Cosmetic ingredient

PANTOLACTONE

Pantolactone, listed on an ingredient label as PANTOLACTONE, is a small lactone: an organic compound in which part of the molecule forms a ring. It is not a plant extract or another name for panthenol; it is a defined substance that also has uses outside personal care.

INCIPA1 products
CAS number
599-04-2; 79-50-5
EC number
209-963-3; 201-210-7
Chemical name
2(3H)-Furanone, dihydro-3-hydroxy-4,4-dimethyl-, (R)-

PANTOLACTONE: what it is

Pantolactone, listed on an ingredient label as PANTOLACTONE, is a small lactone: an organic compound in which part of the molecule forms a ring. It is not a plant extract or another name for panthenol; it is a defined substance that also has uses outside personal care.

Pantolactone is described as a degradation product of pantothenic acid in the liver. The D form is used as an intermediate for making pantothenic acid, known as vitamin B5. That chemical connection does not make Pantolactone the same as vitamin B5 when it appears in a cosmetic.

PANTOLACTONE: what it does in cosmetics

In cosmetics, PANTOLACTONE is listed as a humectant and skin-conditioning ingredient. As a humectant, it is included in formulas intended to retain water in the skin's outermost layer; skin conditioning relates to a softer, less rough feel after use, within the finished product's formulation.

Seeing this name on an ingredient list does not mean that the product contains panthenol or vitamin B5. D-pantolactone is known as an intermediate for making pantothenic acid, and that industrial use does not show that Pantolactone on its own treats dryness, acne, dark spots, or other conditions in a cosmetic.

Catalogue presence

Products containing this ingredient

See which products include it and the name used in each composition.