Few ingredients have gained as much popularity in cosmetic products as panthenol. Often hailed as a skincare savior and haircare hero, it’s a frequent addition to lotions, serums, shampoos, and even makeup products. The claimed benefits range from moisturization to wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties. But ever since I experimented with a large dose of panthenol in a conditioner and found no noticeable effect, I’ve wondered whether the accolades for the ingredient are well-founded, or is this just another example of overblown marketing hype? Let’s delve into the science of panthenol and question whether it’s deserving of its revered status in cosmetic chemistry.
What is Panthenol?
Panthenol, also known as Provitamin B5, is an alcohol that is converted into pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5) when absorbed by the skin. This compound is found in all living cells and is important in the creation of acetyl-co-enzyme A. The fact that it is found naturally certainly helps to boost interest in this ingredient. The rationale behind using it for beauty products is that it works as a humectant.
What is Panthenol claimed to do?
Moisturizing is an important benefit to many hair and skin care products so it’s not surprising panthenol is recommended. In skin, it is believed to moisturize by drawing water from the deeper layers to the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the skin. Additionally, panthenol is claimed to stimulate wound healing, reduce inflammation from irritation, increase SPF, increase cell turnover, boost the effectiveness of niacinamide and protect lips against solar-induced herpes.
In hair, it is thought to work as a humectant that draws water into the hair shaft. Other things that it has been reported to do in hair are repair and strengthen damaged fibers, thicken hair, and increase the tensile strength of hair.
Skin Moisturization
There is little doubt that panthenol has moisturizing capabilities. Structurally it has a number of -OH groups which can help attract water. The main study cited about panthenol’s ability is a 2011 article “Skin moisturizing effects of panthenol-based formulations” published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science (1). This compares the moisturizing effect of formulas with 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 5% and showed that the 1% and 5% formulas performed better. This seems great but as a formulator, I look at this and wonder how this would have compared if you just added extra glycerin. This was not included in the study. That is the kind of thing that would be done if you want to prove whether an ingredient works. Unfortunately, what a cosmetic formulator wants to know is “which ingredient works best.” The study doesn’t tell you that.
While panthenol is widely regarded as a humectant, in terms of performance it does not work as well as other humectants like glycerin or hyaluronic acid. This means you need higher levels to achieve similar effects as other humectants which raises questions about cost-effectiveness, especially when less expensive, superior alternatives are available. Perhaps the most effective formulating strategy is to blend a low-cost humectant with a little panthenol. That way you get the marketing benefit of the panthenol story and a good moisturizing effect at a lower cost. Formulators always need to consider cost when using ingredients.
Healing Properties
One of the much-touted skin benefits of panthenol is its wound-healing properties.(2) While some research has shown that it can aid in cellular proliferation, these studies are conducted in controlled, clinical settings rather than real-world scenarios. In these experiments, panthenol is generally used in much higher concentrations (5%) than what you’d find in over-the-counter cosmetics. But if formulators are not going to include a high enough level to see an effect, does that really translate into a consumer benefit? And the fact that if the ingredient was having this benefit that would technically make it a drug (at least in the US) should give all formulators pause.
Some of the other claims about panthenol are based on studies that are over 60 years old and have not been replicated. One has to wonder why.
Hair benefits
Panthenol has been used in hair for a number of years. It seems nearly every brand includes it in both their leave-on and rinse-off products. In truth, for a rinse-off product it most likely just washes down the drain having minimal impact on hair. So if it is going to have any effect, I would expect that to come from leave-on applications. The effects suggested include moisturizing, shine, strength and volume.
For moisturizing, its humectant effect and film-forming ability can certainly impact hair fibers. And that effect should also have the consequence of imparting a healthy looking shine. But other common hair ingredients like silicones, cationic surfactants and polymers are going to achieve these effects much more notably. Again, panthenol can have an impact but alternative ingredients just work better.
Marketing Claims
Given the lack of definitive evidence supporting its miraculous effects, it’s worth questioning why panthenol continues to be a marquee ingredient in so many products. There is a simple answer to this…it helps sell products. My guess is that this is because it is a vitamin and consumers LOVE to see the word “vitamin” on their beauty products. I recall observing numerous consumer research panels where people lit up at the mention of vitamins. This has caused marketers to request the inclusion of vitamins in most formulations. And panthenol is a vitamin that is easy to work with plus familiar to consumers.
Conclusion
While panthenol is by no means a harmful ingredient, its widespread use and the accompanying claims deserve scrutiny. As formulators and scientists, it’s our responsibility to sift through marketing ploys and focus on delivering efficient, safe, and effective products. Panthenol certainly has some proven effects, but it is normally going to be a claims-supporting ingredient rather than the main act.
References
- Journal of cosmetic science., 2011 Jul-Aug;62(4):361-70., Skin moisturizing effects of panthenol-based formulations.
- Dexpanthenol in Wound Healing after Medical and Cosmetic Interventions (Postprocedure Wound Healing). Gorski et al Pharmaceuticals 2020, 13(7), 138
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