It’s your favourite time again! Lunchtime! JK it’s actually time to take a deep dive on a popular skin care ingredient and break down what makes it so good for your skin. Today we’re zoning in on Panthenol aka ProVitamin B5, one of the superstar ingredients in The Repair Shop. What the heck is it? What will it do for your cute face? And, what does it think of Robert Pattinson as Batman?

What is Panthenol?

A humble, but genius skin care ingredient for maximum hydration.

Y’see, Panthenol acts as both a humectant and an emollient. What does this mean? Panthenol has the impressive ability to both attract water and lock it in. Clever! It draws water from the dermis (deep down skin layer) up to the epidermis (the outermost skin layer), and stays on the skin’s surface filling the gaps between skin cells with lush hydration. This protective surface layer is the skin’s barrier where dehydration and damage occurs.

How does it benefit the skin?

It hydrates! Really well!
Which is important because all skin types will benefit from hydration., even oily skin types. Panthenol is the ultimate thirsty skin quencher. As a special humectant and emollient, Panthenol is able to soothe and hydrate the skin. It decreases transepidermal water loss (or TEWL, when moisture escapes through the outermost layer of skin), and locks in the moisture it has attracted, thereby increasing the skin’s hydration tenfold.

(Psst. To hear more about the magic of humectants, emollients, and the other moisture power players (occulsives), you can read up about it riiiight here.)

It repairs a cranky skin barrier!
Overdid it on the retinol? Skin a bit ouchy from needling? Sun burnt? Stress got your skin wigging out? You could have damaged your moisture barrier. (Not sure if your skin barrier is damaged? Read here!) To help the healing, it’s time to bench exfoliants and retinols, and reach for a skin care sidekick with Panthenol. As we mentioned, Panthenol is an expert at drawing moisture to the surface layer of skin and retaining it there. Through this process, Panthenol aids in repairing, and regenerating your skin’s barrier. If your barrier isn’t damaged, it’ll also work to strengthen it.

It soothes and calms!
Panthenol also boasts impressive anti-inflammatory properties. It helps soothe skin that is irritated, inflamed, red and itchy. Whether your irritation is caused by environmental factors, other harsh products or your skin changing with age, Panthenol is going to be your bestie for healing and calming. Definitely one to pop in your sun-burn survival routine.

It improves skin texture!
All that fantastic hydration improves skin texture. Panthenol heals dry, rough, and thirsty skin to reveal deliciously smooth and plump skin. Yum! Pop The Repair Shop into your weekly DIY facial for radiant, juicy skin.

What skin types will benefit from Panthenol?

All of ‘em! Panthenol is designed to treat skin on the more sensitive side but is suitable for every skin type. It’s an ingredient that can everyone can benefit from through its ability to strengthen the skin’s barrier.

It’s particularly useful for those who are prone to redness, itchiness, sensitivity or have a damaged skin barrier. We’d also recommend it for mature skin that is likely to be dry and thirsty, and craving some extra moisture.

Are there any skin care ingredients you should avoid?

Nope! Panthenol is a super friendly ingredient that plays well with others. It’ll easily slip into your AM or PM routine and start soothing your skin immediately.

What does it think of Robert Pattinson as Batman?

Loves it. Duh. Living their Breaking Dawn Part 3 fantasy.