6 Amazing Benefits of Vitamin E Oil

by John Staughton (BASc, BFA) last updated -

Using vitamin E oil on the skin is a common practice due to the rejuvenating, moisturizing, and healing properties of this antioxidant vitamin oil.

What is Vitamin E Oil?

Vitamin E oil is both a nutrient and an antioxidant that has a variety of effects, both internally and externally. You can swallow vitamin E supplements in capsule form, but the oil is also sold as a liquid, which is intended for topical use on the skin. That being said, there is some debate about how useful this oil is on the skin since this vitamin comes in 8 different forms, but only one of them is used by the body – tocopherols. It is important to know that when you buy vitamin E oil, it is rarely 100% vitamin E, as that would be extremely viscous. Instead, it will be blended with other carrier oils, such as coconut oil, olive oil or soybean oil.

Vitamin E can be synthetically produced or extracted from a food source that has been enhanced for vitamin E production. Either way, the effects of this vitamin on your body are impressive. Depending on your health conditions, supplementation may be recommended by your doctor, particularly as you age and the health of your skin begins to deteriorate. [1]

Vitamin E oil in a glass tumbler along with fresh herbs and sliced radish

Vitamin E is an ingredient in many skin products that claim to have anti-aging properties. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Vitamin E Oil Benefits

The top benefits of vitamin E oil include skin care, prevention of stretch marks, scars, and muscle spasms. It also helps in treating sunburn and chapped lips.

Skin Care

Alpha-tocopherol, the usable form of vitamin E, is antioxidant in nature, meaning that it can defend against oxidative stress in the skin and face; this can help to prevent wrinkles, age spots, and blemishes, while also improving the elasticity of the skin. [2]

Stretch Marks

If you apply this oil to stretch marks after pregnancy or a dramatic weight change, it can reduce the appearance and smooth the coloring of the skin. [3]

Muscle Spasms

The soothing and healing nature of this oil enables it to soothe muscle spasms when applied to twitched muscles or strained parts of the body.

Scars

Reducing the appearance of scars on the body, whether, from injuries, acne or burns is a common desire for many people, and vitamin E is able to normalize the color and texture of the skin, while also stimulating healing and regrowth of skin cells. [4]

Sunburn

This vitamin oil is an excellent moisturizer and anti-inflammatory, so administering it to a sunburn will suck out the heat and discomfort, while also delivering moisture to skin cells in desperate need. [5]

Chapped Lips

Applying a few drops of chapped lips will protect them from further inflammation or peeling, and delivering moisture to your lips so that healing can begin. [6]

How to Use Vitamin E Oil?

When you use this oil on your skin, moderation is important. Vitamin E oil is considered to be quite heavy, and can rapidly react with the skin when used in excess, resulting in breakouts and inflammation.

  • Some people choose to use pure vitamin E oil on inflammation and wounds on the skin, while other people prefer to mix it into a less potent oil, such as almond oil. Only 5-6 drops are necessary for the oil to take effect on a given area.
  • It is popularly mixed into hair creams, face masks, shampoos, conditioners, and moisturizers.
  • You can apply this oil to sunburns to lessen discomfort.
  • You can also use it as a makeup remover that won’t irritate the skin.

Side Effects

Vitamin E is an essential nutrient in our body, but the concentrated oil can result in topical side effects, including the following:

  • Inflammation
  • Rashes
  • Allergic reactions
  • Eczema
  • Rosacea

This could be due to an allergic reaction to the carrier oil mixed with the vitamin E oil, or it could be an allergy to the vitamin E concentration, resulting in redness or the worsening of inflammatory conditions, such as eczema or rosacea. Speak to a doctor if you notice any of these side effects after moderate use. [7]

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About the Author

John Staughton is a traveling writer, editor, publisher and photographer with English and Integrative Biology degrees from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana (USA). He co-founded the literary journal, Sheriff Nottingham, and now serves as the Content Director for Stain’d Arts, a non-profit based in Denver, Colorado. On a perpetual journey towards the idea of home, he uses words to educate, inspire, uplift and evolve.

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