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The material selection platform
Cosmetics Ingredients
The material selection platform
Cosmetics Ingredients

PANTHENOL

CAS Number 81-13-0 / 16485-10-2
Chem/IUPAC Name: Butanamide, 2,4-dihydroxy-N-(3-hydroxypropyl)-3,3-dimethyl-, (2R)-; dl-Panthenol
EINECS/ELINCS No: 201-327-3 / 240-540-6
COSING REF No: 35839
PANTHENOL
Panthenol is an alcohol analog of pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5), and thus a provitamin of B5. It is an odorless, transparent, highly viscous, and colorless liquid at room temperature. It is used as a moisturizer and humectant in cosmetics and personal care products. Panthenol is found in lotions, ointments, nasal sprays, eye drops, cleaning solutions for contact lenses, etc. Panthenol comes in two enantiomers: D, and L. Only D-panthenol (dexpanthenol) is biologically active. For cosmetic use, panthenol comes either in D form or as a racemic mixture of D and L (DL-panthenol).

What is PANTHENOL used for?

Panthenol is used as a moisturizer, soothing and softening agent.
  • Skin care: It improves hydration and elasticity of the skin, reduces itching and inflammation of the skin, improves skin elasticity, and accelerates the rate of healing of wounds. In topical creams, it is found to be in a concentration of 1-5%
  • Hair care: It binds to the hair shaft readily, so, it is a common component of commercial shampoos and hair conditioners (in concentrations of 0.1-1%). It coats the hair and seals its surface, lubricating the hair shaft and giving it a shiny appearance. It can also help protect your hair from styling or environmental damage by locking in moisture

Origin

Panthenol is made from vitamin B5, also known as pantothenic acid which is found in all living things.

What does PANTHENOL do in a formulation?

  • Hair conditioning
  • Humectant
  • Skin conditioning
  • Soothing

Safety profile

Panthenol is generally well tolerated. In rare cases, skin irritation and contact allergies have been reported. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission on Cosmetic Ingredients have approved panthenol for use in cosmetics. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) classifies panthenol as "possibly safe" for general topical applications and nasal sprays.

Technical profile

Property Values
Boiling Point 118-120°C
Melting Point 66-69°C
Solubility Soluble in water, alcohol, chloroform, propylene glycol
36

Commercial Selection : Grades containing solely PANTHENOL

270
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