Sustainable Beauty · Review
Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Advanced Facial Oil
A brightening, hydrating face oil built on Biossance's ethical, shark-free sugarcane squalane, the rare clean brand where the sustainability is in the science, not just the packaging.
🌿 Ecoxee decision: The pick where the sustainability runs deepest.
Biossance exists to make ethical, shark-free squalane, and this vitamin-C rose oil delivers real glow and hydration on top of genuine green chemistry. At $74 it is a splurge, but it is the pick where the eco credentials go beyond packaging.
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Best for
Not ideal for
Before you buy: do you actually need this?
Worth buying if…
- You want a hydrating, brightening face oil
- Ingredient ethics (shark-free squalane) matter to you
- Your skin is dry or dull
- You will use it as your evening glow step
Probably skip it if…
- You dislike the feel of facial oils
- You want a strong clinical vitamin C serum instead
- You are on a tight budget
The most sustainable option is often the one you already own.
Overview
Biossance's entire premise is sugarcane-derived squalane, an ethical, plant-based alternative to the shark-liver oil the beauty industry historically used (which cost millions of sharks). If you are going to buy a face oil, buying into that ingredient story is a genuinely meaningful choice, not a marketing one.
This advanced facial oil pairs that squalane with vitamin C, Damascus rose extract and Chios crystal oil to brighten, hydrate and improve the look of firmness in one absorbing, non-greasy step. It won a BeautyInc 2024 Greatest Skincare Award, and it suits all skin types. Behind it sits real green chemistry: carbon-neutral shipping, FSC-certified packaging, thousands of questionable ingredients banned, Sephora Clean status and a partnership with the ocean charity Oceana.
Be clear-eyed on a few things: it is $74, it is an oil (so oil-averse or very oily skin should patch-test), it is naturally rose-scented, and vitamin C in an oil is a gentler, more stable glow-giver than a high-strength clinical serum. As a nourishing evening glow step with real ethics behind it, though, it is hard to beat.
How to use it
- 1Cleanse and apply any water-based serums first. Facial oils go on last in your routine, because they seal in everything underneath.
- 2Warm 2-3 drops between clean fingertips. A little goes a long way with an oil, so start small and add more only if you need it.
- 3Press (do not rub) it gently over your face and neck, avoiding the immediate eye area. Pressing helps it absorb without pilling.
- 4Use it in the evening to start, when the vitamin C and squalane can work overnight; once your skin is used to it you can also use it in the morning under SPF.
- 5If your skin is very dry, follow with or mix it into your moisturiser. Because vitamin C is involved, keep the bottle out of direct sunlight.
What we like
- Built on ethical, shark-free sugarcane squalane, the brand's whole point
- Brightens, hydrates and firms in one absorbing step
- Green chemistry: carbon-neutral shipping and FSC-certified packaging
- Cruelty-free and Sephora Clean
- Partner of the ocean charity Oceana
- Award-winning formula (BeautyInc 2024)
Worth knowing
- $74, a genuine splurge
- It is a facial oil, so not for the oil-averse
- Naturally rose-scented, not fragrance-free
- A nourishing oil, not a high-percentage clinical vitamin C
- Glass dropper bottle needs a little care
The honest trade-offs
The nuance most reviews leave out.
- The sustainability here is genuinely deep (ingredient ethics plus green chemistry), which is rarer than recyclable packaging, but it is still a $74 luxury oil.
- Vitamin C in an oil is gentler and more stable than a high-percentage serum, so this is glow-and-hydration rather than aggressive brightening.
- It is an oil, so oily or acne-prone skin should patch-test before committing.
- As ever, the greenest thing you can do is finish the bottle.
Sustainability breakdown
Our honest read on how eco-friendly this really is. Where we cannot verify something, we say so rather than guess.
Built on sugarcane-derived, shark-free squalane; thousands of questionable ingredients banned; Sephora Clean.
FSC-certified packaging in a glass dropper bottle.
Cruelty-free, and Biossance formulas are vegan.
Shark-free squalane plus an Oceana marine-conservation partnership and carbon-neutral shipping.
Clear on its green-chemistry credentials; note the Amazon listing itself leads with benefits, so check the brand site for the full eco detail.
Frequently asked questions
How do you use the Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil?
After cleansing and any water-based serums, warm 2-3 drops between your fingertips and press them gently over your face and neck; oils go on last, to seal in what is underneath. Start with an evening application, and once your skin adjusts you can also use it in the morning under SPF.
When should you use it, morning or night?
Either works, but evening is the easiest place to start, since the vitamin C and squalane can work overnight with no sunscreen-layering to think about. If you use it in the morning, always apply SPF over it.
What percentage of vitamin C does it contain?
Biossance does not headline a single vitamin C percentage for this product, because it uses a stabilised, oil-soluble vitamin C in a squalane base rather than a high-strength water serum. That makes it a gentler, more stable glow-and-hydration oil than an aggressive brightening serum, which is exactly what it is designed to be.
What are the key ingredients?
The hero is Biossance's sugarcane-derived squalane, a shark-free, plant-based moisturiser, paired with a stabilised vitamin C for radiance, Damascus rose extract for scent and Chios crystal oil to support the look of firmness. It is a Sephora Clean formula with thousands of questionable ingredients excluded.
Is the Biossance Vitamin C Rose Oil worth it?
If you want a hydrating, glow-giving face oil and you care about ingredient ethics, yes. It won an industry award, absorbs without greasiness, and the shark-free squalane and green-chemistry credentials go deeper than most clean brands. At around $74 it is a splurge, though, and if you dislike facial oils or want a high-strength clinical vitamin C serum, it is not the right format.
Is Biossance's squalane sustainable and EWG-friendly?
On sustainability, yes: Biossance makes its squalane from sugarcane rather than shark liver, ships carbon-neutral, uses FSC-certified packaging and partners with the ocean charity Oceana. It is a Sephora Clean brand; if a formal EWG rating matters to you, check the specific product on EWG's database, since ratings are assigned per formula.
How does it compare to the Lemyn Organics Squalane + Rose Oil?
They are similar in concept, a squalane-and-rose-oil facial oil, and Lemyn Organics is often cheaper. The Biossance version adds stabilised vitamin C for brightening and comes with Biossance's stronger, third-party-backed sustainability story (shark-free squalane, an Oceana partnership, carbon-neutral shipping). If budget is the priority, compare prices; if ingredient ethics and the vitamin C boost matter more, Biossance is the pick.
How much is it and where can you buy it?
It is around $74. You can buy it on Amazon (linked above), as well as at Sephora and directly from Biossance. Prices vary, so check the current listing before buying.
If you don't buy it
If you dislike facial oils, or you want a strong clinical vitamin C serum, this is not the right format. On a tight budget, a basic squalane oil delivers the core hydration for less. Buy this if you want a glow-giving oil where the sustainability runs genuinely deep.
The Ecoxee verdict
Of all the picks here, Biossance is where the sustainability is most meaningful: not just recyclable packaging, but ethical, shark-free squalane and real green chemistry. This vitamin-C rose oil is a lovely, effective glow-and-hydration step for most skin types, and an award-winner besides. At $74 it is still a splurge, and it is an oil (patch-test if you are oily), but if you want a luxury face oil that genuinely walks the talk on ethics, this is the one to buy.
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