CosmeticBet
Vitamins

Tocopheryl acetate

INCI: TOCOPHERYL ACETATE · also Vitamin E acetate

Vitamin E with a cap on: inactive until the skin removes it.

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C31H52O3472.70 g/mol
oxygencarbonhydrogen
3D shape from PubChem 2117

How common

All products12%
In sunscreens56%
In lip products42%
In face moisturisers31%

1,749 of 14,784 products with a full ingredient list in Open Beauty Facts; No. 24 of all the names found on their labels.

What it is

  • Vitamin E acetate: vitamin E with its active group (a phenolic OH) capped by acetate. As such it is inactive; it works only once the skin frees the vitamin from it.

    3 sourcesHide
    Vitamin E Acetate is the acetate ester of a fat-soluble vitamin with potent antioxidant properties.[1] PubChem (US National Library of Medicine) · open source
    because it lacks the free phenolic OH group. However, because of this the acetate as such is biologically inactive.[2] Study · 1995 · open source
    The results show that vitamin E acetate acts as a prodrug, which very slowly releases minute amounts of active vitamin E.[2] Study · 1995 · open source

Why it is in products

  • Many skin products use it instead of vitamin E itself.

    SourceHide
    Vitamin E acetate is often used rather than vitamin E as an ingredient of skin care products and dermatological preparations[2] Study · 1995 · open source

What it does

  • The skin frees vitamin E from it very slowly. In rats, after five days of use, under 1% had been converted in the outer layer and about 5% in the living layer, yet that little vitamin E protected the skin from UV there.

    Some evidenceskin2 sourcesHide
    the percentage of acetate present in the stratum corneum which was hydrolysed into free vitamin E was less than 1%, whereas the corresponding value for the viable layer of the epidermis was about 5%[2] Study · 1995 · open source
    Yet, this very small amount of free vitamin E proved to be sufficient for maximal protection in this animal model.[2] Study · 1995 · open source

  • In mice, vitamin E applied to the skin prevented UV-induced skin cancer, but the acetate did not.

    Some evidenceskinSourceHide
    Topically administered alpha-TH prevents UVB photocarcinogenesis in C3H mice, whereas alpha-TAc does not.[3] Study · 1998 · open source

Downsides and safety

  • Allergy is uncommon given how widely vitamin E is used: of 38,699 people patch-tested in North America, 0.9% reacted to it or to tocopherol, most often because of moisturisers.

    Good evidence3 sourcesHide
    Of the 38,699 patients patch tested to tocopherol and/or tocopherol acetate, 349 (0.9%) had positive reactions[4] Study · 2021 · open source
    Positive patch test reactions to tocopherols were relatively rare given their widespread use.[4] Study · 2021 · open source
    The most common source of tocopherol was personal care products, especially moisturizers.[4] Study · 2021 · open source

Where it works

SurfaceOuter layer(stratum corneum)Living layer(epidermis)Dermis

In the living layer of the skin (the epidermis), where enzymes slowly free vitamin E from it.

Some evidenceSourceHide
The hydrolysis of vitamin E acetate in the epidermis proceeded very slowly.[2] Study · 1995 · open source

Rules

European Union

  • No EU limit: it is not on the regulation’s lists of banned or restricted substances, preservatives or UV filters.

    How we checkedHide
    We searched Annexes II to VI of the EU regulation (consolidated text of 18 May 2026): no entry.open the list

United States

  • Not on the FDA’s list of prohibited or restricted cosmetic ingredients. In the US, cosmetics and their ingredients (other than colour additives) don’t need FDA approval before sale.

    SourceHide
    Under U.S. law, cosmetic products and ingredients, other than color additives, do not need FDA approval before they go on the market[5] US Food and Drug Administration · open source
    We searched the FDA’s list of prohibited and restricted cosmetic ingredients: no entry.open the list

Sources

  1. PubChem: Tocopheryl acetate (CID 2117), record description PubChem (US National Library of Medicine)PubChem (US National Library of Medicine)
  2. Hydrolysis of RRR-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E acetate) in the skin and its UV protecting activity (an in vivo study with the rat) Beijersbergen van Henegouwen GM et al., Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. B, Biology, 1995Study
  3. Effect of UVB on hydrolysis of alpha-tocopherol acetate to alpha-tocopherol in mouse skin Kramer-Stickland K et al., The Journal of investigative dermatology, 1998Study
  4. Patch Testing With Tocopherol and Tocopherol Acetate: The North American Contact Dermatitis Group Experience, 2001 to 2016 Warshaw EM et al., Dermatitis : contact, atopic, occupational, drug, 2021Study
  5. Prohibited & Restricted Ingredients in Cosmetics | FDA US Food and Drug Administration

Checked against these sources on 4 November 2026. Spot a mistake? Tell us.