Vitamin E is a family of compounds found naturally in plants, especially seeds, nuts and their oils. Its members act as antioxidants: they help interrupt oxidation reactions that can damage fats. That makes vitamin E interesting in skincare both for its activity in skin lipids and for its ability to help protect oil-based formulations from deterioration.
A family of related compounds
Vitamin E includes four tocopherols and four tocotrienols, named alpha, beta, gamma and delta. Different plants contain different combinations of these compounds.
In cosmetics, tocopherol is an antioxidant ingredient used in oil-based formulas. Tocopheryl acetate is a related, more oxidation-resistant form often used in skincare. They have different chemical properties and formulation roles. [1,2]
Why vitamin E matters to skin and skincare
Vitamin E is present in skin, where it contributes to the antioxidant protection of its lipids. Tocopherols can react with free radicals involved in lipid oxidation, helping interrupt the chain reactions that otherwise damage fats. [1,2]
The same chemistry is useful in a bottle. Plant oils change over time when their fatty acids react with oxygen. This process, oxidative rancidity, can alter an oil's scent and quality. Added tocopherols help slow that deterioration. An antioxidant protects oils against oxidation; an antimicrobial preservative addresses a different concern.
At Deschampsia
We add tocopherols to nearly all of our oil-based products, including facial oils, body oils and balms, to help protect the botanical oils from oxidation during storage and use.
