My skin was a tight, flaky desert. I was scared to add oil.
This isn’t an oil. It’s a hydrocarbon — a single molecule your skin already makes and stops producing after your 20s. That’s the magic.
It’s one ingredient. That’s it. The Ordinary sells it for under $10. I tried it because they claim it’s non-comedogenic. A bold promise.
100% Plant-Derived
Sourced from sugarcane, not shark liver (the old way).
One Ingredient
Just Squalane. No fillers, no fragrance, no nonsense.
$9.80 for 30ml
Cheaper than my morning latte.
Photo: Evangeline Sarney / Unsplash
The hero is Squalane (the stable form of Squalene). It mimics the lipid your skin produces to lock in moisture. It doesn’t sit on top — it integrates.
- Squalane: Reinforces skin’s moisture barrier without clogging pores
- That’s literally it. The whole list.
Texture is a light, slippery liquid. Not greasy. Absorbs in 20 seconds — leaves a satin finish, not a slick.
After two weeks, my skin stopped freaking out when I applied serum. It just… accepted it. The unexpected win? My makeup stopped clinging to dry patches.
Flakiness: gone. Tightness: gone. Pores? Zero new clogs. It didn’t “transform” my skin type — I’m still genetically dry. It just made my skin behave.
It’s the most boring, effective product I own. Does one job perfectly. No frills, just function.