When to use an squalene or an olive oil cream?

In cosmetics, especially those based on more natural products, we can find a wide range of vegetable oils and butters that have proven to be great moisturizers for the skin. These protect the epidermal barrier from external agents and guarantee a softer and smoother skin texture. Specifically, olive oil and plant-based squalene are two ingredients that can provide multiple benefits to the dermis. But when should we look for these products in creams?

What is the difference between squalene and olive oil?

As we say, both ingredients can be found in cosmetic products, but in order to know how a cream containing olive oil and another containing squalene differ, we must first understand what each ingredient consists of.

Olive oil as a cosmetic product.

Olive oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the olive’s pulp. Although it’s worldwide known and valued for its use in cooking, it is also a great ingredient utilised in cosmetics for its multiple benefits for the skin. In short, an emollient product with a great moisturising capacity.

In fact, cold-pressed olive oil is a product with a large amount of vitamins (A, D, E and K), fatty acids and polyphenols that have proven to be excellent antioxidants with advantages for our body, both through its intake in any diet, such as through its topical application.

Squalene as an ingredient in cosmetics.

Squalene is an organic compound that, in fact, we can find naturally in our tissues but that, unfortunately, we are losing with age. This refined lipid has a molecular structure similar to vitamin E but with a greater antioxidant power. Its great affinity with the dermis guarantees easy absorption, that means it doesn’t leave a greasy residue on top of the skin.

It is worth mentioning that for a long time, this compound used in cosmetic products has been obtained from the liver of sharks. However, nowadays we find creams and lotions with a plant-based squalene, and more specifically, an squalene sustainable obtained from the olive fruit.