The Life Changing Benefits of
Humans have been using tallow in skincare for thousands of years, and we think any discovery that's stuck around that long is worth looking into!
Tallow skincare lovers often describe this ingredient as "magical" because of how well it works. There are truly no other comparable natural skincare ingredients with the same unique properties tallow has.
It interacts beautifully with human skin because of how similar its fatty acid profile is to natural human oils. You'll notice that your skin drinks it right up without any greasy residue to deliver its abundance of healing nutrients deep into the epidermis. It's best known as a potent moisturizing ingredient, but it also soothes inflammation, promotes healing, repairs skin barrier function, and boosts collagen production.
Before we get into the nitty gritty details of how tallow works wonders for your skin, let's explain what tallow actually is!
What Is Tallow?
Tallow is a type of rendered fat that comes from cattle or sheep. The most common version you're likely to see is beef tallow. Any fat from the animal can be used to make tallow, but the most desirable kind is what's known as suet. This is fat that surrounds the organs, and this is incredibly rich in the nutritious vitamins that make it a valuable skincare product.
The process of rendering removes all of the water content and impurities from the fat which results in a shelf stable and smooth textured final product. Amazingly, tallow can be used all on its own as a wonderful moisturizer, but it's also a great skincare base to add other oils, herbs and extracts to.
What Makes Tallow So Special?
Now we've arrived at the juicy question you've been waiting for! What makes tallow such a cult-favorite among natural skincare enthusiasts? There are plenty of things! Let's break it down into its separate medicinal properties.
Nourishing Vitamins
Beef tallow is loaded with fat-soluble vitamins essential for good skin health. It's rich in vitamins A, D, E, K, and B12. All of these have different functions in the skin, and they have all been shown as effective topical skin care aids.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is likely the most famous vitamin used in skincare. It's an antioxidant, which means it can help prevent and repair skin damage. Vitamin A is also known to help prevent breakouts and provide natural hydration.
Vitamin D
The sunshine vitamin D is something that can't be found in plant-based skin care products. It's a powerful anti-inflammatory ingredient which can be soothing to irritated or damaged skin, and tallow is one of the few natural ingredient sources to find it in.
Vitamin E
The third vitamin, vitamin E is similarly a powerful anti-inflammatory ingredient and hydration booster. It's especially effective at preventing moisture-loss which can keep the skin supple and smooth.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K can increase collagen levels to make the skin texture plump and youthful. It's known to help prevent wrinkles and fine lines.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is almost exclusively found in animal products, and it offers incredible skin benefits. It also plays an important role in collagen products, and it's particularly valuable for helping with healthy cell reproduction.
Healing Fatty Acids
In addition to the abundance of fat-soluble vitamins tallow has, the fat itself that tallow is made of is extremely beneficial for the skin. Beef tallow also has a unique fatty acid profile that makes it perfectly adapted for human skin. Here are some of the properties of the fats in tallow that make it so nourishing.
Oleic Acid
Beef tallow contains over 40% oleic acid which is often used as a cleansing agent in skincare. It's also able to preserve the degradation of the delicate antioxidants naturally present in tallow to help increase their effectiveness. It's a wonderful fatty acid for dry, damaged, and sensitive skin.
Palmitic Acid
Another superstar component of tallow is palmitic acid. The skin already naturally contains palmitic acid, but levels decrease as we age. It's an emollient which helps soften the skin and prevent water loss. This keeps the skin looking fresh and hydrated.
Stearic Acid
Stearic acid is another emollient ingredient that improves skin suppleness. It's a wonderful option for sensitive and inflamed skin in particular since it helps form a lubricated protective layer on the skin without clogging pores.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
CLA is a type of omega 6 fatty acid that's mostly found in animal products. This amazing acid has anti-inflammatory properties, antimicrobial properties and anti-ageing benefits. It boosts ceramide synthesis to help retain moisture as well as promoting cell turnover and regeneration.
Omega 9
Omega 9 can help nutrients penetrate deep into the skin, which increases the overall effectiveness of tallow. It's also helpful for improving skin elasticity and smoothing the surface of the skin.
Omega 7
This little known omega fatty acid is actually an essential building block of skin with many benefits. It can strengthen the texture of the skin to protect it from damage. It also helps fight inflammation and supports healthy tissue repair. Perhaps best of all, it's a powerful antimicrobial which can help prevent and treat acne.
How to Use Tallow?
If you're convinced that tallow is worth a try, we're here to help you figure how you can make this ingredient work for you!
The most simple way you can use tallow is all on its own as a moisturizer for the face or body. It is a heavy duty ingredient, so a little goes a long way, and you may even find you prefer the texture of a whipped tallow product to allow you to apply an even thin layer on your desired skin surface.
Plenty of products also use tallow as a base ingredient to help deliver even more goodness through other natural ingredients. Some folks with oil-prone skin for example may find they do best with a mixture that contains some lighter oils like jojoba to provide a balance better suited for their unique skin type.
It may take some trial and error, but overall tallow is a universally healing ingredient that can be accommodated to any skin. Its lack of allergens, fragrance, artificial chemicals as well as its anti-inflammatory and non-comedogenic properties make it work for even the most sensitive of skin.
Selecting High Quality Tallow
Though tallow is an amazing ingredient, not all tallow is created equal. The health of the cow it comes from plays a huge role in how potent the end product is.
Cows that are grass-fed and grass-finished are the highest standard of healthy animals to look for. This not only ensures that the product you're getting is high quality, but it also means the animal it came from had fair treatment and a good life.
Another important factor to watch out for is tallow that comes from antibiotic and hormone free animals. These drugs and hormones often accumulate in fat cells which is exactly where tallow comes from, so that's certainly not something you want to be applying to your skin regularly.
Finally, tallow that is purified will have the least amount of a "beef" smell to it. For this reason, the Milkmaid Supply Co has been triple purified to create a product that's completely unscented.
Final Thoughts
If you haven't given tallow a try yet, you should know you're missing out! There truly are no comparable alternatives that can give as many skin benefits from a single natural ingredient. We've fallen in love with tallow here at The Milkmaid Supply Co and have sourced the highest quality tallow possible from local grass fed and finished, hormone and antibiotic free cows in Ontario, Canada. We process this ingredient in small batches with love every single time so that we can spread the joy of smooth, clear, and youthful-looking skin.
Try our best selling Calming Chamomile Tallow Whip!
