The best squalane products to add to your skincare routine, from face oils to moisturisers

Best: Overall

Rating: 10/10

This is the only cleanser that The Ordinary sells, and it’s the most fuss-free, no frills formula we’ve tried. The lightweight balm removes make-up efficiently, leaving skin feeling clean and refreshed.

The texture is akin to a thick cream and is soothing without being overly greasy, leaving your skin feeling super soft. It’s ideal if you want something richer to melt down your make-up, but aren’t keen on the feel of an oil-based balm.

It’s available in a 50ml and 150ml version, but we’d strongly recommend opting for the latter to make it last, the smaller tube is a great option for travelling. It’s suitable for all skin types too, and our reviewer loved using it on her sensitive, redness-prone complexion.

Best: Facial oil

Rating: 9/10

Infused with squalane derived from olives, this facial oil was one of the few we tried that was suitable to use both day and night. We found one drop was enough for our combination skin in the morning, but we loved a generous pour of four drops come nighttime. It has a lovely lightweight texture that’s fast-absorbing and leaves skin feeling soft and supple. It made a big difference to areas of dryness on our cheeks as well as combating the flaking effect from regularly using retinol. We used the 10ml bottle over the course of six weeks, but it’s also available in a 30ml size (£32, Abeautifulworld.co.uk) if you wanted a larger quantity.

Best: Budget squalane facial oil

Rating: 9/10

Known and loved for its budget-friendly beauty hits, The Inkey List is all about educating skincare fans on what ingredients you skin needs and why, with the inner of all its packaging containing detailed information on how to use each product in your routine. Its un-fussy, fragrancce-free squalane oil is easy to massage into skin and leaves a smooth, soft texture. It’s lightweight without any greasiness and is a great introductory face oil if you’re hesitant to add one into your routine.

Best: Squalane moisturiser

Rating: 9/10

Biossance’s whole line centres around squalane, and its gel moisturiser is a refreshing, cooling boost for dehydrated skin that all skin types can enjoy. The formula is lightweight and fast-absorbing, free from fragrance so less likely to cause irritation and perfect for providing an instant moisture hit. It’s lovely under make-up too, giving a dewy but not shiny complexion, and is by far the easiest product to slot into your routine if you want to soak up the benefits of squalene without using a facial oil.

Best: Squalane lip balm

Rating: 9/10

Given its lightweight, non-greasy properties, it’s no surprise that squalane makes for an excellent lip balm. Don’t be put off by the word “mask” here, Korean-American beauty brand Then I Met You has poured a blend of honey and squalane together to create a skin-smoothing, high-shine balm that keeps lips plump. It has an applicator tip that evenly distributes the product and the 15ml size feels generous considering it’s a bit of an investment. We used it day and night, slathering on a thick layer while sitting at our desk and before we hit the hay.

Best: Squalane for hair

Rating: 9/10

An excellent introductory oil for your routine, Garden of Wisdom’s 100 per cent pure squalane oil comes in a travel-friendly 30ml pump bottle, which helps control how much you apply in a way droppers often can’t. Colourless, odourless and lightweight, it’s easy to apply, quick to rub in and leaves skin feeling smooth. Pure squalane oil can also be applied to the ends of your hair to smooth frizz and boost shine and we found a pump of this run through wet or dry hair didn’t leave it looking or feeling greasy. A lovely multi-purpose oil, it’s a great budget-friendly option too.

Best: For dry skin

Rating: 8/10

French pharmacy brand Embryolisse has created a wonderful, intensely moisturising, multi-purpose balm that we loved using for dry, flaky skin and as a softener for the lips. It’s surprisingly non-greasy and a little goes a long way, just a dab is all you need. We found it offered immediate relief after using drying spot treatments, thanks to the squalane which delivers a moisture hit, combined with acexamic acid to form a protective cocoon on skin in need of a little TLC.

Best: Squalane cleanser

Rating: 9/10

You may recognise Augustinius Bader as the brand behind the well-recognisable moisturiser, the cream. It’s housed in a luxury blue and gold bottle that’s dominated our Instagram feeds since its launch in 2018. The brand has since expanded its line with a full skincare range, including this indulgent cleansing balm. It’s as luxurious as you would imagine, with a formula rich in an avocado-olive fruit oil complex, vitamin E and squalane. The formula also features a high-tech complex that forces the skin to regenerate itself, leaving behind renewed, smooth-looking skin. When massaged into a dry face full of make-up and SPF, it melts into a decadent oil that can be swiftly wiped away with a warm flannel, taking every scrap of waterproof mascara with it. If you have the budget, it’s well worth indulging in.

Best: Body lotion

Rating: 8/10

This is a great, fuss-free body moisturiser that’s lightweight, fast-absorbing and perfect for use post-shower. Enriched with cocoa butter, plant-based squalane and beta-carotene, it’s rich but not heavy and you don’t need much. We’ve spent the past few weeks using the 250ml bottle, but it’s also available in 75ml, 125ml and 500ml sizes. It’s great for keeping dry skin at bay, especially after shaving, and it has an inoffensive, refreshing scent.

Best: Lip oil

Rating: 7/10

This ultra-luxurious lip gloss from plant-based brand Votary is more of an oil but works wonders to restore lips lacking moisture. It’s infused with 12 plant oils, including passionflower, jojoba, baobab and raspberry seed oil, which gives a high-shine finish in a subtle, sheer pink shade. It comes with a doe foot applicator but you can also dab a bit onto skin and rub it in with your finger as it’s quite a fluid formula, with no stickiness in sight. There’s a slight spearmint flavour too. Our only gripe is the applicator picks up a lot of excess product so if you’re not careful, it’ll drip everywhere.