How to Use Squalane Oil
Oils go last. Here's the exact order, how much to use, and how to work squalane into a morning and evening routine.
We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. Prices are pulled live from Amazon and can change. How this works.
Squalane is an oil, and oils go near the end of a routine — after your water-based serums and either just before or mixed into your moisturizer. Get that order right and the rest is easy.
The order, step by step
- Cleanse (a squalane cleansing balm works well as a gentle first cleanse).
- Toner or essence, if you use one.
- Water-based serums (hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C).
- Squalane oil — a few drops.
- Moisturizer (or mix the squalane straight into it).
- Sunscreen — morning only, always last.
How much to use
Two to four drops is plenty for the whole face. Warm it between your fingertips and press it in rather than rubbing hard. Applying it on slightly damp skin helps trap extra water for more hydration.
Morning vs night
At night, squalane is a comfortable last step, or second-to-last under a richer cream. In the morning, apply it before sunscreen so your SPF sits on top and works as tested. If mornings feel greasy, keep the oil for nighttime.
Layering with actives? Squalane plays nicely with retinol and niacinamide — it can even buffer retinol irritation when applied over it. Water-based actives still go on first.
Other ways to use it
- Moisturizer booster — a drop mixed into your cream in winter.
- Hair — a small amount smoothed through ends to tame frizz.
- Body — dry elbows, cuticles, and shins.
Easy oils to start with
The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane
9.2A single-ingredient, plant-derived squalane at a price nothing else touches — the default pick for most people.
Read our review
Good Molecules Squalane Oil
8.9The cheapest sticker price of any 100% squalane here, and the molecule is identical to oils costing several times more.
Read our reviewTwo extras this routine assumes you have
The damp-skin step and the massage step both need something you may not own yet. Neither is a squalane product and neither is scored — we don't test accessories.
Live Amazon prices, as of September 2, 2026. Prices are set by Amazon and change.
Damp-skin application
Yolaist Fine-Mist Spray Bottles, 2 × 2 oz
Squalane holds onto more water when you press it into slightly damp skin. If your face has already dried off by the time you reach the oil step, a cheap fine-mist bottle of plain water re-dampens it in a second — no toner or essence needed.
Facial massage
BAIMEI IcyMe Gua Sha & Jade Roller Set
A gua sha stone or roller needs slip, or it drags on dry skin. Squalane is close to the ideal slip oil for it: light enough not to feel heavy, rated 0–1 for comedogenicity, and slow enough to absorb that the tool keeps gliding. Two or three drops before you start is all it takes.
We're recommending the tool, not a result — we make no claim that facial massage lifts, sculpts, or drains anything.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Do you use squalane before or after moisturizer?
Before, or mixed into it. Squalane is light enough to go under a cream, or you can add a drop or two directly to your moisturizer. A heavier cream can also go over squalane to lock everything in.
How many drops of squalane should I use?
Two to four drops is enough for the whole face. Press it in on slightly damp skin for the best hydration.
Can you use squalane every day?
Yes. It's well tolerated and non-comedogenic, so most people use it morning and night. In the morning, apply it before sunscreen.