Vitamin E, DL-Alpha Tocopherol, Liquid 96%, 10 ml

Vitamin E in the form of 96% DL-alpha tocopherol serves two purposes in a formulation at once. It protects oils, butters and emulsions from oxidation — that is, from yellowing and changes in scent — and on the skin it acts as an antioxidant active ingredient. It is supplied without solvents and without a carrier oil, is dosed directly, and calculating the active ingredient content is straightforward.

The ingredient is of synthetic origin. It is suitable for facial and body oils, serums, creams, balms, sun care products and hair cosmetics. It carries Vegan, Halal and Kosher certifications and contains no palm oil.

Key benefits

• Oil phase protection – slows the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids; oil blends and emulsions retain their original colour and scent for longer.
• Antioxidant for the skin – according to the manufacturer's studies, it deactivates free radicals on the skin. The scientific literature also mentions a reduction in skin damage caused by UVA and UVB radiation.
• Hydration and elasticity support – the manufacturer states a moisturising effect and improvement in skin elasticity.
• Soothing effect – described in the literature, which is why vitamin E is also considered in products for sensitive and dry skin.
• Pure active ingredient – free from preservatives, antioxidants and other additives; only the tocopherol itself enters the formula.

Use in formulation

Tocopherol is miscible with oils, fats, hydrocarbons and alcohols; it does not dissolve in water. In emulsions it belongs in the oil phase, or it can be added during the cooling phase. Prolonged heating is not beneficial. The recommended processing temperature is up to 40 °C, so when manufacturing hot-process products, wait until the emulsion has cooled before adding it. In anhydrous products — oils, serums and balms — it is blended in cold without any preparation.

The dosage depends on what the ingredient is intended to do. To protect the formulation from oxidation, 0.02 – 0.1 % is sufficient. As an active ingredient on the skin, the manufacturer recommends a range of 0.5 – 5 %. The formulation may have a pH in the range of 3 – 8.

In cold conditions the ingredient may thicken, become cloudy or partially crystallise. The change is physical and reversible; before weighing, simply warm the container to 30 – 40 °C and stir. Free tocopherol is itself susceptible to oxidation and darkens when exposed to air and light. Once opened, use the packaging as soon as possible and fill the finished product into packaging that protects the contents from light.

Suitable for products such as

• Facial and body oils, oil serums – blends with a high proportion of unsaturated oils (rosehip, hemp, evening primrose) need an antioxidant most.
• O/W and W/O creams and lotions – protects the oil phase while also delivering a benefit to the skin.
• Lip balms, ointments, massage sticks – anhydrous systems where it is blended in cold or into the melted base after partial cooling.
• Sun care and after-sun products – the manufacturer cites these as an area where vitamin E is particularly useful.
• Hair oils, conditioners, scalp products – protects oils in hair cosmetics and cares for the scalp.

Good to know

Tocopherol and tocopheryl acetate behave differently. Acetate is a stable ester that does not protect the formulation from oxidation. It acts as an antioxidant only on the skin, where it is enzymatically cleaved into free tocopherol. Free tocopherol also protects the formulation itself, but is more sensitive to air and light. Tocopherol is therefore the right choice for protecting oils; acetate is more suitable in products with a lengthy hot manufacturing process.

Vitamin E is not a preservative. It does not protect against microbial growth; emulsions and water-containing products require separate preservation. Metal traces also accelerate oil oxidation, which is why an antioxidant in emulsions is commonly supplemented with a chelating agent.

The ingredient is a yellow to brown viscous oil. At low doses for oil protection it does not affect the product's colour; at higher active-ingredient doses it may slightly tint light anhydrous products yellow. Always verify colour and texture on a small test batch.

Frequently asked questions