ALLANTOIN

📋 Quick facts

Description: ALLANTOIN — soothing, skin protectant, supports wound healing.

All Functions: soothing, skin protectant, supports wound healing

Quick Facts:

• Category: active

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Allantoin is a compound widely used in topical skincare products and pharmaceuticals
• It’s considered safe for cosmetic use at concentrations up to 2%
• Research suggests it may help support skin barrier function and hydration
• In one clinical study, allantoin-containing gel reduced redness, itching, and burning in rosacea patients
• The ingredient has shown antibacterial properties in laboratory research

⚗️ Chemical Overview

Allantoin is an imidazolidine-2,4-dione that is 5-aminohydantoin in which a carbamoyl group is attached to the exocyclic nitrogen. It has a role as a vulnerary, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolite, an Escherichia coli metabolite and a human metabolite. It is an imidazolidine-2,4-dione and a member of ureas. It is functionally related to a hydantoin. It is a tautomer of a 1-(5-hydroxy-2-oxo-2,3-dihydroimidazol-4-yl)urea. Allantoin is a substance that is endogenous to the human body and also found as a normal component of human diets. In healthy human volunteers, the mean plasma concentration of allantoin is about 2-3 mg/l. During exercise, the plasma allantoin concentration rapidly increases about two fold and remains elevated. In human muscle, urate is oxidized to allantoin during such exercise. The concentration of allantoin in muscles increases from a resting value of about 5000 ug/kg to about 16000 ug/kg immediately after short-term exhaustive cycling exercise. More specifically, allantoin is a diureide of glyoxylic acid that is produced from uric acid. It is a major metabolic intermediate in most organisms. Allantoin is found in OTC cosmetic products and other commercial products such as oral hygiene products, in shampoos, lipsticks, anti-acne products, sun care products, and clarifying lotions. Allantoin has also demonstrated to ameliorate the wound healing process in some studies. Allantoin is a metabolite found in or produced by Escherichia coli (strain K12, MG1655).

Source(s): ChEBI, DrugBank, E. coli Metabolome Database (ECMDB), via PubChem

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

Derived from this ingredient’s irritancy potential and comedogenicity rating against the needs of each skin type — e.g. oily and acne-prone skin are marked down for pore-clogging ingredients, sensitive skin for irritants. A starting heuristic, not a dermatological verdict.

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Allantoin is a heterocyclic organic compound—meaning it’s a ring-shaped molecule made of carbon and other elements—that functions as a skin-conditioning agent in cosmetics (Int J Toxicol, 2010). It has been reported as a biomarker for monitoring oxidative stress in the human body and is already widely utilized in topical pharmaceuticals and cosmetics (Anal Chem, 2017). #1: Skin barrier support and hydration. In a 2025 randomized clinical trial involving 82 patients with papulopustular rosacea (a skin condition characterized by redness and bumps), a topical gel containing allantoin combined with heparin sodium was tested against traditional therapy. After 8 and 12 weeks, the allantoin-containing formulation significantly improved skin hydration and decreased transepidermal water loss—a measure of how much water escapes through the skin—compared to the control group (J Cosmet Dermatol, 2025).

This suggests allantoin may help reinforce the skin’s natural moisture barrier. #2: Symptom relief in rosacea. The same clinical trial found that the allantoin-containing gel significantly reduced burning, itching, and visible redness (measured by Clinician Erythema Assessment and Investigator Global Assessment scores) at 8 and 12 weeks. Patients also reported improved quality of life. Notably, in patients with Demodex infestation (tiny mites that can live on skin), the allantoin gel performed better than hyaluronic acid alone, possibly due to allantoin’s antibacterial properties and wound-repair effects (J Cosmet Dermatol, 2025). #3: Antibacterial activity. Laboratory research in tissue engineering demonstrated that allantoin incorporated into hydrogel scaffolds showed significant antibacterial properties and supported cell viability during wound healing in animal models (Int J Biol Macromol, 2023).

However, this research is preliminary and focused on wound-healing applications rather than typical skincare. Formulation matters: How well allantoin is absorbed into skin depends heavily on how it’s formulated. In laboratory testing of different product types, gel formulations released the most allantoin (20.9% over six hours), while oil-in-water emulsions released moderate amounts (11–14.8%), and water-in-oil emulsions released very little (0.77%) (Pharm Dev Technol, 2024). This means the type of moisturizer or treatment you choose affects how much allantoin actually reaches your skin. Safety: Allantoin and most of its chemical complexes have been determined safe for cosmetic use, with data supporting safety at concentrations up to 2% (Int J Toxicol, 2010).

The research reviewed does not report significant adverse effects.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Saqib M et al. (2017). Chemiluminescence of Lucigenin-Allantoin and Its Application for the Detection of Allantoin. Anal Chem.
• Xu Z et al. (2025). Efficacy and Safety of Topical Compound Heparin Sodium Allantoin Gel (Main Components: Onion Extract Quercetin) for the Treatment of Rosacea. J Cosmet Dermatol.
• Becker LC et al. (2010). Final report of the safety assessment of allantoin and its related complexes. Int J Toxicol.
• Elezović A et al. (2024). Studies on allantoin topical formulations: in vitro drug release studies and rheological characteristics. Pharm Dev Technol.
• Haki M et al. (2023). Fabrication and characterization of an antibacterial chitosan-coated allantoin-loaded NaCMC/SA skin scaffold for wound healing applications. Int J Biol Macromol.

🧴 Products Containing ALLANTOIN

• Beiersdorf Nivea Ansiktsmaske Urban Skin Radience 1stk
• shampoo
• Dresdner Essenz Ruhe Pur Badekonzentrat
• ARTDECO, ARTDECO cosmetic GmbH Body Camouflage
• Cien After sun
• Dentaux Pasta dentária
• Balea,Balea med,dm,dm – drogerie markt,drogerie markt 5% UREA – DUSCHE+SHAMPOO
• balea ultra sensitive after shave balsam
• Sun Ozon Sunclean Sonnenmilch LSF 30
• Henkel, Schwarzkopf, Barnängen Oil Intense
• Aldi Lacura sensitive shower cream
• Seba Med Seba Med Lotion
• sebamed Flüssig-Wasch-Emulsion
• Anti-Tage Spezialcreme
• Tandpasta
• Isana Med Shampoo Jeden Tag (Ultra Sensitiv)
• Elkos Dental Zahnweiss 5
• BCL Kansosan Skincare Moisture Base AQ
• Чистая линия фитотерапия Идеальная кожа
• Шампунь «Живая формула» (Лошадиная)
• Шампунь «Формула энергии» (Лошадиная)
• Zollider Zollider
• Simple Regeneration Age Resisting Day Cream
• Parogencyl, Procter & Gamble Parogencyl Prévention gencives
• Tiger Moon Retinol Night Cream
• Scholl Crème Nourrissante Pieds & Ongles
• Bulldog,Wilkinson Sword Bull Dog Hautpflege Original After Shave Balsam + Aloe Vera
• Apivita Tonic lotion
• Oillan baby Cream for cradle cap
• Laab MEN Multi-Booster Ultralekki krem nawilżająco-kojący
• Luksja Kremowe mydło w płynie
• Nacomï White Black Face Mask
• Elmiplant Skin Moisture
• Ponds
• Crema de masajes
• MISR PYRAMIDS GROUP TRIO PRO COOL
• Dody’s Crema con avena
• fresh skin face
• Cella Lozione Dopobarba Bio
• aldo Vandini SENSUAL Aroma Handbalsam Hand Cream Tamarinde & Ingwer