Database/Emollient/Pantethine
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Pantethine natural?

No. Cosmetic-grade pantethine is typically built from petrochemically synthesized pantoic acid, beta-alanine and cysteamine rather than fermentation.

INCI namePantethine
CAS16816-67-4
FunctionEmollient · Hair Conditioning
FeedstockDespite its vitamin-B5 heritage, commercial pantethine is usually…

How we scored it

Built from pantoic acid (petrochemical isobutyraldehyde route dominant), beta-alanine and cysteamine (both typically petrochemical) -> 0.0
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Despite its vitamin-B5 heritage, commercial pantethine is usually manufactured by chemical synthesis from petrochemical isobutyraldehyde-derived pantoic acid, beta-alanine and cysteamine. A fermentation route to pantothenic acid exists but is not the typical cosmetic-grade source.

In plain English

A conditioning ingredient related to vitamin B5, used on hair and skin. Despite its vitamin heritage, cosmetic-grade supply is typically built up through petrochemical chemical synthesis rather than fermentation.

Natural alternatives with the same function

Structure

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Pantethine. PubChem CID 452306. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3PANTETHINE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4PANTETHINE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PANTETHINE