The Role Of Vitamin E In Skin And Scalp Care

vitamin e skin scalp — Vitamin E In Skin And Scalp Care. Photo by Seasontime

Alongside A and C, vitamin E is another vitamin that is a focus in beauty products. It is found in our bodies, in foods and as supplements, but it’s also the most common ingredient found in skincare and hair care products today. With eight types – including pure vitamin E oil, tocopherol and tocopheryl acetate – ‘vitamin E’ refers to a group of fat (or oil) soluble antioxidant compounds. Tocopherol, sourced from the soybean, is used in all SOFIA LATIF^TM products for its preservative properties (it helps to ensure the essential oils do not oxidise when they come into contact with air) and its skin/scalp benefits. We’re sharing these below, along with our top tips for introducing it into your diet and routine…

How Vitamin E Helps The Skin And Scalp

As a natural antioxidant, vitamin E prevents oxidative damage by removing and protecting against free radicals (which come from environmental factors such as UV radiation and air pollution). Without it, the free radicals which are unpaired oxygen molecules attempt to attach themselves to electrons in our cells to increase their stability, stealing them from the protective lipids that hold our cells together (lipid peroxidation), thus impairing skin functions and increasing our vulnerability to sunburn, skin cancer, infection, sensitivity, signs of premature ageing and more.

By applying vitamin E topically and including it in the diet, this environmental oxidative damage and the oxidative stress from cell metabolism is reduced which aids blood circulation in the skin and scalp, improves hair health and growth, reduces dandruff, balances oil production, stimulates collagen synthesis and increases elasticity by protecting fibroblasts, strengthens the skin barrier (which helps to lock in moisture and prevent trans-epidermal water loss, keeping our skin and scalp hydrated), promotes cell turnover and regeneration (resulting in increased wound healing and cell repairing), gives us firmer, healthier-looking skin and longer, stronger, shinier hair. Vitamin E is also a powerful anti-inflammatory which calms and soothes our skin and scalp.

Paired with vitamin C products for increased effectiveness, studies show vitamin E can treat hyperpigmentation (too much of the pigment melanin leading to darker patches on the skin) not only by preventing oxidative damage but also by inhibiting tyrosinase – the enzyme which contributes to melanin production.

Our Tips For Using Vitamin E

Some great sources for getting vitamin E from your diet are plant oils such as rapeseed, olive, soya, sunflower and corn; nuts, particularly almonds, pine nuts, peanuts, brazil nuts and hazelnuts; seeds, especially sunflower seeds; wheatgerm (most commonly found in cereals); green leafy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach; fresh fruit including avocados, blackberries and mangos.

Too much vitamin E in the diet or as supplements can lead to it accumulating, resulting in blood thinning and reduced platelets. Too much vitamin E applied topically can clog pores and cause breakouts, particularly for those with acne-prone or very oily skin as it’s oil/fat-soluble, so it’s important to monitor how your skin is behaving, look for non-comedogenic products and exfoliate 1-2 times per week to increase cell turnover and remove dirt, product build-up and excess sebum.

It’s uncommon, but vitamin E can cause irritation and increased sensitivity in those with super sensitive skin, so always do a patch test when trying a new product and start with lower concentrations, increasing as necessary.

Although there is some evidence vitamin E can provide some protection from the sun, we would always advise consistently using SPF, even when indoors or on cloudy/rainy days.