Vitamin E and vitamin C are both well-known for their antioxidant properties and for their role in promoting overall health and longevity. These two essential nutrients also make a power couple when it comes to supporting skin health and can be combined to work synergistically as part of a skin-care routine. 

Vitamin E, synthesized by plants and obtained by humans through food intake, is the most abundant fat-soluble antioxidant found in human skin. It encompasses a group of nutrients made up of four tocopherol and four tocotrienol isomers. Tocopherols are saturated forms of vitamin E, while tocotrienols have an unsaturated lipophilic chain enhancing their permeability into fatty tissues and cellular membranes. One proposed way vitamin E tocotrienols benefit skin health is through their effect on melanin production. An in vitro study found that gamma- and delta-tocotrienols may interfere with the action of tyrosinase, the rate-limiting enzyme that controls the production of melanin from tyrosine in human skin. This suggests a role for tocotrienols in modulating melanogenesis and supporting healthy skin tone and pigmentation. Furthermore, a systematic review examining the effects of tocotrienols on skin aging found that they may mitigate cellular damage in the skin by limiting lipid and protein oxidation, DNA damage, and telomere shortening. They may also play a role in supporting the skin’s antioxidant status and healthy inflammatory responses in human keratinocytes, and in contributing to the overall health, elasticity, and density of the skin.

Vitamin C is another well-known antioxidant and free-radical scavenger, which, like vitamin E, is synthesized in plants and must be obtained by humans through food intake. In normal skin, this nutrient is found in concentrations higher than plasma, suggesting active accumulation from circulation. Vitamin C stimulates collagen synthesis by fibroblasts and promotes collagen gene expression. By supporting the proliferation of dermal fibroblasts, vitamin C may contribute to the skin’s natural wound-healing processes, which may be important in cases of laser skin treatments, microdermabrasion, and chemical peeling. As a potent antioxidant, vitamin C can help scavenge free radicals and remove toxic oxidants, such as those found in environmental pollutants and after solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure, protecting the skin from oxidative stress and premature aging. Similarly to Vitamin E, Vitamin C may also play a role in modulating melanogenesis and skin hyperpigmentation in conditions such as melasma, photodamage, and age spots. 

A review study examined the impact of vitamin C on certain skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis and porphyria cutanea tarda, and found that vitamin C deficiency may exacerbate the development of these skin conditions and may play an important role in their pathogenesis. On the other hand, adequate vitamin C status may play a supportive role in the formation of the skin barrier, collagen synthesis, and antioxidant protection against photodamage induced by UVR. Furthermore, Vitamin C is a cofactor in lysine and proline hydroxylation, which is a condition for the optimal crosslinking of collagen and elastin and stabilizing the collagen molecule structure. A study based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n = 4,025) found that higher intake of vitamin C, together with a healthy diet, may be associated with improved skin appearance. 

Dietary or supplemental intake of vitamins E and C can support the appearance of healthy skin. Additionally, some studies have looked at the combined, synergistic effect of vitamins E and C when implemented topically. An animal study found that combining vitamins E and C together in a topical solution was superior at mitigating the development of erythema and sunburn in radiated skin to each nutrient used separately. A split-face, randomized, controlled trial (n = 50) examined the combined effect of a topical treatment with vitamins E and C on skin health. Female volunteers between 30 and 65 years old were instructed to apply the treatment to only one side of their face for two months. Both the treated and untreated sides were dermatologically assessed after four and eight weeks. The study found that skin tone, elasticity, smoothness, and radiance were all significantly improved after the combined treatment.

Research suggests that promoting skin health can start from the inside out or outside in. Due to their antioxidant properties and other benefits, adequate vitamin E and C intake (from diet, supplementation, or topicals) can help promote clear, vibrant, and healthy skin. 

Learn more about skin health: 

Nourish Your Beauty: Nutrients for a Radiant Skin Barrier

Summer Glow: Tips to Tone Your Face and Support Skin Health

Ten Nutrients to Help Your Skin Glow from the Inside Out

By Antonia Toupet, PhD