D Panthenol

D-panthenol, a form of vitamin B5, offers numerous skin benefits, including enhanced hydration, soothing irritated skin, and promoting skin repair and elasticity.
Here's a more detailed look at the benefits of D-panthenol for skin:
1. Hydration and Moisturizing:

Humectant Properties:
D-panthenol acts as a humectant, drawing moisture from the air and binding it to the skin, which helps to keep skin hydrated and prevents moisture loss.

Improved Skin Barrier:
By strengthening the skin's natural barrier function, D-panthenol helps to reduce water loss and promotes better hydration.

2. Soothing and Anti-inflammatory:

Calming Irritation:
D-panthenol has soothing properties that can help calm irritated, dry, and inflamed skin.

Reduces Redness and Inflammation:
It can help minimize redness and inflammation, making it beneficial for sensitive skin and conditions like eczema or contact dermatitis.

3. Skin Repair and Regeneration:

Promotes Wound Healing:
D-panthenol supports skin repair and regeneration, helping to heal minor cuts, wounds, and damaged skin cells.
Reduces the Appearance of Marks and Blemishes:
By promoting skin cell regeneration, D-panthenol can help reduce the appearance of age-related and sun-related marks and blemishes.

4. Other Benefits:

Improves Skin Elasticity: D-panthenol can help improve skin elasticity and suppleness, leading to a smoother and more youthful appearance.

May Reduce the Appearance of Fine Lines and Wrinkles: By promoting skin hydration and elasticity, D-panthenol can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Brightens Dull Skin: D-panthenol can help brighten dull skin and provide a smoother complexion.
Is panthenol safe?

Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission on Cosmetic Ingredients have approved panthenol for use in cosmetics. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) classifies panthenol as “possibly safe” for general topical applications and nasal sprays. And it’s listed as “likely safe” for topical use by children.

The FDA currently lists panthenol in its widely known “Generally Regarded as Safe” database for when it’s ingested as a food ingredient, or as a supplement. But remember that ingesting panthenol or panothenic acid in food or as a supplement is very different than using it on your skin or hair.

Although it’s widely considered beneficial as a supplement, it’s only classified as “likely safe” for topical use on the skin, hair, and nails. That means there’s no significant evidence that panthenol causes harm, and plenty of anecdotal evidence that it’s helpful for many skin concerns. But there isn’t enough evidence to be sure, so the FDA suggests that more research is needed.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), another reputable organization that protects consumers, assembled a panel of experts in 2017 to assess panthenol’s topical safety in light of recent research.

This review board found no significant evidence that cosmetic products containing panthenol irritate or otherwise harm the skin, except in case of allergy. Bad reactions to topical panthenol are extremely rare. But when side effects do occur, they usually take the form of contact dermatitis or gastrointestinal distress.

It’s still important to remember that, from the perspective of the FDA, there isn’t sufficient evidence to officially give panthenol a “safe” designation. But the CIR notes that the amount of panthenol in cosmetics shouldn’t pose harm when absorbed into the body, since much higher levels of vitamin B-5 already occur in our food. So, there’s no significant evidence that topical panthenol will cause systemic problems.
The bottom line

It’s hard to prove anything is unequivocally safe even with extensive testing. Even then, any time you decide whether or not to use a product, you should weigh the benefits against the risk for side effects.

That said, most of the research now available on panthenol suggests that using a concentration 5 percent and under in a topical skin, hair, or nail product presents a very low risk to consumers. And the instance of negative side effects, like contact dermatitis, is very low.

In the end, if you’re a healthy adult who uses or is considering using a product with panthenol, you likely have nothing to worry about.
How to get rid of split ends

Split ends can’t be repaired. The only reliable way to get rid of them is to cut them off.

The latest trend to get rid of split ends is a process called velaterapia, also known as candle cutting. The process was made famous after supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio posted a picture on Instagram of her stylist holding a candle to her hair.

Candle cutting requires twisting a section of your hair and burning it halfway through with a lighted candle. It’s thought that burning off your split ends can create a seal to help protect the ends from splitting again. Still, some hair care experts worry it may actually cause split ends and damage hair follicles.

If you want to try candle cutting, seek the help of an experienced professional. Doing the method on your own may result in burned hair or skin.

Hair masks are often marketed as a split end cure. Although they moisturize hair, and may help conceal split ends or help prevent them, they won’t make them go away.
How to conceal split ends

Hair masks are deep conditioning treatments that help restore moisture to hair and strengthen hair shafts. They’re great for concealing split ends and improving your hair’s overall appearance.

Leave-in conditioners are usually applied to clean, gently towel-dried hair. Sectioning your hair during application may help you apply the conditioner correctly from roots to tips.

You can find hair masks and leave-in conditioners at most drug stores and beauty supply stores, or you can make your own.

When preparing your own conditioner, opt for ingredients that help nourish your hair:
Sweet almond oil

Extracted from almonds, sweet almond oil is hydrating and won’t weigh hair down. It may be used neat as a leave-in conditioner or rubbed into damp hair. An added bonus? It smells terrific!
Panthenol

Panthenol is a byproduct of pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5). It helps strengthen hair, retain moisture, and improves the texture of damaged hair. Panthenol is often the main ingredient in many hair masks and conditioners.
Argan oil

Rich argan oil comes from the kernels of argan trees native to Morocco. Argan oil is deeply moisturizing and adds shine to hair. To use argan oil on split ends, rub several drops into damp or dry hair and comb through.