What Are the Benefits of Vitamin E in Liquid Form for the Skin?

Many skin care products, tanning lotions and sunblocks proudly advertise vitamin E as one of their ingredients. Known for its antioxidant properties, vitamin E can help counter the damaging effect of free radicals on the skin and consequently help repair some skin damage due to aging or too much sun exposure. To check for vitamin E in your skin product, look for alpha-tocopheryl acetate.

Antioxidant

• Sun exposure, smoking and pollution trigger the formation of free radicals, which damage cells and can speed up the process of aging skin. Antioxidants like vitamin E inhibit free radical reactions and can slow the damage free radicals cause, thus protecting the skin from premature aging due to sun exposure or other forms of irritation.

Moisturizer

• Vitamin E is also an effective moisturizer. It can be used to help prevent and heal dry, itchy skin. It is therefore found in a variety of skin products, from diaper rash creams to lip balms to exfoliant creams.

Anti-Inflammatory

• Vitamin E has natural anti-inflammatory effects, and has long been thought to help reduce the appearance and inflammation of scars. However, some believe it should not be applied within two weeks of the incident that caused the scar, and others are refuting the claim that it is beneficial at all, so be sure to ask your physician before beginning to use vitamin E on a scar.