This Oft-Overlooked Vitamin Is Essential For Plump Skin—3 Ways To Use It 

While I hesitate to call any skin care ingredient "trendy," some do cycle through their time in the spotlight. Think astaxanthin, peptides, and biotech-derived botanicals. They may have been part of the beauty zeitgeist for ages, but they've recently skyrocketed in popularity. 

And then there are ingredients that are so fundamental that they often fly under the radar. Vitamin E is one of those players. Sure, it doesn't sound as sexy as, say, CoQ10 or postbiotics, but your skin care routine would not be the same without the antioxidant. 

You might know vitamin C as the collagen supplement nonnegotiable—your body cannot effectively produce collagen without the antioxidant1, as it promotes fibroblast production2, tends to damaged collagen DNA, and regulates collagen synthesis3. But did you know that vitamin E is just as important to consider in your blend? 

See, vitamin E intake protects against collagen cross-linking4, a process that plays a role in skin aging. When collagen cross-links5, it becomes hard and stiff, and that leads to damage. As an antioxidant, vitamin E also fends off free radicals and fights against oxidative stress; and oxidative stress, as we know, is the process behind inflammation and skin aging. 

Anecdotally, applying vitamin E topically can speed up wound healing—that's why you can find the antioxidant in plenty of dark spot correctors and acne treatments. Some even swear by popping open a vitamin E capsule and rubbing it on areas of scarring or hyperpigmentation. 

A stellar lip balm will often include vitamin E oil. Why? "Vitamin E oil has humectant properties, which means it helps to hydrate, and emollient properties, which means it helps to support the skin barrier," says board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, M.D. This means vitamin E can both coat the area with moisture and plump the fragile skin with the hydration it needs. 

Remember, your lips do not contain oil glands, so they do not have natural moisturizing capabilities—that's where vitamin E comes in handy, as it conditions lips and keeps them plush. And because vitamin E can aid in wound healing (as we discussed above), it can also help heal chapped areas, soothe uncomfortable lip cracks, and even smooth lip lines.