the FAQ and Delivery Info pages!
Any long delivery delays are caused by The Canada Border Services Agency.
I now ONLY offer EMS as a shipping option to Canada.
This appears to have resolved most of the delays caused by The Canada Border Services Agency.
We take NO responsibility for delivery issues caused by customers entering the wrong address in the checkout page
BulkActives is a part-time business. Orders are processed and mailed on Saturdays. (TimeZone Order Deadline Chart)
We sell COSMETIC RAW MATERIALS, which are meant to be used at an appropriate percentage in a cosmetic formulation of your devising. Please do not order our products unless you know how to formulate creams and lotions with it!
NO PROBLEM! Just email me, and I will sort it all out.
Please check your JUNK mail folder for our emails, and mark them as NOT SPAM.
Failing to do so will result in NOT receiving ANY transaction / order status email updates.
Download our SIMPLE RECIPE CALCULATOR (MS Excel)
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE READ THIS!!!!
Please READ this before placing an order, and select the CORRECT shipping option for your country at checkout!
Due to Wuhan Pneumonia Virus (aka Covid-19) border restrictions and a reduction or cancellation of flights by airlines, we CAN ONLY ship to the counries listed below!
We have also been advised to expect delivery delays at your end, and yes, that INCLUDES USA customers!!!
UK customers, we are finally ABLE to ship to the UK.
We CAN ship to:
Registered Airmail and EMS:
NORTH AMERICA: USA (NOT including Hawaii and Guam), UK
ASIA: China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam,Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Philippines
EUROPE: France, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Norway, Finland
EMS only ! (Do NOT select Registered Airmail at checkout)
NORTH AMERICA: Canada
EUROPE: Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, Czech, Italy
OCEANIA: New Zealand, Australia
Registered Airmail only!
Cambodia, Spain, Austria, Slovakia, Bahrain, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Lithuania
IMPORTANT: If your country is NOT in the above lists, then we CANNOT ship to you at the moment.
If your country does not accept Registered Airmail, then do NOT select it from the shipping options at checkout!
Squalane is a compound that has been used in traditional medicine for decades [6]. It was first extracted from shark liver oil where it is found in high amounts. It is also found in olive oil, the preferred source of squalene. Squalene is thought to be a source of the overall health of Mediterranean populations that consume large amounts of olive oil [10]. Squalene is a natural compound found in skin surface lipids, compounds that are “waxy” in nature and protect the natural skin barrier [3]. It is a triterpene, a long chain of hydrogen and carbon atoms.
Squalane and squalene have nearly identical chemical structures. Squalane is produced by hydrogenating squalene, which means hydrogen atoms are added to the structure [2]. This makes it a stable, low-toxic compound useful for cosmetic purposes. Overall, squalane and squalene have the same therapeutic properties, the only difference is squalane is more stable.
Squalene is a chemical precursor to cholesterol and steroids used by the body. This makes it an important biological regulatory compound [6]. It is structurally similar to β-carotene, coenzyme Q10, and vitamins A, E, K, and D, which have been shown to be beneficial to skin [1, 3, 6]. Squalene also regulates the production of vitamin D.
Squalene, the un-hydrogenated form, makes up 13% of sebum [oil] secreted from the skin with the highest concentrations on the face and scalp. Sebum levels decrease over age, with the most drastic decrease in post-menopausal women [14]. Additionally, squalene levels have been shown to decrease in blood serum during aging [11]. Thus, supplementation of squalane may help reverse or prevent signs of aging, particularly photoaging, chronic skin damage due to excessive sun exposure. Altered sebum composition also plays a role in acne and decreased squalene levels have been associated with antihistamines, commonly taken to treat allergies [9].
It is thought that squalene in the sebum [oil] is a natural protective agent. Squalene produced naturally by the skin protects against UV skin damage from many sources, including sunlight [6]. UV light is related to inflammation and aging [7]. Topical application of squalane is believed to protect the skin from sun damage [10].
Squalane is primarily studied for its anti-oxidant activity [1]. The significant amount of squalene in olives is thought to contribute to the anti-oxidant effect of olive oil. In vitro studies show squalene quenches harmful free-radical oxygen, thus reducing damage to the skin [3]. The anti-oxidant activity of squalane has proven therapeutic for decreasing redness. A decrease in anti-oxidant activity is also thought to increase acne [9].
Squalane hydrates and softens the skin [6]. It reverses skin water loss [3]. It is quickly absorbed by the skin and increases skin suppleness [3]. In a clinical study, topical application of a gel containing squalane decreased skin dryness and itching [6]. In another clinical study, a cream containing squalane moisturized the skin and prevented wrinkle formation [4]. A cream with squalene was also used to mimic the natural skin barrier in order to help those with skin barrier deficiencies [3].
Squalene has immune-stimulating properties [13]. It increases cellular and immune system activity [5] Also, shark liver oil containing large amounts of squalene was shown to have anti-bacterial properties and reduce the symptoms of eczema, an inflammatory skin disease [6]. It is also a natural detoxifier [6].
Squalane is also used to increase the absorption of drugs, as it is stable and non-toxic [1, 12]. It increases the stability of mixtures and increase penetration into the skin. In a study using mice, squalene was shown to open hair follicles, increasing absorption [8]. Allowing higher absorption into hair follicles may help treat premature hair loss.
Note: Our Squalane is made from Olives (not shark) and imported from Spain!