Squalene is commonly used in cosmetics and skin care products, and in some adjuvants which are a component of certain vaccines. Despite various cosmetic companies investing in more sustainable alternatives to shark liver oil (squalane), one expert believes that there are still issues with supply in that some specialised producers are passing off shark squalene as that of the more expensive plant alternative, unbeknownst to the large multinationals. By Lisa Spear On 7/24/18 at 3:56 PM EDT. Cosmetic Companies Use This Surprising Ingredient As a Base. And earlier this month, Oceana was pleased to report … As a result, it’s often found in everything from sunscreen to foundation, lipstick, tanning lotion and other similar skincare and cosmetics products. This is a very controversial source, as I’m sure you can imagine. As such, for a long time, shark liver oil was one of the most common squalene sources in cosmetics. Sharks use oil in their livers to help regulate their buoyancy. Additionally, there are companies such as GSK, Seqirus, and Clover Biopharmaceuticals, that are producing squalene-based adjuvants or using those adjuvants in the testing of COVID-19 vaccines. Several of the adjuvants used in COVID-19 vaccines currently being tested use shark squalene, while the squalene source for others are unconfirmed. According to Unilever, based in London, the new production that uses a plant-based version of squalene will begin early this year and new formulations are expected to appear on … For this reason, it is the ideal ingredient for use in all sorts of products from lip balm to sunscreen. Cosmetic uses for squalene. Shark-based squalene is commonly used by many consumer product and cosmetic brands you are no doubt familiar with. As a favored emollient for sunscreen, foundation, face moisturizer, lipstick, eye makeup, tanning oil, and many other products, squalene has found its way into every corner of the personal care industry — but at a huge, deadly cost of which many consumers remain unaware. Squalene/squalane is an oil that is derived from the shark’s liver and is used in cosmetic products ranging from anti-aging creams, lotions, deodorants, hair conditioners, eye shadows, lipstick, lip balms, sunscreen, and cleansers. Finding ‘shark liver oil’ on your face cream’s ingredient list might sound like an archaic concept from the era of whale blubber used in lipstick—which ended somewhere around the 1940s—but according to many marine life advocates, shark fishing for beauty products is still happening. Over 3 million sharks are hunted and killed for their livers each year to be used in these cosmetics. As of October 15, the petition has received more than 80,000 signatures. Shark Squalene in COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates. While humans use squalene as an ingredient for beauty products … Squalene (and its derivative squalane) is harvested for its reported moisturizing powers. Squalene is not only produced by humans but is also naturally produced by other animals such as sharks. Historically, though, getting squalene for beauty products hasn’t always been the most environmentally friendly. However, squalene can be obtained from plants (e.g. 89% of cosmetic products containing shark squalene identify as “Cruelty-Free ” or “Vegan.” Thus in many cases, brands and suppliers are: Paying a premium for falsely-labelled or adulterated plant-based squalene that contains shark liver oil. The use of shark-squalene adjuvants used to treat influenza has been evaluated by the World Health Organization by Norvartis, Chiron and other large pharmaceutical companies. Shark liver oil, which contains squalene, has been extracted from shark livers for use in the cosmetic industry, especially. A Grey Reef shark swims in the Indian Ocean near the Maldives on April 20, 2017. The Facts. Oceana, an international ocean conservation group based in Washington, D.C., was made aware of the use of shark products in cosmetics when it discovered that a company called “Oceana” was selling shark squalene as a skin enhancer. Most fish have a swim bladder, which is a gas-filled organ that helps maintain buoyancy in the ocean, preventing them from sinking. As an alternative to shark squalene, phyto-squalane has been used as a great moisturiser and cosmetic ingredient. Oceana has received notice that Unilever, a multinational company famous for many brands of food, personal care and household products, has decided to remove shark squalene from its cosmetic brands, including Pond’s and Dove, and will replace it with a plant-based version. Many of the biggest names in the cosmetic industry have already recognized their social and moral responsibility to not contribute to the extinction of these important animals. We don’t recommend it. Squalene—an oil extracted from the livers of endangered sharks—is being used more and more frequently in the cosmetic industry, particularly in the making of a high-end face cream. Squalene is in plants, fungi and humans and is a precursor to sterols. Squalene is a common ingredient in cosmetics and skincare products, a naturally-occurring moisturizing oil that can come from sharks. Squalene is a natural organic compound obtained from shark liver oil and vegetable oils including amaranth seed, rice bran, wheat germ, and olives. shark livers). Continue Reading Below. International companies L’Oreal and Unilever have agreed to replace the compound squalene, found in shark livers, with other oils from plant sources, in … Squalene is a common ingredient in sunscreens, lipsticks, eye shadows, lotions and foundations. Out of these 2200 tons, 90% went into cosmetic products, 9% in nutraceuticals, and 1% in pharmaceuticals. 