Ingredient: Panthenol

Panthenol…you see it in the ingredients list of skin care ointments, lotions and creams, as well as shampoos, conditioners, nasal sprays, eye drops, lozenges, and cleaning solutions for contact lenses. It is also recommended by tattoo artists for post-tattooing creams. So why is this ingredient so popular?

Panthenol is the alcohol form of the B vitamin pantothenic acid. Panthenol is used in both skincare and hair care products because of its ability to attract and hold moisture. Panthenol' molecular structure allows it to attract moisture from the atmosphere and bind to water molecules. Sometimes called pro-vitamin B5, panthenol mixes readily with many different types of ingredients. It has the ability to keep the products more chemically stable.

Panthenol also works by helping the body create more nutrients specifically for the hair and skin. With better nourishment, cells stay healthier, regenerate faster and are better able to withstand environmental hazards, like radiation from sun rays or an excessively dry environment.

In skin care it is used for the treatment of sunburns, mild burns, minor skin injuries and disorders. It improves hydration, reduces itching and inflammation of the skin, improves skin elasticity, and accelerates skin's rate of healing. Because of its properties as an emulsifier, when panthenol is used in skin lotions or creams, it helps them spread over the skin evenly, for complete coverage

Panthenol binds to the hair shaft readily, so it is a common ingredient in shampoos and hair conditioners. It coats the hair and seals its surface, lubricating the hair shaft and giving it a shiny appearance. The smooth panthenol film also gives the hair "slip"…discouraging knots & tangles.