Why Vitamin B5 Is The Ingredient You Need To Know About For Skin Repair

Memorising all the skin care ingredients hanging around these days (not to mention what they actually do) is about as easy as rattling off the alphabet backwards. In other, words: it’s near impossible.

That’s why it can be more valuable to narrow in on one multitasking wunderkind with the ability to work magic in a few different areas. Especially if they’re essential ones (think hydration and skin strength). And even more especially if you suffer from sensitivity or dryness – you don’t need to mix and match, you just need major moisture. Well, if that is what you’re after, look no further than vitamin B5.

No, it’s not the forgotten Bananas in Pyjamas character (throwback, we know) – it’s a soothing, smoothing skin care powerhouse that we’ll bet your skin is basically begging for. Itching to know more? Firstly, that could be a sign of dryness and you’ve come to the right place, and secondly, we spoke to Dermatologist Dr Cara McDonald to get the intel on all things vitamin B5…

What is vitamin B5 and what are its skin benefits?

First, let’s get into the fancy name (it actually goes by two) and the even more fancy talents. “An ingredient that attracts moisture, vitamin B5 (also known as panthenol) is able to hold moisture in the skin,” Dr McDonald explains of the wondrous water-soluble vitamin.

That’s actually one of its most astounding abilities. On top of being a humectant (similarly to another hydration hero, hyaluronic acid), vitamin B5 is also an emollient. This means that it has the power to both draw moisture into the skin (that’s the humectant status working) and bind it in once it gets there, keeping all the moisturising goodness under lock and key (emollient alert!).

Doing so can help in a multitude of moisturising, soothing ways: “Vitamin B5 supports the skin barrier function though hydration, and reduces trans-epidermal water loss, helping to reduce dryness, itch, and discomfort,” Dr McDonald shares. “Vitamin B5 can also assist in repair following superficial skin procedures such as IPL, laser, peels and needling as well as in smoothing and softening dry or scaly skin.”

The hydration it provides is all about leaving your skin looking and (even more importantly) feeling its very best. “[Vitamin B5] helps soften the skin, keeps it moist and flexible, and prevents dryness,” Dr McDonald confirms. It’s an ingredient without hard rules, too; its nourishing nature means you can use it as many times daily as you’d like, and it’ll play nice with your other skin care.

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Which skin types is vitamin B5 suited to?

Vitamin B5 scores major points in the ‘works for everyone’ category. “Many individuals can benefit from the use of Vitamin B5 skin care [as] B5 moisturises, soothes and enhances the skin barrier,” says Dr McDonald. “It is well tolerated and suitable for most skin types.”

Of course, the drier or more irritated the skin, the more powerful vitamin B5 will prove. “Its main benefit lies in increasing hydration which soothes dry, red, [and] sensitive skin,” says Dr McDonald. It can even aid in reducing itchiness, so it’s a real winner to have on hand during bouts of irritation. Think of it like a comfort movie for your complexion!

Here’s the thing though: even if your skin type isn’t necessarily naturally dry or stressed, the world is (unfortunately) full of daily aggressors that can make it that way regardless. And if you did start with a thirsty or sensitive complexion, said aggressors can massively exacerbate the issues – rude, right? There’s a real wide range of these pesky aggressors, from environmental kinds like pollution and temperature changes to the topical types such as the overuse of actives, microneedling, laser treatments, and the like.

But here’s the great news: whichever category you fall into, vitamin B5 skin care can help! We advise adding a formula rich in the stuff to your skin care lineup pronto. Onto that…

What types of formulas is vitamin B5 most beneficial in?

Think of the types of formulas you’d want to slather on during a particularly dehydrated or irritated stint: gentle but effective. The main kind we picture? Soothing serums. With the ability to dive deep into skin and address ailments ASAP, serums are serious about solving issues. And none prove more powerful than the new La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 Serum ($65.95 at La-Roche Posay).

Not to brag on the brand’s behalf, but their B5 serum has one of the highest percentages of vitamin B5 available on the market (a whopping 10 per cent). This means the benefits of B5 are given an added boost in the ‘supporting and strengthening skin’s moisture barrier’ department – a real win! The richly nourishing formula (with vitamin B5 at the forefront of the fight against dryness) provides long-lasting 24-hour hydration, and has been specifically developed for dry, compromised-feeling skin that’s prone to sensitivity and signs of dryness, redness and tightness. If your mind is shouting ‘hey, that’s me’, then this is definitely the product for you.

Nervous that something so heartily hydrating might leave skin feeling iffy on the surface? Don’t be! The serum is lightweight, fast-absorbing, and delightfully non-sticky – some (okay fine, us) might even say it feels like silk on the skin! Trust us, it’s a treat for any complexion, whether you’re in dire need of a dehydration-thwarter, or just want to keep your face feeling healthy, hydrated and happy as can be. 

Long story short, B5 is the multitasking moisture ingredient your face is desperate to meet, and this is the formula that’ll deliver it in soothing, hydrating spades.

Have you tried vitamin B5 skin care before? What did you think?