Created for Babies, Adapted for Adults: Introducing Cult Sensation S.NATURE!

We’re excited to announce that Skin Cupid has partnered with Korea's favourite derma brand, S.NATURE! Harnessing the power of Mother Nature, this award-winning Korean brand focuses on sourcing premium, plant-derived ingredients to help you achieve the famous glass-skin look. Since their inception in 2007, S.NATURE has embraced the philosophy that ‘Skin Likes Nature’. Initially created to care for sensitive and irritated skin of both adults and babies, S.NATURE's skincare are formulated with hypoallergenic, dermatologically-tested ingredients that heal and replenish the skin barrier. 

The founder of S.NATURE was inspired to create her own line of “clean”, “smart” beauty products after witnessing the pain that many of the clients at her dermatology clinic endured. She writes on the brand’s website: “I wanted to heal not only the skin wounds of babies who scratch their skin to the point of bleeding…due to severe dryness, chronic atopy, psoriasis, and other skin issues, but also the emotional pain of adults who have difficulty in their social lives due to their skin”. After much meticulous, long-term research, she landed on the formulas that have garnered S.NATURE so many fans – free from harmful and potentially irritating ingredients, showing the efficacy of natural ingredients off to their fullest, and making use of scientifically proven technologies that help to ensure the continuous health and beauty of your skin, no matter your age, gender, or skin type. The brand is a big believer in the emotional resonance that skin and skincare can have in our lives, asserting that “applying skincare…every day” is an essential component of a “healthy lifestyle that takes care of your body and mind” – that’s why you’ll notice that each S.NATURE product has, aside from its moisturising power and absorption-friendly texture, a gentle, natural scent that helps to “provide relaxation and healing” not just to your skin, but to your mind as you use it.  

Designed to help you feel confident in your own skin, it’s no surprise that S.NATURE has become a beloved brand at home in Korea. In fact, two of S.NATURE’s products have been ranked among the top 10 most popular and best-reviewed in Korea by HwaHae, the leading South Korean beauty platform that ranks products based on users' reviews. S.NATURE has been organically recommended and has a reputation as a trusted skincare brand that delivers reliable, effective results. 

The key to their crowd-pleasing formulas is a host of reliably sourced, high-quality ingredients, number one among them being squalane. A powerful moisturising agent, squalane is also incredibly versatile, and combines well with various other ingredients to produce synergistic, skin-boosting effects. Let’s take a closer look at what it is, where it comes from, and how you can leverage it to best effect for your personal skin concerns. 

What is squalane and what does it do for our skin?

OK - let’s start out with the very basics. Squalane is a hydrocarbon: a modified form of squalene, which is one of the key components of human sebum, making up about 15% of our sebaceous lipid mixture. Functionally, that means it is an emollient, and mimics our epidermis’s ability to repair and moisturise itself, and inhibit moisture loss through the activity of sebum. However, though skin’s natural levels of squalene remain consistent from childhood through to our early 30s, after that point it decreases significantly, resulting in skin that looks and feels dryer. Replenishing those natural oils in your skincare routine is key to maintaining healthy, radiant skin - and that’s where S.NATURE comes in!

Obviously, cosmetic-application squalane isn’t sourced from human sebum. In fact, it used to be derived from shark liver oil, and was used as a dietary supplement in Japan. Marine squalane of this sort is still extracted and utilised today, but largely just in the pharmaceutical sector. In the cosmetic industry, as in most others, it has been replaced by plant-derived squalane, a more sustainable, animal-friendly version of the ingredient. Squalane is present in the unsaponifiable fraction of the oil of certain plants – that is to say, the parts of oils that can’t be converted to soap when treated with alkali; also consisting of alkanes, sterols, tocopherols, and carotenoids, they are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents – plants which include wheat bran, rice bran, amaranth and, most notably, olive. This is where S.NATURE’s squalane comes from!

What are the benefits of topical squalane application for skin?

1. It provides non-greasy moisture.

Because squalane works like the skin’s own oils, it helps to lubricate skin but doesn’t result in a greasy feeling.

2. It strengthens the skin barrier.

Topically-applied squalane boosts the squalane levels in the skin’s lipid barrier, restoring strength to weakened, compromised skin, and helping skin to look younger and become less reactive. 

3. It’s sensitive-skin friendly.

Because squalane is already a component of the skin’s own oils, this makes it an ingredient that the skin immediately recognises and knows how to use when applied – and that also means it is essentially impossible for it to irritate skin or trigger an allergic reaction in users. In fact, squalane is non-irritating up to a full 100% concentration!

4. It helps combat acne.

Squalane is non-comedogenic, which already makes it a boon for keeping breakout-prone skin moisturised and healthy without clogging pores further. But squalane also helps to protect the skin’s oils from lipid peroxidation, a process that damages the skin surface and deeper in the pore lining where oil originates. This is thought to play a role in acne, as it can change the skin’s oil composition so that it becomes inflammatory – the more you know! 

And what’s the difference between squalane and squalene?

Squalene and squalane are – it’s probably no shock for you to learn – very similar molecules. Squalene is hydrogenated (i.e. an extra hydrogen is added to it) in order to produce squalane, which is the version of the molecule that is most often used in skincare. This is because squalane is more stable and degrades more slowly than squalene, ensuring that the products it’s in have a longer shelf life.

Speaking of which, what kinds of products will I find it in? 

Given that squalane is a low-viscosity oil that resembles human sebum, it is generally featured in moisturising products: serums, creams, lotions, and emulsions. As for the general benefits of the skincare it is used in, it is often found in skin-barrier-supporting skincare, anti-ageing skincare, skincare that is designed to be easily worn under makeup (no grease!), and products that keep acne-prone skin hydrated.  

Now that we’ve explored one of S.NATURE’s magic-working ingredients, here are some of our favourite products from the brand! 

Aqua Squalane Moisturising Cream 

Ranked the 8th best product on HwaHae, this moisturiser is ideal for all skin types, especially dry skin. It is enriched with Aquaxyl, which helps optimise the skin’s hydration flow, allowing for moisture to deeply penetrate the skin barrier. It also contains 8 types of Hyaluronic Acid, which hydrates the skin's surface, leaving skin to look dewy and supple. The formula promotes the stimulation of collagen, essential for maintaining skin elasticity and preventing the signs of aging. As a result, this moisturising cream is incredibly popular with people over 30, as collagen production naturally declines after the age of 25. 

Aqua Squalane Serum

Designed to have a Triple Care function, this Aqua Squalane Serum helps to improve the appearance of enlarged pores, hydrate the skin, and soothe irritation. As we head deeper into winter, the hydrating properties of Squalane and 8 types of Hyaluronic Acid acts as a suit of armour, protecting your skin from the cold. It also contains Witch Hazel Extract, which calms redness and swelling. Highly popular among those with dry and sensitive skin, the serum won the Olive Young 2024 Clean Beauty Award. Free from harmful ingredients, it has been proven to rejuvenate and restore your skin.

Aqua Oasis Toner

This Aqua Oasis Toner is designed to nourish and hydrate. Formulated with 8 types of Hyaluronic Acid, it provides long-lasting moisture. Packed with Vitamins A and E from the Papaya Complex, it also helps to brighten skin, promoting a more even and balanced complexion. Ranked as the 4th best product on HwaHae, it might be time to swap your old toner out for this one!