What is Allantoin?

Conditioning agent

Allantoin is a small water soluble compound that formulators use as a conditioning agent. It stays stable across a wide pH range, which is why it turns up in products that also carry acids. It goes in at low percentages, so on a label it usually sits near the end of the ingredient list.

What can you expect from it?

Allantoin's own benefit isn't shown on human skin yet.

What won't it do?

Claims you often see, and what is actually true.

It won't speed up cell renewal.
Allantoin stimulates cell renewal or proliferation
It isn't what makes comfrey or snail products work.
Allantoin is what makes comfrey or snail extracts work
It isn't skin-identical.
Allantoin is naturally present in your skin, so it is skin identical
Whether it soothes on its own isn't shown yet.
Allantoin soothes irritation, with clinical proof

Anything to watch out for?

A safety panel found it safe the way cosmetics use it, and people with fragile skin used 6 percent on the whole body for 3 months without trouble.
There are no collected reports of allergic reactions to it yet.

How much, and for how long?

Across 1,376 products it's used at up to 2%. The level where it starts to work isn't known yet.

Pick a cream over a gel: the cream keeps in more moisture with less redness.

Which products feature it?

278 of the 2320 products we've checked feature this as a key ingredient. Products that disclose a concentration or list it near the top of the ingredient list come first.

Showing 1 to 12.

