Vitamin E oil benefits

Let’s be honest. New skincare trends emerge all the time. From castor oil making a comeback to a renewed interest in witch-hazel,¹ choosing the right product to suit your skin can be a minefield. As a nation, we’re serious about our skincare too. It’s thought that nearly 8.5 million of us use a face cream or lotion every day.² That makes choosing the right product even more important, especially as we dedicate a lot of time and effort taking care of our complexions. When it comes to skincare, vitamin E oil isn’t a new thing. But it’s undoubtedly making headlines in the beauty world at the moment.³ If you’re wondering whether it’s worth the hype, we’ve got everything you need to know below.

What is vitamin E oil?

Vitamin E is the name we give to a group of fat-soluble compounds, which are thought to be useful for maintaining your everyday health. They’re classed as an essential nutrient because the body can’t make them itself. Instead, you can get vitamin E through the food you eat or through dietary supplements.⁴ Most of the time, we get all the vitamin E we need from a healthy and balanced diet. Vitamin E is naturally produced by plants, and the richest sources include peanuts, sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, sesame seeds, and pistachios. You’ll also find vitamin E in vegetable oils and some fruits and veggies.⁵ Vitamin E is also a common ingredient in beauty products. You may find vitamin E available in capsule form or included on the label of your favourite beauty product.⁶

Vitamin E oil benefits

Vitamin E oil has been hailed as one of the most popular beauty ingredients in recent years.⁷ Whether sold as a single-ingredient solution or included on the ingredients list of must-have products, there’s no doubt that beauty gurus have been singing this vitamin’s praises.

Some of the reported vitamin E oil benefits include:

• Moisturising⁸
• Antioxidant effects⁹
• Soothes irritation¹⁰
• Anti-ageing effects¹¹
• Wound healing¹²

It’s worth bearing in mind that some studies refute the benefits of vitamin E oil. Some argue that it has no effect, while others suggest that it using it topically could cause irritation.¹³ If you choose to take vitamin E supplements or use it on your skin, remember to closely follow your selected products ‘how to use’ guidelines. If you notice any unwanted side effects, stop using it immediately. Allergic reactions can happen, so it’s recommended that you do a patch test before applying liberally.¹⁴ Nevertheless, vitamin E is generally considered safe for most people to use in the correct dosages.¹⁵

Different uses for vitamin E oil

Vitamin E might be listed as ‘tocopherol’ or ‘tocopheryl acetate’. These are just alternative names for the ingredient.

From face cleansers and toners to moisturisers and serums, you are likely to be able to find vitamin E in a wide range of different skincare products. You can also buy vitamin E oil, which is usually a single-ingredient product. If you choose a vitamin E oil, this can be applied underneath your moisturiser. Otherwise, it’s usually best to follow the guidelines of your chosen product.¹⁶

You’ll also be able to find vitamin E supplements, which usually come in the form of capsules.

Shop Vitamin E Oil

Expertly reviewed by:

Last updated: 2 December 2020

Sources1 https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/skincare/a33455558/most-searched-beauty-ingredients-2020/ 2 https://www.statista.com/statistics/302527/face-creams-and-lotions-usage-frequency-for-women-in-the-uk/ 3 https://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/skin-care/a27532030/vitamin-e-for-skin-benefits-products/ 4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3997530/ 5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4120831 6 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4578028/ 7 https://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/skin-care/g28649883/vitamin-e-oil-for-skin/ 8 https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-E 9 https://www.idoj.in/article.asp?issn=2229-5178;year=2016;volume=7;issue=4;spage=311;epage=314;aulast=Keen 10 https://www.idoj.in/article.asp?issn=2229-5178;year=2016;volume=7;issue=4;spage=311;epage=314;aulast=Keen 11 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583891/ 12 https://www.byrdie.com/vitamin-e-oil-uses 13 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10417589/ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318168 15 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4976416/ 16 https://www.stylist.co.uk/beauty/vitamin-e-skincare/407276