Panthenol in skincare
Provitamin B5, used in moisturising care and hair products.
What is panthenol?
Provitamin B5, used in moisturising care and hair products. On the ingredient list, you can find the name Panthenol. The dictionary uses both the common name and the INCI name, so you can compare the explanation with the packaging.
What does panthenol do for skin and the product?
Binds water and contributes to a soft skin feel.
Humectants work with water in the skin's stratum corneum. They are often combined with lipids that make the surface supple and limit moisture loss. These are different tasks within the same moisturising care.
Panthenol is not a lipid and is often used with a cream base.
How to read the ingredient list
Look at the product's purpose and overall composition. Position on the list does not tell you the exact concentration used or how your skin will react. One substance can serve several purposes in the same product.
Questions about panthenol
What does panthenol do in skincare?
Binds water and contributes to a soft skin feel.
What should I know about panthenol?
Panthenol is not a lipid and is often used with a cream base.
Related ingredients
About sources and ingredient names
The European Commission's CosIng database is a reference for cosmetic ingredient names and functions. An entry does not constitute approval of all uses or evidence of a particular product effect.
DermNet: functions of moisturising care · DermNet: cosmetic formulations