Introduction

Vitamin E is a broad term used to refer to a family of eight powerful antioxidants. This family can be further broken down into 2 groups of 4 members, being the tocopherols and the tocotrienols. Alpha tocopherol (α-tocopherol) is one of the most scientifically researched and tested of these skincare ingredients. Because it is the skin’s main oil-soluble anti-oxidant vitamin, it plays a critical role in protecting the skin against UV radiation damage^​1​. As UV radiation damage to skin collagen is one of the main causes of skin aging, Vitamin E plays an important role in countering this skin aging process. However, it plays other important roles in protecting, repairing and promoting healthy looking skin.

“The anti-oxidant α-tocopherol is highly important because it can stop ongoing lipid peroxidation, by the reduction of the lipid peroxyl radical to hydroperoxide^​2​.”

Benefits for Your Skin

Vitamin E plays a special and critical role in our skin’s environmental protection and health. It has been thoroughly researched in a many reputable academic journals and the following skincare benefits are reported:

“The induction and regulation of endogenous antioxidant defense mechanisms may offer a good strategy for the treatment and prevention of aging and photoaging in human skin.”^​3​

1. Antioxidant Protection and Skin Repair

It has been shown that Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) significantly decreases the ultraviolet radiation-induced radical flux in skin, reducing skin damage caused by UV radiation^​1​. Vitamin E protects skin tissues against UV-induced oxidative damage^​4​. The results of another study suggest that DNA photoprotection is an important mechanism by which topically applied α-tocopherol can inhibit UVB induced skin cancer^​5​.

With exposure to UV radiation and ozone, Vitamin E in the stratum corneum has shown to be depleted in protecting the skin from the oxidative effects of UV radiation^​6​ and ozone^​7​. Topical application of Vitamin E is therefore an effective way to protect the skin against the aging effects of UV radiation and ozone.

“These results demonstrate that topical administration of alpha-tocopherol protects cutaneous tissues against oxidative damage induced by UV irradiation.”^​4​

2. Enhanced Action in Combination with Vitamin C

As Vitamin E is our skin’s main oil soluble anti-oxidant, it helps protect skin lipids and proteins from environmental oxidative damage. Vitamin E is depleted by the action of UV radiation^​7​. Vitamin C regenerates Vitamin E after it completes it’s skin-protective, oxidative action^​8​. Because Vitamin C can regenerate Vitamin E, it greatly enhances the oxidative and protective capacity of the skin^​9​. Antioxidants do not work individually in the skin but work synergistically in an integrated and regulated way to protect against oxidative stress^​9​.

Because combined anti-oxidant treatments provides greater skin protection than single treatments, it is preferable to use skincare treatments containing anti-oxidant combinations^​9​.

3. Important Choice of Formulation

Studies have shown that microemulsions provide suitable formulations for effectively and stably combining water soluble (Vitamin C) and oil soluble (Vitamin E) ingredients^​10,11​. Encapsulation of Vitamin E in nano-structures combined with Vitamin C and colloidal silica improved skin delivery of both Vitamin E and Vitamin C^​12​. Using these structures increased the solubility of both vitamins and resulted in much higher levels of skin penetration^​12​ and effective action.

4. Skin Collagen Repair and Replacement

Microemulsions loaded with Vitamin E and Vitamin C have been shown to increase penetration of both vitamins and increase collagen deposition^​12​.

5. Anti-inflammatory Action

Vitamin E acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and affects the remodeling of scars by interacting with the phospholipids in cell membranes, inducing molecular packing and maintaining the stability of biologic membranes^​13​.

6. Scar Treatment

The general consensus about the application of a vitamin E-based cream or emollient is that it would lead to beneficial scar healing^​13​.

7. Generally Regarded as Safe

Vitamin E and its many derivatives have been extensively studied and are generally regarded as safe, non-irritating skincare ingredients^​14​ .

Discussion

“Cutaneous application of vitamin E ameliorates photoaging, decreases lipid peroxidation and furthermore also reduces photocarcinogenesis, MMP-1 transcription levels and thymine dimer formation.”^​15​

Vitamin E is the most important oil soluble antioxidant in protecting skin tissues. It is the skin’s first line of defence against UV and ozone induced damage to skin collagen and skin lipids. As such it is an important component in the fight against skin aging. Topical application is the best method to increase skin levels of protective Vitamin E. Formulations combining both Vitamin E and Vitamin C provide enhanced action and penetration and have proved to be far more effective in protecting the skin.

References