Not Using These Two Vitamins Together? You May Be Missing Out On Benefits

Plenty of vitamins and nutrients boast antioxidant abilities all on their own, but some of them do make impressive power couples. Zinc and magnesium? A fabulous duo. Resveratrol and piperine? BFFs. Some antioxidants should certainly stay in their own lanes (like, say, mixing topical vitamin C and retinol are a no-go), but you'd be surprised by how many thrive when they buddy up. It's all about knowing how to play matchmaker. 

Both vitamins C and E come with their own impressive résumés: The two are beloved for evening skin tone, supporting skin repair, and supporting collagen production.* And when you pair them together—the benefits abound. 

"Certain antioxidants are synergistic," says board-certified dermatologist Julia T. Hunter, M.D., founder of Wholistic Dermatology in Beverly Hills about the ingredient. "They strengthen one another, regenerate one another, and last longer in the body, so they're more available in the skin."

And vitamins C and E are famously synergistic. One study even found that vitamin E (and ferulic acid) increase vitamin C's effectiveness1 eightfold; on the other hand, vitamin C regenerates vitamin E after the latter scavenges free radicals, further reducing oxidative stress2 to cell membranes.* All of this is a very science-y way of saying: Vitamins C and E have each other's backs.

But let's not forget about taking the two internally! When consumed together, vitamins C and E amp up their antioxidant power, per the studies we mentioned above, not to mention, both vitamins can support your body's natural collagen production.*

First up: Vitamin E intake protects against collagen cross-linking3, where collagen becomes hard and stiff4 and leads to skin aging.* And vitamin C is a vital part of the collagen production process, as it is actually able to promote fibroblast production5, tend to collagen DNA, and regulate collagen synthesis6, or the pathway in which collagen is made.*