What Are The Benefits Of Vitamin E For Your Skin?

A fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin E has several forms, but alpha-tocopherol is the only one used by the human body. Acting as an antioxidant, it helps to scavenge free radicals that can damage the cells in your body. It also enhances your immune function and prevents blood clots from forming in your heart arteries.

Vitamin E, along with other antioxidant vitamins came to the public’s attention in the 1980’s after scientists began to understand that free radical damage was involved in the early stages of artery-clogging atherosclerosis and might also contribute to other chronic conditions.

But what about vitamin E when it comes to your skincare? In this post, we’re going to explore how vitamin E is an important ingredient when it comes to skincare products for anti-ageing and free radical protection.

Why do we need vitamin E for skin health?

As we mentioned above, vitamin E acts as an antioxidant to help protect your cells from the damage of free radicals. As vitamin E is found in sebum, the oilier surfaces of your skin (like your face – particularly your t-zone) tend to contain greater amounts of vitamin E. So, if you have an oily skin type, you’ll have more vitamin E on your skin.

In skincare, vitamin E helps to soften your skin, protect your cells from damage and stop your skin from losing moisture.

It’s also thought that vitamin E may reduce the damage caused by absorbing UVB rays and reducing the inflammatory response it has on your skin - such as thickening and swelling.

Vitamin E is typically found in your skin, but exposure to sunlight has been shown to deplete its levels (some people confuse this thinking we get vitamin E from the sun, but this is incorrect. Vitamin D is the ‘sunshine vitamin’ that your body produces when exposed to sunlight), so applying it topically through your skincare helps to boost the availability of it.

How much vitamin E do we need per day?

Women need 3mg of vitamin E per day, whereas men need 4mg. It’s usually easy to get all the vitamin E you need daily from your regular diet, and because any extra vitamin E is stored in your body for future use, you don’t need to necessarily have vitamin E in your daily diet to ensure you’re reaching the recommended amount.

What are the benefits of vitamin E for skin?

The main vitamin E benefit for skin is that it helps to moisturise, keeping your skin feeling supple and soft. But when combined with other vitamins and ingredients, it becomes part of a powerhouse that can aid in effectively reducing the visible signs of ageing and protecting your skin from harmful free radicals thanks to the vitamin E antioxidant effect.

Discover some of our favourite vitamin E infused skincare that will help your skin to feel nourished and protected.

mesoestetic Glycolic + E + F Ampoules

Adding brightness and freshness to your skin, this concentrated ampule formula helps to accelerate cellular renewal to reduce the visible signs of ageing like wrinkles. It also helps to reduce spots, pores, dull skin, and uneven texture.

Used as an intensive weekly treatment for all skin types, this potent formula contains Alpha Hydroxy Acid and Glycolic Acid to exfoliate your skin. The addition of vitamin F and a mixture of omega-3 and omega-6 help to nourish your skin, where vitamin E works as an antioxidant to neutralise free radical damage and prevent the ageing process.

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Accumax 120 Capsules

This ground-breaking formula has been developed by Nutritional Experts. The scientifically advanced formula synergises vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and phytonutrients together that work from the inside out to support healthy skin.

With a super-high concentration of premium active ingredients to address your skin problems, the key ingredient is the unique (and patented – so you won’t find it in any other skincare supplement) plant extract DIM.

The formula helps to clarify your complexion working from the inside to nourish all the layers of your skin. It also feeds every cell in your body so helps to support all areas of your skin such as your face, chest, back and shoulders.

The results of the programme are likely to be long lasting, so you can stop taking the supplements once your skin has regained its balance.

SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic

Protecting your skin from free radical damage and oxidative stress with a powerhouse of ingredients including vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid, this powerful antioxidant serum can be used as maximum anti-ageing skincare.

Protecting against the environmental damage that causes premature ageing, this serum will help to even out your skin tone, strengthen your skin’s barrier and encourage the production of healthy collagen.

NeoStrata Skin Active Matrix Support SPF 30

This daytime moisturiser reduces the appearance of uneven pigment whilst smoothing and protecting your skin. 

With NeoStrata’s advanced SynerG Formula 8.0, which includes three clinically proven technologies with a unique action each, your skin will have greater repair and strengthening. The addition of peptides increase collagen in the deep matrix of your skin, and the Patented NeoGlucosamine and Retinol work to build hyaluronic acid to increase the plumpness and firmness of your skin, smoothing wrinkles from the inside out.

Meanwhile, pomegranate, vitamins A and E, and coffee arabica berry help to protect your skin’s matrix against further damage.

Environ Vitamin A, C & E Body Oil Forte

With vitamin A, C, and E, this ultra fine body oil provides your skin with a very high concentration of vitamins and antioxidants to help energise dry and sun damaged skin.

Intensely nourishing, the oil helps your skin to retain moisture leaving it soft and supple. It also assists in shielding your skin from harmful external influences, and improves the appearance of fine lines, uneven skin tone and sun damaged skin.

Is your skin struggling with the symptoms of menopause? Read our post on how collagen supplements can help you to deal with menopausal skin.