When, how & why should you use vitamin E?

Phew! I have to answer this question at least once a week! And that's perfectly normal.

But it is high time I took the time to answer it in an official and general way, hahaha! Come on, let's demystify the world of antioxidants and broad-spectrum preservatives. You'll see, it's super simple.

Starting off strong:

Vitamin E (tocopherol) is NOT a preservative.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant!

Antioxidant = anti-rancidity!

Vitamin E extends the shelf life of our homemade cosmetics, certainly, but it does so by delaying the rancidity (oxidation) of vegetable oils and butters. Vitamin E does NOT prevent microbial contamination. Microbial contamination must be prevented at all costs in products containing an aqueous phase (water, floral water, aloe gel and juice, etc.); we’ll come back to this point a little later.

In what circumstances do we use vitamin E?

In the manufacture of cosmetic care products, we use vitamin E for its antioxidant properties, which can fulfill two roles:

1. Slow down the rancidity (oxidation) of vegetable oils and butters
2. Act as a cosmetic active ingredient thanks to its properties for the skin

The rancidity of vegetable oils and butters leads to, among other things, an unpleasant odor (like nuts past their prime) and a change in color.

But above all, rancidity causes a decrease in product effectiveness: the properties of oils and butters are affected by rancidity, which degrades the molecules. Furthermore, a rancid oil or butter sees its comedogenicity index increase! Thus, sunflower oil, for example, which has a zero comedogenicity index, could become very comedogenic by going rancid. Not as fun for skin prone to blackheads and pimples!

So, rancidity comes from the oxidation process of an ingredient.

Oxidation = rancidity!

The oxidation of a vegetable oil is a chemical reaction between the oxygen present in the air and the fatty acids that make up the oil.

Fatty acids + oxygen = oxidation = rancidity! (We’re done with the math, hahaha! But you have to admit it works!)

Note: Ideally, we also recommend storing oils and butters that are more sensitive to oxidation in the refrigerator since heat accelerates oxidation. Everything is connected!

All vegetable oils and butters have a different composition (fatty acids, plant pigments, antioxidants…). Some oils and butters are naturally rich in vitamin E or different polyphenols (other types of antioxidants), while others contain less naturally.

We therefore say that vegetable oils and butters have different oxidative potentials. That’s a good fact to drop at your next happy hour!

Examples of oils sensitive to oxidation (with high oxidative potential)

• Hemp oil
• Camelina oil
• Raspberry seed oil
• Rosehip oil

Examples of oils and butters with low sensitivity to oxidation (with low oxidative potential)

• Sunflower oil*
• Olive oil*
• Shea butter
• Cocoa butter

* Did you notice? These are the oils we usually recommend for making oil macerates, precisely because of their low oxidative potential and therefore their stability. We talk about this in our guide Herbalism 101: making your own oil macerate.

Vitamin E: what dosage should be used?

By adding 0.5% to 1% of vitamin E to a homemade cosmetic (whether it's a serum, a cream…), you reduce its oxidative potential and slow down the rancidity of the oils and/or butters it contains.

Why do you always say that vitamin E is optional?

You may have noticed: in the majority of our recipes, we indicate that vitamin E is optional. And it's true!

Everything depends on the use you will make of your product: do you intend to use it quickly? Is it a recipe mainly composed of ingredients with low sensitivity to oxidation? In these situations, vitamin E is not necessary, but can still represent an advantage given its properties for the skin.

However, if you intend to use your product over a long period or if it contains ingredients with high oxidative potential, adding vitamin E to it is really a good idea.

So is vitamin E good for the skin too?

Absolutely! Vitamin E is a popular ingredient in cosmetics since it has antioxidant properties that protect the skin against damage caused by free radicals (e.g., UV rays).

Note: never apply it pure to the skin. It must always be diluted beforehand.

To be able to benefit from the cosmetic properties of vitamin E, however, you have to use a little more than the base dose of 0.5% to 1%. You can go from 2 to 30% (!) for this type of use*.

*Careful! There are several types of vitamin E, but we could say that the main ones are the following:

First type: the vitamin E used as an active ingredient in cosmetics for its properties for the skin, and whose concentration is measured in international units (IU). Color: colored appearance, ranging from yellow to red to brown. This is the vitamin E that you can dilute (a) at ratios of 0.5 to 1% to slow the oxidation of oils and cosmetics containing fats, and (b) at ratios of 2 to 30% to benefit from its cosmetic properties. This is the vitamin E we offer, and it is a mixture of equal parts vitamin E and soybean oil.

Second type: the vitamin E used only as an antioxidant to increase the stability of a product. It is not measured in IU, but in tocopherol concentration. Color: clear. We use it at a concentration of only 0.5 to 1%, and this is the vitamin E you used to find at our shop previously.

Ok… But what do I use to preserve my products?

It takes water for microorganisms to grow.

Water = microbial proliferation!

So if your body care product contains no aqueous phase (water, floral water, aloe juice or gel, etc.), you do not need a broad-spectrum preservative at all! You can simply add vitamin E to your preparation if the rancidity of the oils/butters worries you or if you want to take advantage of its cosmetic properties.

However, if you make a product containing an aqueous phase such as a face cream, then there is no choice, you need a broad-spectrum preservative, like our Eco preservative. A broad-spectrum preservative is necessary.

However, you can absolutely use it to slightly extend the shelf life of a biphasic makeup remover (which therefore contains floral water, an aqueous phase, and which will be used relatively quickly), for example.

Grapefruit seed extract is also a very interesting cosmetic active ingredient (much like vitamin E) as an antioxidant. Your skin will appreciate it!

There you go! Hopefully, that clears things up!