Panthenol has been used in skin and hair care for decades. It is one of those quiet ingredients that makes products feel better and work better.
What Is Panthenol?
Panthenol is a provitamin of B5. Once absorbed, the skin converts it into pantothenic acid, a vitamin involved in many normal cell processes. The form most often studied is dexpanthenol.
A 2017 review in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment, marking 70 years of dexpanthenol use, describes it as a well-tolerated moisturizer that supports skin barrier function and helps skin feel soothed.
What It Does
Hydrates skin. Panthenol is a humectant that helps skin hold water, and a 2002 review in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology notes improvements in skin hydration and reduced water loss with topical use.
Supports comfort. It is valued in formulas for dry or easily irritated skin because it helps skin feel calm.
Conditions hair. On hair, panthenol attracts and holds moisture, helping strands feel soft and smooth, look shinier and stay more manageable.
Where You'll Find It at True Colour Beauty
For hair, panthenol is in the True Gloss Conditioner, the Citrus Cocktail Conditioner and the Quick Refresh Dry Shampoo Spray.
For skin, it adds comfort to the Tinted Moisturizer and the Bronzing Moisturizer.
How to Use It
Use conditioners after shampooing and rinse well. Tinted and bronzing moisturizers can be applied as the last step of your morning routine. Panthenol pairs well with almost every other ingredient.
What the Research Doesn't Say
Many studies use specific dexpanthenol concentrations, often in medical settings. In everyday products, panthenol is a supporting moisturizer and conditioner, not a treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is panthenol the same as vitamin B5?
It is a provitamin, which means the skin converts it into vitamin B5.
Is panthenol good for fine hair?
Yes. It conditions without weighing hair down.
Are True Colour Beauty products cruelty-free?
Yes. True Colour Beauty is Leaping Bunny certified.
A Quiet Workhorse
Panthenol helps skin feel comfortable and hair feel soft and manageable. Explore the True Colour Beauty hair care collection.
Sources
Proksch E, de Bony R, Trapp S, Boudon S. Topical use of dexpanthenol: a 70th anniversary article. J Dermatolog Treat. 2017;28(8):766-773.
Ebner F, Heller A, Rippke F, Tausch I. Topical use of dexpanthenol in skin disorders. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2002;3(6):427-433.
