One cream says “Panthenol” and the serum next to it says “B5”. If you turn both packages over, you can still come across the same ingredient. Panthenol is the precursor to vitamin B5. So you can meet him under different names.

Panthenol answers one question in particular: How can the skin be cared for so that it retains moisture better and feels smoother? To choose, it is worth deciphering the name once and then looking at the texture. After all, there is more than one closure between a serum and a cream.

Panthenol and B5 belong together

Panthenol is a precursor of pantothenic acid, i.e. vitamin B5. This is where the name provitamin B5 comes from. A specific form is called D-panthenol or dexpanthenol. You will come across this term more often in specialist texts and studies.

Cosmetic ingredient lists usually simply say panthenol . The ingredient is used, among other things, as a humectant. It helps to bind water and is therefore part of many nourishing formulas. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel describes this cosmetic function in its safety assessment of panthenol and related substances .

A cream with this name does not indicate whether your body is deficient in vitamin B5. For facial care, it’s all about the properties of the product applied. Even a B5 name on the front does not replace a look at the list of ingredients. The form used can be specified there more precisely.

What research says about moisture

Panthenol is more than a friendly word on a tube. In a controlled, blinded study, dexpanthenol-containing formulations improved the moisture of the stratum corneum and reduced water loss through the skin after seven days compared to their comparison bases. The study examined two specific fat-containing formulations. Original work by Gehring and Gloor .

This is a useful basis for cosmetic classification. However, it does not predict how any serum will feel, nor what percentage is best for your skin. The formula, amount applied and the rest of the routine process are always included.

If you want to understand why moisture is sometimes lost more quickly, our article on the skin barrier explains the connection. Here we stick with the selection on the shelf: a nourishing formulation that fits well into your everyday life.

Why ceramides are so often next to them

Panthenol and ceramides do different jobs in a formula. Panthenol is a humectant. Ceramides are lipids, i.e. the fats that are also found in the outer layer of skin. Together with other ingredients, they can be usefully combined in a moisturizer.

A cream also usually contains substances that help spread it and determine the way the skin feels. Some leave more suppleness, others a lighter film. This explains why two creams with panthenol can still have completely different effects as soon as you apply them.

The combination is interesting for everyday life: panthenol can be found in the same cream as ceramides. So you don’t have to try the two in separate steps. In our Ceramide article you can read what names like Ceramide NP, AP or EOP mean.

A cream that completes the step

The Anua 3 Ceramide Panthenol Moisture Barrier Cream is an example of this combination. The shop list names panthenol right after water as well as ceramides NP, AP and EOP. There are also glycerin and squalane, among other things.

Apply the cream after your serum. It fits into the morning and evening routine. Sun protection follows in the morning. Anua: Ingredients and application of the cream .

You can find out more about the brand’s different steps in the Anua portrait .

A serum for the layer underneath

According to consistent shop and manufacturer lists, the Purito Seoul Mighty Bamboo Panthenol Serum contains 13 percent panthenol. There are also glycerin, niacinamide, squalane, bamboo extract and ectoine. Even though it’s called serum, it doesn’t just consist of water and the ingredient that gives it its name.

Purito recommends applying an appropriate amount to the face and neck, followed by a moisturizer if necessary. The manufacturer’s website suggests multiple coats for a stronger shine. To get started, it is sufficient to first check how a thin layer behaves in your existing process. Purito: Mighty Bamboo Panthenol Serum .

Maybe you like your current cream, but want to try an additional moisturizing step underneath. This makes it easier to supplement a serum individually. However, if you are looking for a new cream anyway, a cream containing panthenol may be the more practical choice. There is no reason to make a mandatory double out of the common ingredient.

Are more percent automatically better?

A high concentration information quickly catches the eye. But that leaves out the context to make a fair decision: How is the product formulated, what step is it intended for and how does the finished combination feel on your skin?

The confirmed 13 percent of Purito serum describes exactly this product. It does not follow that any cream with less panthenol would be too weak. You also don’t have to add percentages of different products to a daily amount. The bottles are not mixed as a common batch in the laboratory.

A little observation in everyday life is more helpful: Does the skin feel pleasant after care? Does it stay that way when sunscreen or makeup is applied? Do you really need an extra step or rather a different consistency? For further ingredients, see our ingredients overview .

How to try a new panthenol skincare product

Introduce a new product individually. Even a nourishing formula can be intolerable; the word “calming” is not a license. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends testing new cosmetics on a small area first. This makes it easier to assign a possible reaction. Advice on testing new care .

If itching, significant redness or persistent burning, stop using the new product. If you have severe or recurring symptoms, you should have them checked by a dermatologist. For normal cosmetic care, the goal remains manageable: a formulation that you enjoy using and that makes your skin feel pleasantly cared for.

What we know for sure

• Panthenol is provitamin B5 and is used cosmetically, among other things, as a humectant.
• Controlled studies of certain dexpanthenol formulations show improvements in skin moisture and water loss.
• These results are not a guarantee for any product containing panthenol.
• Serum and cream differ in their overall formulation; the percentage value alone does not determine the appropriate selection.

Sources

• Cosmetic Ingredient Review: Safety assessment of panthenol and related substances
• Gehring and Gloor: Dexpanthenol, stratum corneum moisture and barrier function
• Anua: 3 Ceramide Panthenol Moisture Barrier Cream
• Purito: Mighty Bamboo Panthenol Serum
• American Academy of Dermatology: Testing new skincare