dl-Panthenol USP (Powder)

Panthenol

Panthenol, also known as Pro-vitamin B5, is a water-soluble vitamin commonly used in skincare and haircare products. It is known for its ability to hydrate and soothe the skin, and improve hair strength and shine. After all, it’s what Pantene Pro-V is based on! When applied topically, panthenol is converted into pantothenic acid, which helps to maintain the skin’s barrier function and supports healthy hair growth by improving moisture retention and elasticity.

Our version is called dl-Panthenol because it contains two structures of panthenol, dextro and levo. The dextro form is great for skincare because it’s the biologically active version of panthenol. This form gets converted to pantothenic acid inside the skin. On the contrary, both the dextro and levo forms work to strengthen the hair. This makes our panthenol ideal for use in skincare and haircare formulations, but it allows for a 100% powder format without unnecessary additives, unlike liquid panthenol.

USP stands for United States Pharmacopoeia. This means our panthenol is also suitable for pharmaceutical products as it meets the strict standards to be called USP.

Valerie is a huge fan of formulating with dl-Panthenol from her days as a chemist at a leading salon brand. For haircare, dl-Panthenol works wonders to improve the feel and softness of hair at just 0.5 - 1%. It’s the secret weapon she uses in any shampoo! Want to use it in skin? No problem - try 0.5% in skincare for long-lasting hydration and skin that’s left feeling soft and supple. Considering it for scalp? Try 1% in a scalp serum. See details below for additional recommendations on how much panthenol to use!

Panthenol is produced by chemically synthesizing panthenol from ethyl acetate. It undergoes aminomethylation, before hydrolysis to form panthenol. It is purified by distilling to the its USP quality, resulting in an ultra-white powder.