Vitamin E – an antioxidant that improves your wellbeing and keeps your skin looking young!

Vitamin E is a vitamin that can be found in several food sources such as fresh vegetables and fruits including spinach, tomatoes, pumpkin and avocado, as well as sunflower oil and almonds. Most people obtain the recommended amount of vitamin E through their daily food intake although you can also use supplements (beneficial for those breastfeeding) and apply it topically through vitamin-enriched skincare products.

But why is vitamin E important and what are its benefits?

Vitamin E is highly regarded for its antioxidant properties (similar to coconut oil), meaning that it can stop or reverse the damage caused by oxidative stress, which is related to disease and the acceleration of the aging process.

Vitamin E in skincare

With regards to our body’s largest organ, our skin, vitamin E can help to:

• reduce inflammation

• aid wound healing and reduce the appearance of scarring

• moisturise the skin

Our skin is constantly exposed to environmental influences such as UV radiation from sunlight and air pollution. Therefore it is beneficial for your skincare regimen to include vitamin E (take a look at our all-natural Hero Balm).

Vitamin E has been shown to have a protective effect against UV-exposure and photo-ageing, that is, becoming wrinkled, dry and inelastic. Its natural moisturising properties improve our skin’s smoothness.

If you want to get the most out of your vitamin E intake, you should combine it with vitamin C sources such as citrus fruits, broccoli and potatoes. The combination of vitamin E and vitamin C has been proven to enhance the positive effects of both vitamins compared to taking them separately.

So with this food for thought, ensure you’re consuming plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables to give your skin the vitamin E boost it needs. You’ll keep your body fresh and youthful from the inside and out!

Sources

Shapiro, S., & Saliou, C. (2001). Role of vitamins in skin care. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), 17(10), 839-844.

Thiele, J., & Ekanayake-Mudiyanselage, S. (2007). Vitamin E in human skin: Organ-specific physiology and considerations for its use in dermatology. Molecular Aspects of Medicine, 28(5), 646-667.

Thiele, J., Hsieh, S., & Ekanayake‐Mudiyanselage, S. (2005). Vitamin E: Critical Review of Its Current Use in Cosmetic and Clinical Dermatology. Dermatologic Surgery, 31(7), 805-813.

Tran, D., Townley, J., Barnes, T., & Greive, K. (2014). An antiaging skin care system containing alpha hydroxy acids and vitamins improves the biomechanical parameters of facial skin. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 8, 9-17.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/vitamin-e-for-skin