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The Dictator | Shark oil eye creams: should you use them or not to get that refreshed look?

Squalene, present in shark livers, is what you need to reduce puffiness and dark circles. But it’s found in olives, amaranth, sugarcane and rice, so leave the poor fish alone. Also, where to find an on-trend gypsy blouse this summer

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Squalene, present in shark livers, is what you need to reduce puffiness and dark circles. But it’s found in olives, amaranth, sugarcane and rice, so leave the poor fish alone. Also, where to find an on-trend gypsy blouse this summer
Leave those sharks alone and get your squalane somewhere else.
Leave those sharks alone and get your squalane somewhere else.
I asked my friend how she suddenly looked so fresh and she said it was a new shark oil eye cream she found. Can they do that? I’m so desperate, I’ll try almost anything.
Shark Tank, Mid-Levels

The Dictator rules: First, do your homework. Dr Google will show you many examples of absurd anti-ageing treatments gone wrong. Now, listen to me. Do not kill sharks. Do not try any old thing. Try this: squalane.

Before there was squalane, there was the less stable squalene, an organic compound that occurs naturally in shark livers, but also olives, amaranth, sugarcane, rice and humans. Our production of the emollient decreases with age, causing drier and more wrinkly skin, so you want to find ways to replace it that do not involve sharks.

Find a responsible company, such as Biossance, so you know you’re not rubbing shark on your face. The brand makes the popular, lightweight Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel (HK$421; sephora.com) to reduce puffi­ness and the appearance of dark under-eye circles; parabens-, sulphate- and phthalate-free versions (HK$234 to HK$306) are also available.
You may have actually been using it all along and not realised it. Bobbi Brown’s Hydrating Eye Cream (HK$450), for example, has squalene among its ingredients. Anthony specialises in skin care for men, but we say go ahead and try its High Performance Continuous Moisture Eye Cream (HK$356.50; strawberrynet.com), which aims to diminish puffiness, fine lines and dark circles with squalane plus arnica and vitamins A, C and E.
Another one worth trying is Lenus No 17 Day Eye Cream with Squalane (HK$171; shoplenus.com), formulated with squalane from olives. Just leave Jaws alone.
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