The Natural Power of Tallow: Benefits for Skincare
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Time to read 5 min
In the world of skincare, where trends shift from one exotic ingredient to the next, one traditional gem has been quietly making a comeback: tallow. Derived from rendered animal fat, usually beef, tallow may seem unconventional in today’s plant-based product boom.
However, this time-tested ingredient has a rich history and a myriad of benefits for your skin.
Let’s explore why tallow deserves a spot in your skincare routine.
Tallow Skincare Benefits
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
DEEP HYDRATION
NUTRIENT-DENSE
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
NON-TOXIC + ECO-FRIENDLY
BALANCES OILY SKIN
VERSATILITY
Table of contents
1. Skin Compatibility 2. Deep Moisturization 3. Rich in Nutrients 4. Anti-Inflammatory Properties 5. Non-Toxic and Eco-Friendly 6. Balancing for Oily Skin 7. Versatility How to Incorporate Tallow Skincare Benefits into Your Routine Other uses for tallow in your skincare routine Final Thoughts on the Skincare Benefits of Beef Tallow
1. Skin Compatibility
Tallow’s composition closely resembles the natural fats and oils found in human skin.
It’s rich in triglycerides and fatty acids like palmitic acid, oleic acid, and stearic acid.
These components help to nourish and support the skin’s natural barrier, making tallow highly compatible with all skin types, even sensitive or acne-prone skin.
Many of our customers find that tallow has worked for them when countless other industrial beauty products have failed.
2. Deep Moisturization
Unlike many water-based moisturizers that sit on the surface, tallow penetrates deeply into the skin. Its rich fatty acid profile provides intense hydration, leaving skin soft, supple, and well-nourished.
Tallow’s emollient properties also help to prevent transepidermal water loss, keeping your skin hydrated for longer.
3. Rich in Nutrients
Tallow is packed with fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K—nutrients essential for skin health.
Vitamin A promotes cell turnover and collagen production, vitamin D supports skin repair and immunity, and vitamin E provides powerful antioxidant protection.
Together, these nutrients help combat signs of aging, reduce inflammation, and promote a healthy, glowing complexion.
4. Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Tallow’s natural anti-inflammatory properties make it an excellent choice for soothing irritated or inflamed skin.
Whether you’re dealing with eczema, psoriasis, or sunburn, tallow can help reduce redness and support healing.
5. Non-Toxic and Eco-Friendly
Field & Forage's traditional tallow skincare products are free from synthetic chemicals, preservatives, and fragrances that can irritate the skin or harm the environment.
By using sustainably sourced tallow, you’re also contributing to waste reduction, as it’s often made from byproducts of the meat industry that would otherwise go to waste.
Our tallow is carefully sourced from both our own family farm and from farmers whom we know and trust. All our tallow comes from grass-fed beef that has been raised using regenerative farming practices.
Grass-Fed beef has many environmental benefits. Regenerative, pastured beef helps:
- sequester carbon from the air into the soil
- builds soil by increasing organic matter
- increases the biodiversity of pastures and the soil microbiome
- provides protection from both drought AND flooding by increasing the volume of organic matter in the soil
- naturally fertilizes pastures, eliminating the need for the types of toxic chemicals that contribute to run-off that harms local fish populations, contaminates water supplies and contributes to the dead-zone in the Gulf of Mexico
6. Balancing for Oily Skin
While it might seem counterintuitive, using tallow on oily skin can actually help balance sebum production. One tallow skincare benefit is its similarity to skin’s natural oils signals to your sebaceous glands that they don’t need to overproduce, reducing greasiness over time.
7. Versatility
Tallow can be used in a variety of ways—as a moisturizer, balm, lip treatment, or even as part of a DIY skincare recipe. Its thick, creamy texture makes it ideal for targeted applications like dry patches or cracked heels.
- Daily Moisturizer
- Lip Balm
- For cracked + dry hands or feet
- Eczema or Rosacea
- To soften beards
- Rich night serum
One of the greatest tallow skincare benefits is its versatility. You can use our tallow balms to encourage healing on burns, scars eczema or rosacea, as part of your tattoo aftercare, for a diaper balm, as lip balm, beard balm, lip chap or as a light-hold hair pomade.
How to Incorporate Tallow Skincare Benefits into Your Routine
At Field & Forage, all our tallow products are gentle enough to use everyday. Include as the final step in your skincare routine, after cleansing, treating and applying any serums or retinol.
- Cleanse with warm water (or use tallow for oil-cleansing)
- Apply your favourite serums.
- Treat blemishes or other concerns.
- Apply retinol if using.
- Finally seal in the hydration + benefits of your skincare routine with your favourite tallow balm, whipped tallow or tallow night serum.
Other uses for tallow in your skincare routine
Our whipped tallow balms make great makeup removers - simply massage into your skin then wipe off with a warm washcloth. Some of our users who suffer from rosacea have found that by applying our tallow balm prior to their shower, their skin experiences less irritation from the heat of their shower.
Common Questions About Tallow Skincare
Is tallow REALLY good for my skin??
Doesn't it feel greasy? Won't it make me break out?
- Tallow is non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog your pores or cause you to break out.
- Tallow closely resembles the natural fatty-acids in our skin. This allows it to absorb fully + deeply into your skin to nourish it from the inside, out.
- If your skin feels greasy after you have given it a change to soak in, chances are - you used too much. A pea-sized amount is plenty for your face or hands. A little goes a long way!
How do I know which one is right for me?
I'm new to tallow - will it work for my skintype?
- Tallow is safe + effective for ALL skin types. It will hydrate dry skin, tone aging skin, brighten dull skin + even help regulate oil production for oily skin.
- If you are NEW to tallow skincare, we recommend you start with our Tallow Whips. They are the lightest of our line + are great for hands, face + body.
- Simply choose a scent you like + dive in!
Doesn't it smell . . . weird?
Seriously though, will I smell like a burger?
- We have been perfecting the art of rendering lard + tallow for well over a decade. We have old-fashioned farmwife tricks up our sleeves that help reduce the smell in the rendered tallow.
- Our unscented tallow has a mild savoury scent in the jar, however, once you get it on your skin, it will go away.
- Our scented tallows have no beefy smell whatsoever.
Final Thoughts on the Skincare Benefits of Beef Tallow
Tallow is a skincare powerhouse that’s been overlooked for too long.
Its nutrient-rich profile, deep moisturizing properties, and eco-friendly appeal make it a standout choice for anyone looking to embrace natural skincare.
Whether you’re seeking to soothe irritation, combat dryness, or simply achieve a radiant complexion, tallow might just be the natural solution you’ve been searching for.
Stacey | Founder
For nearly 20 years, Stacey has been raising food regeneratively using deep organic practices, both in the city + on her family's farm. She's been a Certified Master Organic Gardener since 2008 + has taught holistic vegetable gardening to students across North America. She's been formulating all-natural ancestral skincare since 2014.
