Biossance: 5 Must-Have Products From the Brand

It's widely known that we're passionate about clean beauty here at Byrdie—which, of course, eventually culminated in our making our very own Clean Beauty Pledge in 2021. (Read it here.) And while many beauty brands may "talk the talk" when it comes to sustainability and ethical ingredients, we've learned that there are far fewer that actually walk the walk.

And, well, Biossance is one of them: The brand was launched under Sephora in 2017 and is already one of the leading clean skincare brands on the market just a few years later.

And what makes the brand so special is it doesn't just use vegan, cruelty-free ingredients—it saves our oceans (literally!) in the process. "For generations, beauty products were fortified with squalene, a substance that provided exceptional moisture—but at the cost of millions of sharks, harvested for their squalene-rich livers," President of Biossance, Catherine Gore, tells Byrdie. "Our team of Berkeley scientists discovered how to engineer a similar substance—'squalane'—from sustainable sugarcane."

So, you get the benefits of the magical substance, but without the environmental damage and animal cruelty (that, more often than not, go hand-in-hand with it).

Not to mention, Biossance's exclusive formula works. "Our squalane formula is weightless yet deeply hydrating and effective for even the most sensitive skin. That's why it's at the heart of every Biossance formula," Gore says.

Wondering what's so good about it? Well, it's kind of like a mini biology lesson to learn about it straight from Team Biossance. "Essentially, the purer, ethically-sourced, and vegan squalane is a molecular match for the moisture already found in our skin," Gore continues. "It's incredible on its own, but a perfect conduit to make other ingredients (like Vitamin C or lactic acid) perform even better."

And it doesn't end there: Biossance backs up its revolutionary products with tangible action in the form of conservation work and partnerships. "Through our partnership with Oceana, we encourage our community to support ocean and shark conservation—causes we're incredibly passionate about," Gore says. "We share sustainability tips and host community events like beach cleanups and our second-annual Impact Awards this summer—a mentorship program that discovers and supports future sustainability innovators, awarding $40,000 to support ocean conservation projects."

Basically, Biossance is more than just a pretty face in the clean-beauty world, with good products for your skin and the planet.

Below, find our fave Biossance products that are as effective as they are ethical.