Biodance
Cernonal Gel Toner Pad
Key: Allantoin (#5 on the ingredient list), Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide
Official (Korean)
1 claim, summarized
Only partly backed:
better hydration
See each claim
claims, checked
Easy, quick, powerful moisture chargepartly backed
올리브팜
Egg Capsule Pack
Key: Allantoin (#5 on the ingredient list), Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
It's Skin
Power 10 Licorice Azulene Jelly Pad
It's made for calmer skin.
Key: Allantoin (#5 on the ingredient list), Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract
6 claims, summarized
Only partly backed:
calmer skin
See each claim
claims, checked
Comfortably soothes dry skinplausible, not tested
A soothing pad that doubles as a pack to which moist moisture adheres without gapspartly backed
Vegan certification : Korea Vegan Certification Institutepartly backed
A sheet that has fully absorbed essence and become soft and jelly-likeno supporting source found
Super-tight adhesion without gaps even on curved areasno supporting source found
Glowpick Award 2-time winnerno supporting source found
뷰티레시피
리틀머메이드 디스 이즈 프린세스 클렌징워터 (Korean)This brand publishes no English name for this product. The name above is as printed in Korean.
Key: Allantoin (#6 on the ingredient list), Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Official (Korean)
2 claims checked
claims, checked
Soak a cotton pad well with the cleansing water and wipe along the grain of the skin. When cleansing point makeup, it is more effective to leave the cotton pad on for a moment before wiping.plausible, not tested
No more prejudice that cleansing water runs out fast! Deep cleanse every night with good ingredients using the 500ml Little Mermaid! Without worrying about skin irritation, keep clear and translucent skin for a long time with the large volume.overstated
S.NATURE
아쿠아 오아시스 수분 젤크림 (Korean)This brand publishes no English name for this product. The name above is as printed in Korean.
It's made for better hydration and calmer skin.
Key: Allantoin (#6 on the ingredient list), Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract
Official (Korean)
21 claims, summarized
Only partly backed:
better hydration · calmer skin · less visible pores
Don't count on:
clearer-looking skin · less shine
See each claim
claims, checked
Fragrance: fragrance-freebacked by evidence
Moisture Concentrate Formulaplausible, not tested
The fructan and inulin ingredients in Blue Agave help the skin retain moisture for a long time.plausible, not tested
Moisture satisfaction 100%partly backed
Skin soothing satisfaction 100%partly backed
Sebum improvement -58.60%partly backed
Pore improvement -36.33%partly backed
Skin temperature improvement +81.84%partly backed
Moisturization improvement +126.24%partly backed
Transepidermal water loss +15.32%partly backed
Gentle instant cooling! Heat-stressed skin temperature DOWN! Soothes irritated skinpartly backed
Skin temperature -4.28°Cpartly backed
By selecting 8 types of hyaluronic acid, from ultra-low molecular to high molecular, it was developed into a formula effective for soothing and inner moisture care.partly backed
Preservatives, artificial fragrance NO!partly backed
Acne-prone skin suitability test completedpartly backed
Acne·Oily·Dehydrated oily skin all OK!overstated
Greasy excess oil OUT! Sebum control & pore tighteningoverstated
This strong moisture-retaining ability balances the oil·moisture balance and controls sebum.overstated
Sensitive skin low-irritation test completedno supporting source found
Skin-healthy pH, weakly acidicno supporting source found
Aqua Oasis Moisture Gel Cream increased the content of gentle and safe active ingredients and thoroughly excluded unnecessary ingredients.nothing specific to check
Torriden
DIVE IN Soothing Cream
It's made for calmer skin and better hydration.
Key: Allantoin (#6 on the ingredient list), Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol
Brand store Amazon Official (Korean)
14 claims, summarized
Only partly backed:
better hydration · calmer skin
See each claim
claims, checked
A low-irritation soothing gel cream that helps cool and moisturize the face with 5D low-molecular hyaluronic acid.plausible, not tested
Soothing: Calms and helps comfort irritated skinplausible, not tested
30.85% improved skin water content (6)plausible, not tested
Cooling: Instantly cools and soothes overheated skinpartly backed
Soothes visible redness: Instantly soothes skin redness caused by heat and irritationpartly backed
Gentle Formula: Suitable even for sensitive skinpartly backed
The human repeat insult patch test(Non-irritant)(1)partly backed
15.55% improved deep skin hydration (internal hydration (2)partly backed
3.46°C reduces immediate skin temperature (cooling)(3)partly backed
101.84% improved temporary redness caused by infrared (heat) irritation. (4) improvingpartly backed
145.02% improved immediate moisturizing of the skin (5)partly backed
100% agreed feels gentle/moisture/stickyness on the skin.(8)partly backed
Hydration Boost: Replenishes surface and inner layers of skin with layered hydration and a fresh, dewy finishoverstated
109.77% improved soothing the skin from external irritation(physical).(7)no supporting source found
NEEDLY
Daily Toner Pad
It's made for a smoother skin texture and less visible pores.
Key: Allantoin (#6 on the ingredient list), Centella Asiatica Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Extract
Official (Korean)
30 claims, summarized
Only partly backed:
a smoother skin texture · less visible pores · less shine · better hydration
Tests passed:
skin irritation
See each claim
claims, checked
8cm thick pure cotton dual padplausible, not tested
Exfoliating embossed sideplausible, not tested
The full moon pad that softly wraps the face carefully cares for even curved areasplausible, not tested
Larger molecular weight than AHA, acts softly and gently on skinplausible, not tested
PHA gently melts old dead skin cells on the skin surface, refining them into smooth skin texture.plausible, not tested
The one-touch cap case makes it convenient to open and close, and the included dedicated tweezers allow you to pick up the pad, so your hands don't touch it directly, enabling hygienic care.plausible, not tested
Low-irritation PHA + BHA formulapartly backed
One jar fully filled with moist essence 365gpartly backed
Care for dead skin cells·sebum·pores·skin texture at oncepartly backed
Cleans even sebum inside porespartly backed
The difference in texture refinement felt from the first use.partly backed
Skin dead skin cell improvement +43%partly backed
Sebum amount improvement +52.93%partly backed
Skin dead skin cell turnover improvement +18%partly backed
Skin transparency improvement +1.268%partly backed
Clears impurities inside pores, confirming improvement with just one usepartly backed
Pore volume improvement 21.64%partly backed
Moisture deeply charged up to 10 layers inside the skin surface with one sheetpartly backed
Skin outer moisturization 94.36% improvementpartly backed
Human skin primary irritation test completedpartly backed
With a ph 5.5-based formula comfortable for skin, it can be used with confidence from normal skin to sensitive skin.partly backed
Deto Pad ends in one sheetoverstated
Overwhelming amount of essence, threw it all in without holding backoverstated
Next-generation care ingredient that gently melts dead skin cellsoverstated
BHA clears sebum inside pores, tightens pores, and finishes smoothly.overstated
Smooth rough texture at once, moisturize deep inside with one sheetoverstated
Surpassed 100 million units sold in the shortest time!no supporting source found
Overwhelming 1st in pad area among all pads at Olive Youngno supporting source found
Blackhead / trouble skin reliefno supporting source found
#InnerMoistPad#ExtremeHydrationnothing specific to check
eple:me
Hydra Cell Boosting Toner
Key: Allantoin (#6 on the ingredient list), Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide
4 claims checked
claims, checked
As a weakly acidic 400ml large-capacity toner, it is highly versatile for daily layering.partly backed
Skin low-irritation test completedno supporting source found
All ingredients EWG green gradeno supporting source found
Acquired Dermatest Excellent gradeno supporting source found
COSRX
Low pH Niacinamide Micellar Cleansing Water
Key: Allantoin (#6 on the ingredient list), Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Panthenol
Brand store Olive Young US Official (Korean)
1 claim checked
claims, checked
Weakly Acidic Niacinamide Micellar Cleansing Waterpartly backed
NEEDLY
Mild Enzyme Cleansing Powder
Key: Allantoin (#6 on the ingredient list), Bromelain, Glycolic Acid
Official (Korean)
4 claims checked
claims, checked
#60SecondWashPack#FlakeImprovementpartly backed
Mildpartly backed
This is Needly NEEDLY, a beauty & lifestyle brand that helps our true inner beauty be revealed.nothing specific to check
Hitting skin concerns right on the marknothing specific to check
DEWYTREE
Pick And Quick Cleansing Big Pad
Key: Allantoin (#6 on the ingredient list), Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Official (Korean)
3 claims checked
claims, checked
The raised embossed side softly melts and wipes away point makeup around the eyes and mouth.partly backed
With the smooth opposite side, it erases base makeup along the grain of the skin.partly backed
Cleansing done with just one pad!overstated
CNP Laboratory
Propolis Rescue Powder Wash
Key: Allantoin (#6 on the ingredient list), Propolis Extract, Papain

Often featured alongside it

Are the claims about it backed up?

