Thanks to a TikTok trend, beef tallow for skin is blowing up the internet.
After more than seven years in business, we’re thrilled to see the general public catch on to our ultimate skincare hack.
(Before you ask, no, we haven’t been gatekeeping it).
We’ve been making and using tallow balm for a long time (read: 100,000+ handmade jars every year)—and we want to help you take charge of this trend.
So, here it is—we’re spilling the tea. Everything you need to know before buying beef tallow for skin:
Benefits of Beef Tallow for Skin
Beef tallow is overflowing with skin benefits. We’ll just cover the basics…
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Tallow Is Rich in Vitamins A, D, E, and K
These vitamins are naturally occurring, meaning they’re more bioavailable than the lab-made vitamins typically found in skincare. Vitamin A is a natural retinol while vitamin K fights free radical damage.
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It Has Natural Linoleic Acid
This stuff is so powerful that skincare companies are making linoleic acid face products. Little do they know it naturally occurs in tallow balm.
Linoleic acid is an omega-6 fatty acid and antioxidant that works to moisturize, plump, and fight inflammation. It can also reduce acne, minimize scarring, and rebuild the skin barrier.
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Tallow Is Naturally Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Bacterial
Like … in a good way. Unlike antibiotics, tallow balm won’t strip your skin of good bacteria. But it will still target the bad stuff and help remove it. Anti-inflammatory properties sweep in to help calm redness, acne, and other inflammation.
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Tallow Can Naturally Increase Collagen Production
What’s better than consuming collagen? Giving your skin the building blocks it needs to create it.
Tallow can boost blood flow to your face while providing the vitamins and minerals essential for collagen creation.
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It Won’t Clog Your Pores
High-quality tallow balm is non-comedogenic, which means it works with your skin’s natural barrier, instead of against it. Even though tallow balm has a thick and creamy texture, it shouldn’t clog pores or lead to breakouts.
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Tallow Balm Mimics Your Skin Barrier
This is one of the most powerful benefits of tallow balm—and why it’s a skincare “superfood” for most people. Tallow is an animal product and because of this, it’s easier for our skin to recognize than most plant products. The chemical makeup of high-quality tallow balm is extremely similar to our own skin’s DNA.
This is what makes it so bioavailable—and why it can rapidly heal wounds and reverse skin damage. Almost like a liquid bandage.
Who Should Use Beef Tallow for Skin
Tallow balm is an all-in-one remedy. You can use it as a moisturizer, face balm, or pack it in your first-aid kit. Some of our clients even keep it in their diaper bags as a rash cream.
Have any of these skin issues? Tallow balm is known to help:
- Acne
- Redness
- Scarring
- Wrinkles and fine lines
- Age spots (or liver spots)
- Discoloration
- Dry hands and dry skin
- Eczema
- Rosacea
- Burns
- Cuts
- Scrapes
What to Look for in Beef Tallow Skincare
Not every tallow balm is created equal.
Many big corporations hopped on the tallow balm bandwagon as soon as it went viral. And they are diluting their tallow products with chemicals, fillers, and quantity-over-quality values.
We’ve pioneered this industry with a standard of purity and quality—even down to the food our cows eat (they are 100% grass-fed).
It’s time to be extra wary about the principles and standards used in tallow balm creation. Your skin will notice the benefits (and so will your friends).
Here’s what to watch out for:
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Use Grass-Fed Tallow Balm Only
Grain-fed tallow is a lot cheaper than grass-fed tallow. But there’s a reason for that.
Grass-fed tallow has a more balanced concentration of fatty acids. When it comes to omega-3s and omega-6s, what matters most is the ratio between the two—not how much of each individual nutrient you get.
There are higher concentrations of vitamins and minerals in grass-fed tallow balm, too. Studies show that these essential nutrients (you know, the reason why tallow is famous) are four times more prevalent in grass-fed tallow.
Takeaway: Grass-fed tallow balm contains up to four times the concentration of nutrients. Those benefits will show on your skin.
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Explore Hand-Rendered Tallow
We create over 100,000 jars of tallow every year—and we hand render all of it. This allows us to be super involved in the process from start to finish. Careful attention to detail helps ensure the nutrient profile stays intact and bioavailable.
Since some companies use chemicals to render tallow, it’s important to do your research and choose a tallow balm that meets a high standard of purity.
Takeaway: Quality standards aren’t just about ingredients. Often, they consider processing methods that either drain nutrient profiles or keep them intact.
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No Fillers Whatsoever
Fillers are used as a cheap way to “take up space” in a product. Something could be branded as a “tallow balm” while containing 80% chemical fillers and only 20% industrial-raised tallow.
No wonder many of us grew up believing natural remedies don’t work. We’ve been duped by too many fillers.
Takeaway: If you’re experimenting with tallow skin care for the first time, make sure you’re using actual high-quality tallow, not chemical fillers disguised as tallow.
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Find Unscented Tallow Balm Options
We’ve yet to meet anyone who didn’t benefit from tallow skincare. However, it’s helpful to start slow—especially if you’re prone to breakouts or redness.
Our Unscented Tallow Balm is perfect for this. Since it’s essential oil-free, it’s better suited for sensitive skin and first-time tallow users (and thanks to our rendering process, it doesn’t smell like beef. Phew!).
We know rumors are circulating about essential oil benefits (or supposed lack of benefits). A lot of fellow crunchies believe they’re bad for you.
But we’ve seen the medicinal benefits of essential oils in action. The catch is, essential oils must be high quality and used responsibly.
Takeaway: Using an Unscented Tallow Balm is a gentle introduction for people with sensitive and acne-prone skin. If you’re already used to essential oils, feel free to experiment with scented balms, like our Frankincense Tallow Balm (a personal favorite).
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You Might Prefer a Variation of Ingredients
For most people, Tallow Balm is a miracle cure. But there’s always room for an anomaly.
If this is you, your struggle with tallow could boil down to two things: ingredients and application.
You may need to mix tallow with other skin “superfoods” for a more gentle introduction—while applying less product overall. Our Hydrating Tallow Stick is great for this since it includes beeswax and emu oil.
There’s also the Activated Charcoal Face Bar, which includes activated charcoal and coconut oil for lighter application.
Overall, using less Tallow Balm on your face can go a long way. Since ours don’t contain fillers, the product is super concentrated and should last a long time.
Beef Tallow Skincare Isn’t for Everyone — But It Is for Most People
When researching beef tallow for skin, you might have noticed that not everyone is in love with the idea. Whether it’s because of a firm grasp on traditional skincare or personal values, we understand the hesitation.
We believe in skincare that works with our skin, not against it.
There’s no better way to live out this philosophy than with our grandparents’ recipes and animal-based skincare.
It’s clean enough to eat, won’t mess with your hormones, and usually works better than the chemical-filled alternatives.