Glow A-Z | B is For..

Is for

VITAMIN B5

(Pantothenic acid, dexpanthenol, d-panthenol or dl-panthenol on your cosmetics label)

 

 

 

I’m just going to start this by saying this post is cheating a little bit, vitamin B5 is actually pantothenic acid which does not begin with a B at all. BUT all B vitamins are great for skin, hair and nails and this post would be way too long if we spoke about each of them individually.

In your cosmetics:

B5 will often be found in products for dry skin types as it is an emollient hydrator, meaning it works well in repair balms and salves. This also means it’s very appropriate now as we approach winter flake face season.

It works as a humectant – which means water binds to it, locking in hydration. As we all know, better hydrated skin equates to fresher looking skin with more elasticity.

Due to its hydrating and soothing properties B5 balms can be used for many things, including:

• Cuts
• Sores
• Sunburn
• Eczema
• Rashes (the ‘oh this product messed my skin up’ kind of rash, not the ‘s**t, my kid gave me chickenpox’ level rash – obviously consult a doctor if necessary)
• And it can even alleviate skin issues caused by acne, such as dry patches and redness.

My favourite B5 containing cream is La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Soothing Repairing Balm. That’s a bit of a mouthful, but it does exactly what it says on the label. A small tube retails at £6.50 and lasts forever. I keep one on my dressing table every winter and reach for it the second I feel slake face coming. For very dry skin types this also works well as a heavy night cream.

Food:

In food, B5 helps with the maintenance of fat levels in the body, help aid digestion and can prevent fatigue and aids in cellular process.

Now we’ve established it’s great for you it’s time to talk about how you can get more of it in your body rather than on your body. I’m going to keep this brief; it’s every millennial’s dream, avocadoes are #4 on the list of foods richest in B5, so now you have another reason to indulge in avo-toast tomorrow morning.

 

Read the first part of A-Z here.

 

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