When, how & why should you use vitamin E?

Phew! I have to answer this question at least once a week! And it’s no wonder.

But it’s about time I took the time to answer it officially and comprehensively, hahaha! Come on, let’s demystify the world of antioxidants and broad-spectrum preservatives. You’ll see, it’s super simple.

Let’s start strong:

Vitamin E (tocopherol) is NOT a preservative.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant!

Antioxidant = anti-rancidity!

Vitamin E certainly extends the shelf life of our homemade cosmetics, but it does so by delaying the rancidity (oxidation) of plant 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, hydrosol, aloe gel and juice, etc.); we’ll come back to this point a little later.

In what circumstances is vitamin E used?

In cosmetic care formulation, vitamin E is used for its antioxidant properties, which can serve two purposes:

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

The rancidity of plant oils and butters leads, among other things, to an unpleasant smell (like stale nuts) and a change in color.

But rancidity above all causes a decrease in product effectiveness: the properties of oils and butters are affected by rancidity, which degrades the molecules. In addition, a rancid oil or butter sees its comedogenicity rating increase! Thus, sunflower oil, for example, whose comedogenicity rating is zero, could become highly comedogenic as it goes rancid. Not so fun for skin prone to blackheads and pimples!

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

Oxidation = rancidity!

The oxidation of a plant 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 admit it works!)

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

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

We therefore say that plant oils and butters have different oxidative potentials. That’ll fit right in at your next get-together, won’t it!

Examples of oils sensitive to oxidation (high oxidative potential)

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

Examples of oils and butters less sensitive to oxidation (low oxidative potential)

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

* Have you noticed? 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 it in our guide Herbalism 101: Make Your Own Oil Macerate.

Vitamin E: What dosage should you use?

By adding 0.5% to 1% vitamin E to a homemade cosmetic (whether it’s a serum, a cream…), we 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!

It all depends on how you plan to use your product: do you plan to use it quickly? Is it a recipe mainly composed of ingredients that are not very sensitive to oxidation? In these situations, vitamin E is not necessary, but it can still be an advantage given its skin-beneficial properties.

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

So, is vitamin E good for the skin too?

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

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

However, to benefit from the cosmetic properties of vitamin E, you need 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*.

*Attention! There are several types of vitamin E, but we could say that the main ones are as follows:

First type: vitamin E used as an active ingredient in cosmetics for its skin-beneficial properties, and whose concentration is measured in international units (IU). Color: colored appearance, ranging from yellow to red to brown. This is the vitamin E you can dilute (a) at ratios of 0.5 to 1% to slow down 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 an equal parts mixture of vitamin E and soybean oil.

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

Okay… 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, hydrosol, 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 you are worried about the rancidity of the oils/butters or if you want to benefit from its cosmetic properties.

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

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

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

There you go! Hopefully, that clears things up!