Panthenol and it's Benefits in Skin and Hair Care

Originally discovered in 1931 by chemist Roger Williams and its amazing benefits later touted in the 1940's in skin and hair care, brands have sold us on its amazing benefits. But currently it's an ingredient that's included in many hair and skin care brands and readily available to even us Indie formulators.

It's panthenol, also known pro-vitamin B5 or DL-panthenol. In hair care it's reported to improve softness, shine, and help moisturize the hair. It's helpful as a conditioning agent and research is ongoing to determine if it helps strengthen the hair.

In skin care panthenol is believed to strengthen the skin barrier and reduce transepidermal water loss (aka help the skin stay better hydrated). It has also been shown to help repair and soothe the skin and reduce redness.

Studies have also shown that it may help ease itching, offer anti-inflammatory effects, and improve the appearance of skin, including dryness, roughness, and itching.

And the good news is that it's an ingredient that is readily available and used in a variety of products.

We incorporate panthenol in many hair and skin care formulations because of its ease of use and as a natural constituent of healthy hair and skin cells to promote shine, moisturization, and health of the hair, and to support the health of the skin and scalp.

While it may have been an exclusive secret back in the 40s and the cat or perhaps panthe(r) is out of the bag.

Do you use panthenol in your formulation or do you look for it in your hair or skin care products? What are your thoughts?