Cosmetic ingredient

PANTHENYL ETHYL ETHER

PANTHENYL ETHYL ETHER, also called ethyl panthenol, is a compound related to panthenol and is mainly found in hair-care products. Its name may bring vitamin B5 to mind, but it is not plain panthenol: it is a distinct molecule also known as pantothenyl ethyl ether.

INCIPA1 products
CAS number
667-83-4
EC number
211-569-1
Chemical name
(+)-N-(3-Ethoxypropyl)-2,4-dihydroxy-3,3-dimethylbutyramide

PANTHENYL ETHYL ETHER: what it is

PANTHENYL ETHYL ETHER, also called ethyl panthenol, is a compound related to panthenol and is mainly found in hair-care products. Its name may bring vitamin B5 to mind, but it is not plain panthenol: it is a distinct molecule also known as pantothenyl ethyl ether.

As a derivative used in hair care, it does not by itself mean that a product acts like an orally consumed vitamin. On an ingredient list, the useful distinction is that it is aimed at how hair behaves during and after use, rather than being an automatic substitute for panthenol.

PANTHENYL ETHYL ETHER: what it does in cosmetics

PANTHENYL ETHYL ETHER is used in hair products for antistatic and hair-conditioning purposes. In everyday terms, the antistatic role is intended to reduce the electrical repulsion that can make dry or freshly styled strands fly apart, while conditioning is intended to improve the feel and manageability of the hair after application.

A study of human hair follicles kept outside the body examined this compound together with other vitamin derivatives, not as a single ingredient in an everyday cosmetic. That experimental finding does not show hair growth in people or make the ingredient a treatment; its most direct relevance on a label remains helping hair feel and behave more smoothly during use.

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Products containing this ingredient

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