What Is Squalane? Benefits for Skin and Why We Use It

Squalane is a light plant oil, and ours comes from olives. It is the stable form of squalene, a compound found in human skin oil. Dermatologists describe it as a light, non-greasy moisturizer. Lab and animal studies report that it hydrates and softens. We whip olive squalane into our Frankincense & Myrrh tallow for an easy glide.

By , founder of Moose's Tallow · Updated November 7, 2026

Woman pressing a light oil onto her cheekbone with two fingertips
What people ask

What are the benefits of squalane for skin?

Researchers report hydrating and softening activity for squalane in lab and animal studies. It is a light oil that glides on easily. Most of that work wasn't done on people, so we say it plainly. We use olive squalane in our Frankincense & Myrrh tallow for glide, not for big promises.

What do dermatologists say about squalane?

Dermatologists quoted by NBC Select call squalane a light moisturizer. Dr. Marisa Garshick says it hydrates without a greasy feel and is generally not irritating. Dr. Brendan Camp says it is more stable than squalene and can smooth small cracks in rough skin. Those are expert views, not human trials.

Is squalane safe for skin?

For most people, yes. Alok Vij, MD, a Cleveland Clinic dermatologist, calls squalane very safe on its own. He says the risk comes from what else is in a product, like fragrance, preservatives and dyes. So read the whole label. Ours lists every ingredient. Patch test a small spot first, and skip broken skin.

Does squalane clog pores?

Cleveland Clinic says squalane itself is noncomedogenic, so it should not clog pores. Other oils in a product still can. Ours is mixed into a rich tallow butter, so use a pea-size amount. Patch test a small spot first and wait a day. If your skin reacts, stop using it.

Is squalane oil just olive oil?

No. Squalane is the stable, saturated form of squalene, a compound found in human sebum. Ours is made from olives. Plain olive oil is a different oil. Squalane feels light, which is why it shows up in skin care. We use it for glide, and we list it on the label.

Can I put squalane on my face every day?

Many people do, since squalane is light. Patch test a small spot first and wait a day. Ours is mixed into a rich tallow butter, so a pea-size amount is plenty. If you have a skin condition or are unsure, ask your doctor. Our 60-day guarantee covers you.

Why do you use squalane in your tallow?

An earlier version of our recipe used a different oil and felt a little greasy. We switched to olive squalane, which glides on lighter. The tallow is still the rich base. The squalane just makes it easier to spread, so a pea-size amount goes a long way.

Is squalane good for dry skin?

Researchers report emollient and hydrating activity for squalane in lab and animal studies. For dry skin, the rich tallow base does the heavy lifting in our jar. The squalane makes it spread easily. Patch test a small spot first, and skip broken skin. Our 60-day guarantee covers you.
The timeline

What to expect

  1. Tonight
    A pea-size amount melts between your fingertips and spreads easily across clean skin. It feels rich but glides on lighter than plain tallow.
  2. Week 1
    Use it on your face, hands or anywhere that feels dry. Many people press it on at night.
  3. Week 4
    Skin feels soft and well moisturized. By now you'll know if the glide and the feel earn a place in your routine.

What squalane is

Here is what the research says, in plain words.

  • Squalane is a lightweight oil. Ours comes from olives.
  • It is the stable, saturated form of squalene, a compound found in human skin oil.
  • Kim and Karadeniz reviewed the research in 2012. They report skin-hydrating and emollient activity in lab and animal studies.
  • That does not mean it works on everyone. Test it on your own skin.
  • Squalane does not replace the tallow. It helps it spread.

Why we use it in our tallow

Here is where olive squalane fits in our Frankincense & Myrrh whipped tallow.

  • The base is beef tallow infused with frankincense and sweet myrrh resin.
  • We whip it with olive squalane and a little beeswax.
  • An earlier recipe used a different oil and felt a little greasy, so we switched.
  • Helichrysum essential oil goes in last, once the tallow is cool.
  • The label lists every ingredient.

Their label vs. ours

Same job. Look at the ingredients.

Left is a best-seller from the store shelf. Right is ours.

Tap any ingredient to see what it is.

Face Cream

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream

30

ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Distarch Phosphate, Niacinamide…

Also on our Never List

  • Dimethicone
  • Dimethiconol
  • Disodium EDTA
  • Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
  • PEG-100 Stearate
  • Phenoxyethanol

plus 19 more

Label from the Stop & Shop product page, checked Oct 19, 2026. We are not affiliated with Olay.

Moose’s Frankincense & Myrrh Anti-Aging Whipped Tallow

7

ingredients

Beef Tallow Infused with Frankincense and Myrrh Resin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bisabolol, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Helichrysum Italicum Flower, Rosemary Leaf Extract.

That is the whole label.

In short: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream lists 30 ingredients. 6 of them are on Moose’s Tallow’s Never List: Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol. Moose’s Frankincense & Myrrh Anti-Aging Whipped Tallow lists 7 ingredients: Beef Tallow Infused with Frankincense and Myrrh Resin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bisabolol, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Helichrysum Italicum Flower, Rosemary Leaf Extract.

Full Olay ingredient list

Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Distarch Phosphate, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Isostearate, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tripeptide-3, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Dimethiconol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Titanium Dioxide, Mica. Label from the Stop & Shop product page, checked Oct 19, 2026.

Red ingredients are on our Never List: 50 things we leave out of every tin.

Make the switchSee all 50 things we never use

Ingredient lists are copied from US retailer product pages, brand websites and EWG Skin Deep, and were accurate when checked on October 19 and November 7, 2026. Brands change formulas, so always read your own bottle. We are not affiliated with any brand named here.

How do we render tallow?

It starts at a local butcher shop in farm country, where one cow yields about 12 pounds of suet. That suet is the fat around the cow's kidneys, rich in vitamins A, D, E and K. Its fatty acids are ones your skin loves, so we render it slowly, by hand.

  1. Ground beef suet in a box, ready to render into tallow

    Day 1 & 2

    Two renders of tallow over low heat, six hours each

  2. Golden tallow bubbling gently in a stainless pot during the dry render

    Day 3 & 4

    Dry render for eight hours, cool & dry render again for another eight hours

  3. Warm oil poured over dried herbs in a large glass jar for the infusion

    Day 5

    Infuse tallow and oil with organic herbs over low heat for 12-24 hours

  4. Whipped tallow being mixed with beaters in a steel bowl

    Day 6

    Add in beeswax and scent (if applicable), cool, whip and fill by hand

Brian "Moose" Smith with his family and their dogs
A note from the maker

We make Frankincense & Myrrh in small batches in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. We infuse real resin into beef tallow and the label lists every ingredient. I'd rather you test it on your own skin than take my word. If it's not for you, the 60-day guarantee covers it.

Brian "Moose" Smith, Lebanon, Pennsylvania

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Related answers

Sources

  1. Cleveland Clinic: What is squalane? Reviewed by Alok Vij, MD, dermatologist (2022)
  2. NBC Select: dermatologists Marisa Garshick and Brendan Camp on squalane (updated 2024)
  3. Kim and Karadeniz, Adv Food Nutr Res 2012: squalene and squalane (PubMed)