Growing up, we were told that our vitamins are important. The why didn’t necessarily matter. All we knew is that to live our best lives, we must eat foods containing these miracle substances. As adults, whilst we may be eating our balanced meals and salads full of skin-loving ingredients, we realise that vitamins aren’t limited to our diets. As a result, they are now a huge component of our skincare too. However, there is a certain confusion over which vitamin does what. So today, let’s answer the much-asked question- what does vitamin E do for your skin? From its benefits to its sources, here’s all you need to know about vitamin E skincare.

What is vitamin E skincare?

Vitamin E is found naturally in the sebum of our skin’s barrier. However, there are a few things that can cause our levels of vitamin E to decrease.

The natural process of aging
Extreme temperatures during the Winter (those long, hot showers aren’t actually your friend)
Using harsh skincare that strips our skin’s moisture barrier
Exposure to the sun’s UV rays

All of the above can have a negative impact on vitamin E levels in the skin. This means that as we progress through life, the effectiveness of what vitamin E does for the skin is hindered. Luckily, there is vitamin E skincare to help.

What does vitamin E do for your skin when applied topically?

Vitamin E skincare means we can apply it topically to replenish our complexions where they may be lacking in this key ingredient. It’s usually found in products that are used to moisturise and rebalance the skin’s moisture barrier. For example, Perricone MD’s Multi-Action Overnight Intensive Firming Mask uses coconut oil, packed with vitamin E, to deeply hydrate for healthier, radiant-looking skin. What’s more, the low molecular weight of vitamin E skincare makes it highly absorbable for superior conditioning and hydration.

Why is vitamin E good for the skin?

vitamin e tip

So although we can presume that it is a positive addition to a regime, exactly why is vitamin E good for the skin?

To begin, the most well-known reason why vitamin E is good for the skin is due to its moisturising benefits. Vitamin E is both a humectant (absorbs water into the skin) as well as an emollient (traps water into the skin). So, as you can imagine, it is the ingredient that a dry, rough complexion is crying out for.

As well as this, vitamin E is also a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Its anti-inflammatory properties mean that this ingredient can prove to be incredibly soothing and calming to the skin, especially for drier, sensitive complexions. As an antioxidant, it combats free-radical damage. From UV rays to smoking, free radicals can come from a multitude of sources and on a surface level, break down our skin’s collagen. This can lead to visible signs of aging and an uneven skin tone.

Finally, the unique chemical structure of vitamin E means that it can effectively disperse within the skin’s surface which encourages lasting, visible results.

To recap, what does vitamin E do for the skin and why is it good for it? Here are the three main points to remember:

Moisturises the skin and promotes a healthy moisture barrier
Soothes and calms the skin
Prevents free-radical damage and helps to maintain the skin’s collagen

How to use vitamin E?

Vitamin E is an antioxidant-rich derivative of plant-based foods such as almonds, avocados, and coconut oil. We may already know that eating these foods as part of a balanced diet is a fantastic way to reap the benefits of vitamin E.

These ingredients can also come into play when they are found in vitamin E skincare. There are plenty of ways how to use vitamin E for your skin these days. From overnight masks to eye creams, you can choose your product depending on where your skin is craving it. What’s more, the many ways how to use vitamin E now even include makeup. Perricone MD’s No Makeup Instant Blur Primer contains vitamin E as the main ingredient to set a supple, moisturised base under foundation.

Exactly how to use vitamin E for your skin depends on the product you choose. For example, Perricone MD’s Multi-Action Overnight Intensive Firming Mask should be massaged onto a cleansed face before bed to deliver powerful results while you sleep. It features a unique combination of ingredients designed to work with skin’s natural regeneration process to hydrate and soothe throughout the night, leaving skin looking radiant, refreshed, and dramatically softer.

On the other hand, daily moisturising creams such as Perricone MD’s High Potency Classics Face Finishing & Firming Moisturiser should be applied every morning after any serums but before any oils or SPF. This unique formulation contains vitamin E, DMAE, and kukui nut seed oil to combat everyday dryness.

In conclusion, it appears that there is no short answer to ‘what does vitamin E do for your skin’. From promoting a youthful complexion to maintaining a supple base, there’s no denying that the benefits of vitamin E certainly validate this ingredient in our skincare regimes. Now that vitamin E has been discussed, why not take a look at our guide to What Does Vitamin C Serum Do?

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