We checked each claim that features this ingredient. Open the list below to see the result for each one.

See the results by claim

Result	Claims
backed by evidence	7 of 50
plausible, not tested	19 of 50
partly backed	20 of 50
overstated	1 of 50
no supporting source found	1 of 50
contradicted by sources	2 of 50

These are counts of claims, not products. One product can name the same ingredient in several claims, and we checked each one on its own.

Sources

We summarized the published studies and public records listed below, each with its DOI or PubMed number. Findings about treating medical conditions are outside what a cosmetics page covers, so we left them out.

What won't it do?

It won't speed up cell renewal.
It goes the other way: in cell cultures outside skin, pure allantoin slightly slowed how fast both kinds of cells multiplied.
Two cell lines grown in dishes, not skin, each tested at two amounts.
Contradicted at the cell level.
Pure allantoin mildly inhibited proliferation of both an epithelial and a fibroblastic cell line at 40 and 100 micrograms/mL.
Sources: 2
It isn't what makes comfrey or snail products work.
The whole comfrey root extract calmed irritated skin better than pure allantoin did, so allantoin alone does not explain what the extract does; in snail slime it is named next to another ingredient rather than on its own.
The one study that put pure allantoin and the whole extract side by side, plus a chemical analysis of snail slime.
Contradicted by the one study that separated them.
Aqueous comfrey root extract preparations showed better anti irritant potential than preparations containing pure allantoin, and the authors conclude that the biological activity of comfrey root extract cannot be attributed only to allantoin but is likely also the result of interaction between different compounds present in the extract.
Sources: 2
It isn't skin-identical.
In skin that was healthy it was not found at all, and where it does turn up in skin it is a sign that oxidation has already done damage.
A study that looked for allantoin in skin and found none in the healthy comparison group.
Contradicted.
Endogenous epidermal allantoin in that source marks oxidative stress rather than normal skin composition.
Whether it soothes on its own isn't shown yet.
The one human irritation study never compared allantoin against nothing at all, so there is no figure for what allantoin on its own does; that is a gap in the record, not a finding that it fails.
A study on deliberately irritated skin in young healthy volunteers that compared the extract against pure allantoin, and creams against gels.
Not supported at the level the claim implies.
The one human irritation study located used artificially irritated skin in young healthy volunteers with capacitance, erythema index and TEWL endpoints, but its reported comparison is comfrey extract versus pure allantoin and creams versus gels.
Sources: 2

Citations

1
Becker LC, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Klaassen CD, Marks JG Jr, Shank RC, Slaga TJ, Snyder PW, Andersen FA; Cosmetic Ingredient Review. Final report of the safety assessment of allantoin and its related complexes. Int J Toxicol. 2010;29(3 Suppl):84S-97S.DOI 10.1177/1091581810362805 PMID 20448269
2
Savic VLj, Nikolic VD, Arsic IA, Stanojevic LP, Najman SJ, Stojanovic S, Mladenovic-Ranisavljevic II. Comparative Study of the Biological Activity of Allantoin and Aqueous Extract of the Comfrey Root. Phytother Res. 2015;29(8):1117-1122.DOI 10.1002/ptr.5356 PMID 25880800
3
Paller AS, Browning J, Nikolic M, Bodemer C, Murrell DF, Lenon W, Krusinska E, Reha A, Lagast H, Barth JA; ESSENCE Study Group. Efficacy and tolerability of the investigational topical cream SD-101 (6% allantoin) in patients with epidermolysis bullosa: a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trial (ESSENCE study). Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2020;15(1):158.DOI 10.1186/s13023-020-01419-3 PMID 32576219

What each point on this page rests on, with full citations.

What is Allantoin?

What can you expect from it?

What won't it do?

Anything to watch out for?

How much, and for how long?

Which products feature it?

리틀머메이드 디스 이즈 프린세스 클렌징워터 (Korean)This brand publishes no English name for this product. The name above is as printed in Korean.

아쿠아 오아시스 수분 젤크림 (Korean)This brand publishes no English name for this product. The name above is as printed in Korean.

Often featured alongside it

Are the claims about it backed up?

Sources

What won't it do?

Citations