What it does
A fat-soluble antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals from UV and pollution, supports skin barrier function, and keeps the oils in a formula from going rancid.
Best for
Daytime use (antioxidant defense), dry and mature skin, and any routine that already uses vitamin C (the two stabilize each other).
The full picture
Vitamin E shows up on almost every lifting cream INCI list as Tocopherol (the active form) or Tocopheryl Acetate (the stabilized ester that converts to tocopherol on skin). It plays two roles: protecting the formula itself from oxidation, and protecting your skin from free-radical damage. Vitamin E pairs synergistically with vitamin C (each regenerates the other), which is why the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic family of formulas became the gold standard. Found in nearly every lifting cream in the BLC catalog including ALASTIN, Medik8, and numbuzin.
Evidence
Topical vitamin E has been shown to reduce UV-induced skin damage and oxidative stress in clinical and laboratory research.
Read the source: PubMed: topical vitamin E and skin photoprotection ->