it becomes stable enough to live on the shelves of our skin-care cabinets.

Since squalane is so effective in terms of keeping that moisture trapped (comfortably) in your skin, the ingredient can "aid in skin-care problems wherein the skin barrier is disrupted and transepidermal water loss is an issue," says Dr. Fisher. In other words, squalane can be a key player in treating conditions like eczema, acne, and psoriasis.

Heads up: Although squalane as a skin-care ingredient was originally derived from shark liver, you'll be hard-pressed to find that source in the market nowadays—due to obvious ethical concerns. Rather, it tends to come from plant-based sources, such as olives, rice bran, and even sugarcane, according to Dr. Garshick.

Yes. While those with dry and mature skin arguably benefit the most from using squalane oils, cleansers, and serums, all skin types should consider adding squalane to their skin-care routines. That should be the case for people with sensitive skin as well, as squalane is naturally odorless and "not a common irritant or allergen," as Charlotte Birnbaum, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, previously told us.

• Mona Gohara, MD is a board-certified dermatologist and associate clinical professor at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
• Claire Chang, MD is a board-certified dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in New York, NY.
• Samantha Fisher, MD is a board-certified dermatologist at Romagosa Barron Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center in St. Lucie, Florida.
• Marisa Garshick, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.
• Charlotte Birnbaum, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City.

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of the best squalane products, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

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More skin-plumping ingredients we adore:

• 11 Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums for a Glowing Complexion
• 15 Best Ceramide Moisturizers & Serums to Nourish Dry, Irritated Skin
• 18 Best Peptide Serums & Moisturizers for Smoother, Plumper Skin

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