The ingredient, explained
Tocopherol
A vitamin E ingredient with research on the specific alpha-tocopherol form, both alone and in antioxidant mixtures.
Ingredient guide
What it is and what it does
3‚4-Dihydro-2‚5,7‚8-tetramethyl-2--4‚8,12-trimethyltridecyl--2H-benzopyran-6-ol; .alpha.-tocopherol; Vitamin E
About this ingredient: EU CosIng ingredient registry (via Open Beauty Facts taxonomy) ↗
- Antioxidant
- Limits oxidation, including deterioration of formulation ingredients. This label alone does not show a clinical antioxidant effect in skin.
- Masking
- Reduces or conceals the formula's underlying odour or taste.
- Skin conditioning
- A broad cosmetic role for maintaining skin condition. It does not identify a particular clinical benefit.
Function definitions: European Commission ingredient function definitions (SCCNFP/0299/00, pages 16 to 20) ↗
Registry functions describe possible formulation roles, not results for a finished product. A dictionary entry is not an approval or a safety assessment.
A closer look
What the research shows
Selected research
A short ultraviolet experiment tested 1% alpha-tocopherol with ascorbic acid and ferulic acid and found reduced damage markers. Separately, a six-month trial of 12.5% DL-alpha-tocopherol found no significant reduction in actinic keratoses relative to its cream base, despite changes in some biochemical markers.
What this does not tell us
The mixture does not isolate tocopherol. The standalone trial concerned sun-damaged forearms with actinic keratoses and does not show skin-cancer prevention. Tocopherol and tocopheryl acetate are different ingredients.
Sources for this summary. PubMed 18603326 ↗PubMed 19336724 ↗
Research review checked Sep 30, 2026
Selected primary sources were reviewed for the existing research brief on 30 September 2026, with exact ingredient, route and combination limitations recorded. This was a bounded editorial review, not a systematic search.
Ingredient research is not proof that a product containing this ingredient works.
Read the 2 selected studies
Human topical research · n=42
Chemoprevention of human actinic keratoses by topical DL-alpha-tocopherol. ↗
Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.) · 2009
Human research on a combination
A topical antioxidant solution containing vitamins C and E stabilized by ferulic acid provides protection for human skin against damage caused by ultraviolet irradiation. ↗
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2008
Follow the formula
Products containing this ingredient
From the Serenfold edit. Linked by the ingredient list, without an efficacy ranking.
Names and identifiers
Registry identity
3‚4-Dihydro-2‚5,7‚8-tetramethyl-2--4‚8,12-trimethyltridecyl--2H-benzopyran-6-ol; .alpha.-tocopherol; Vitamin E
- INCI name on ingredient lists
- TOCOPHEROL
- CAS registry number
- 54-28-4 -gamma-, 16698-35-4-beta-, 10191-41-0-DL-, 119-13-1, 1406-18-4, 1406-66-2, 2074-53-5 -DL-, 59-02-9 -D-, 7616-22-0
- EC number
- 200-201-5 / 240-747-1 / 233-466-0 / 204-299-0 /215-798-8 / - / 218-197-9 / 200-412-2 / -
Sources for this ingredient record
- EU CosIng ingredient registry (via Open Beauty Facts taxonomy) ↗ · ODbL 1.0 (Open Beauty Facts database) · Recorded Aug 8, 2026