James Meikle
The Guardian
Wednesday January 30 2008

Leading cosmetic companies have stopped using shark liver oil as a moisturising base because of concerns over the survival of the deep-sea predators.

In a development welcomed by marine conservationists yesterday, L'Oreal said it had started switching to plant sources for the compound squalene, which is used in creams, lotions and glosses.

Unilever said it had stopped using shark oil in high street brands such as Pond's and Dove some years ago and was now ensuring that beauty spas the firm owns in Spain did likewise. Boots and Clarins have either made similar decisions or never used shark sources in the first place, according to information gathered by the campaign group Oceana. Boots told the Guardian it had never sold shark squalene.

Read entire article at The Guardian .