Are suppliers deceiving the industry? - Asia's creams still found to contain shark oil

31-Mar-2015 - Last updated on 31-Mar-2015 at 22:12 GMT

A recent study carried out by NGO, Bloom Association has found more than half of the skin creams (8 of 15) they had tested featuring the words 'squalane', to still contain shark oil.

According to Claire Nouvian, founder of the association; out of 72 European, US and Asian skin creams tested by her team, one in five were found to contain shark squalane.

Squalene is shark liver oil that had been used as one of the most common moisturizers in cosmetics before sourcing began endangering the species and a plant based version became viable for products.

The renewable alternative to shark oil includes expensive olive oil, and while various cosmetic companies have been investing in this more sustainable alternative, Nouvian believes that there are still issues with supply.

The Association's CEO had revealed these same concerns back in 2013, when she sat down with Cosmetics Design. "Some specialised producers may be passing off shark squalene as the plant alternative, unbeknownst to the large multinationals," she had told this publication.

Deceived by suppliers?

Nouvian told CosmeticsDesign-Asia.com that the cosmetics industry is the world’s greatest buyer of animal squalene oil and that while some may think that they are investing in plant-based alternatives; “suppliers can mislead as to the nature of the squalane they are selling.”

The main on-going use of animal squalene today is said to be down to financial reasons in that plant squalane (olive oil) is 30 per cent more expensive than that of the moisturizing, non‐greasy substance of the deep sea shark liver (8 to 12 euros per kilo), some of which are now in danger of extinction.

"Either brands buy animal squalane, cheaper than vegetable squalane, to achieve a higher margin, or they are deceived by their suppliers who sell the mixed squalane by passing for pure vegetable squalane" adds Laure Ducos, lead author of this new study.

Legitimate suppliers of squalene

The segment has a few major players and is regionally segregated. Sophim (France), Amyris (U.S.), Kishimoto Special Liver Oil (Japan), SeaDragon Marine Oils (New Zealand) are a few of the leading players in the squalene market.

The difficulties in raw material availability due to regulations and competition from other industries, minimal governmental support, and western cultural impact have restrained the companies from entering the market.