Procter & Gamble

For more than 60 years, Pantene has offered consumers unsurpassed quality in state-of-the-art products that have exemplified serious hair care and a hands-on approach of achieving beautiful, healthy hair.

The Pantene name refers to panthenol, a compound developed in Switzerland in 1940. During experimental treatments to cure burns in WWII, panthenol was found to improve the health, elasticity, and moisturization of hair. Swiss drug company Hoffman-La Roche developed Pantene as a shampoo and launched in Europe in 1947.

In the early years, Pantene was available only in Europe, where carefully tested Pantene formulations quickly gained a reputation for excellence. In fact, it was demand by European travelers that drove American retailers to import Pantene from Switzerland. In the U.S. it had limited distribution and a strong niche market in department stores.

After Procter & Gamble acquired Richardson-Vicks in 1985, Pantene was relaunched nationally in the U.S. and business grew via increased distribution. Since then, with expansion into Asia, Pantene has become a global brand.