96% of cosmetic products containing shark squalene also indicate the presence of plant squalene. The petition lists five companies using shark-derived squalene, which Shark Allies says they pulled from a WHO database. Other shark parts like teeth and jaws are sold as jewelry and decorations and shark leather is used in clothing like boots and jackets. According to the non-profit organization Shark … Due to obvious ethical concerns, many companies have shifted away from using shark … Unfortunately not all cosmetic manufacturers state the provenance of their squalane. Deep-sea sharks, like chimeras, gulper, kitefin and dogfish sharks have high levels of squalene in their livers. Since that time, Oceana has become engaged in a campaign to end the use of shark squalene in cosmetics. The fish-friendly alternative is squalane made from olives. Unilever, an international manufacturer of leading brands in food, personal care and household products, has announced that it will remove shark squalene from its cosmetic brands, including Pond's and Dove. Much of the squalene and squalane found in cosmetics is made from shark liver. Many manufacturers use shark liver oil in beauty products, because it mimics our body’s natural oils, so it’s easily absorbed without leaving behind a heavy-feeling residue. Sharks that live in deeper water tend to have more oil in their livers. It has created a Shark-Free Seal that can be added to cosmetic products to notify shoppers in an instant whether the item is safe to buy. But due to the obvious ethical and sustainability concerns, virtually all cosmetic companies have switched to plant sources, most commonly olives or sugarcane: Olives: During olive oil processing, squalene is extracted from the olive pulp, skin and pits, and then combined with hydrogen to … Sadly, this isn't how moisturizer is branded. The amount of squalene our bodies naturally produce decreases as we age, so cosmetic and supplement brands include squalene in their products to moisturize the skin, claiming that the ingredient fights signs of aging. However, not all vaccines use squalene. amaranth and olives) or animals (e.g. California-based biotechnology company Amyris created a plant-based squalene by fermenting sugarcane in Brazil. Check your makeup bag for squalene and squalane. Squalene is naturally found in your skin. In its campaign to end the use of shark squalene, Oceana has received news that most of the major European cosmetic brands phased out shark-based squalene, or are phasing out, this ingredient in favor of a sustainable plant-based substitute. Shark-based squalene is commonly used by many consumer product and cosmetic brands you are no doubt familiar with. One of the main components of shark liver oil is a compound called squalene. “We understand the difficulty and [we know] change is hard, but our call to action is that both the vaccines and cosmetic companies start to think about switching,” says Brendl. Companies that producing cosmetics are heavily dependent on high yielding shark-based squalene for their products due to its cost–effectiveness. Squalane was originally obtained from shark livers and sometimes it still is. Apparently, some companies are also using squalene in several coronavirus vaccine candidates. There are some important benefits of squalene that hold a huge appeal to the cosmetics ... and it is recognized as improving the appearance of skin. Cole will be joined by Alannah Weston, the creative director at Selfridges, who is removing all products containing squalene from the store. Squalene is also a cheaper ingredient (compared to veggie substitutes) that’s been popular with companies for decades. Squalene and its derivative squalane can be found as ingredients in cosmetic products, ranging from anti-aging cream to lip gloss. One shark group has made sensationalist claims that COVID vaccines that use shark based squalene adjuvants will kill as many as 500,000 sharks, including hammerhead sharks. Some cosmetic brands still use a substance derived from the liver of sharks in the blends of moisturizing creams. The most common use appears to be in facial moisturizer. Every year 3,000 sharks are required to produce 1 ton of squalene. 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