In case you missed it, beef tallow is gaining recognition for its remarkable benefits in nurturing and rejuvenating the skin.
In the fast-paced world of skincare, where new products flood the market every day, it's easy to overlook the simple yet powerful ingredients that have stood the test of time.
Skincare companies know this and bank on it: packaging and branding products with “innovative anti-aging benefits” and other such marketing speak. But it turns out that when it comes to soft, smooth, glowing skin, mother nature is often best.
Enter beef tallow (especially when it’s grass-fed and finished).
Wait? What? Beef tallow?
Like, from cows?
Won’t it smell weird?
Yes, from cows, and no, it won’t smell weird. Keep reading for more on the surprising benefits of this traditional, all-natural ingredient that could transform your skin.
Just what is beef tallow?
Derived from the suet (fat) of pasture-raised cattle, Tallow is rendered and purified animal fat. Comprised of saturated fats and a small amount of monounsaturated fats, beef tallow is packed with essential nutrients that promote skin health.
Beef tallow’s been used for centuries in traditional cooking and skincare. In cooking, its high smoke point makes it ideal for frying, while its creamy texture lends itself well to pastry doughs and pie crusts.
But it’s in skincare where beef tallow shines for its moisturizing properties and ability to lock in moisture without clogging pores.
Why is beef tallow an ideal choice for skin-care?
Sebum is a sticky oily substance the body produces in order to keep the skin moisturized. Composed of fat molecules, waxes, and squalene, sebum moisturizes and protects the skin barrier, playing a key role in maintaining healthy and youthful looking skin.
Beef tallow is bioidentical to our naturally produced sebum, which means it works with your skin's oil production. Our bodies tend to “accept” or absorb and process ingredients that are similar in design and structure to what we naturally produce.
In particular, for those with sensitive skin, bioidentical ingredients like skin tallow may promote less sensitivity and be less likely to cause reactions.
Because our skin easily recognizes tallow, it’s readily absorbed into the skin, making beef tallow an ideal choice for hydrating and nourishing your skin.
What are the benefits of using Tallow-based skin-care products?
Grass-fed and finished beef tallow is a veritable treasure trove of skin-nourishing vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, and K, all of which are fat-soluble and essential for maintaining healthy skin.
They work synergistically to nourish and protect the skin, while their composition closely resembles the natural oils produced by our own skin, allowing for deep penetration and hydration without clogging pores.
Unlike many plant sources, these vitamins are found in their true form in animal fats, making tallow a natural powerhouse for skincare.
Each of these vitamins plays a pivotal role in nurturing the skin:
- Vitamin A: Known for its ability to heal and hydrate the skin, vitamin A helps prevent breakouts, promotes youthful-looking skin, and protects against UV ray damage from the sun.
- Vitamin D: With its anti-inflammatory properties, vitamin D helps prevent premature aging and can alleviate symptoms of various skin conditions such as dryness and eczema.
- Vitamin E: A champion of skin repair, vitamin E moisturizes and heals while combating free radicals produced by stressors like pollution and sun exposure, thus promoting skin health and resilience.
- Vitamin K: This vitamin enhances the skin's healing process and collagen renewal, improving the appearance of scars, dark spots, stretch marks, and under-eye circles.
Beef tallow helps fight free radicals and strengthen skin
Additionally, grass-fed and finished beef tallow is rich in antioxidants, which counteract the formation of free radicals on the skin's surface due to oxidative stress. Free radicals are notorious for accelerating aging and degrading the skin's natural collagen, but antioxidants provide a shield, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles over time.
Grass-fed and finished beef tallow also contains Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), an anti-inflammatory fatty acid that strengthens the skin, may reduce inflammation, locks in moisture, and may even aid in cancer prevention, as noted in this NIH study published in February of 2019.
Moreover, Tallow boasts Palmitoleic Acid, offering antimicrobial benefits that can combat and heal acne, promoting clearer, healthier skin.
In essence, grass-fed and finished beef tallow provides a comprehensive array of nutrients and compounds essential for supporting the health and vitality of your skin.
When you introduce these powerful, natural ingredients into your skincare routine, you’re leveraging some of Mother Nature’s greatest resources. When it comes to radiant, youthful skin, ingredients like beef tallow have stood the test of time. In skincare products, new, fancy, and innovative isn’t always better. Sometimes the biggest impact on your skin comes from the most natural, simple ingredients.
How is Tallow used in skin-care products?
One of the standout features of grass-fed and finished beef tallow is its versatility. It can be used as a moisturizer, cleanser, occlusive, deeply hydrating face cream, or even a treatment for hair and nails, making it a valuable addition to any skincare routine.
And – unlike many commercial products laden with harsh chemicals and artificial fragrances – tallow is gentle yet effective, making it suitable for all skin types, especially those with sensitivity or reactivity.
As more people seek out natural alternatives to conventional skincare, grass-fed and finished beef tallow has emerged as a frontrunner, earning praise from individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Its ability to deliver visible results without the use of synthetic ingredients is a testament to the power of simplicity in skincare.
Incorporating grass-fed and finished beef tallow into your skincare routine is not just a nod to tradition; it's a conscious choice to prioritize the health and well-being of your skin. By embracing the beauty of nature's bounty, you can discover a renewed sense of confidence and radiance that transcends fleeting trends and fads.
So, whether you're struggling with acne, dryness, or signs of aging, why not give grass-fed and finished beef tallow a try? With its natural nourishing properties and proven effectiveness, it just might be the key to unlocking your skin's true potential.
Curious about beef tallow and want an easy way to work it into your skincare routine? Our Tallow Face Cream is grass-fed, all-natural, and one of our bestselling products in 2023. A little goes a long way with this whipped cream that melts right into skin like velvet.
Use it under the eyes as an intensely nourishing eye cream, all over the face and neck to combat winter dryness (and summer sun damage), or even on your hands as a powerful anti-aging hand cream.
As for the skin elsewhere on your body? We formulated our Tallow Body Cream especially for the unique needs of thicker, drier body skin.
From butt cheeks to bare feet, body skin is thicker and weathers more wear and tear than our faces.
Take a minute and rub an elbow or a knee. Feel how much tougher that skin is than your face?
(If the cheeks on your face are the only ones as smooth as a baby’s bottom, you aren’t alone!)
Body skin also has fewer oil glands, leading to dry, itchy patches. So this cream was crafted with enough oomph to penetrate and hydrate that tougher body skin, aided with the help of one of mother nature’s most powerful plants: dandelions.
Use it anywhere you have dry skin.
Summing it up: Tallow is a true skincare gamechanger
Rich in antioxidants and full of vitamins A, C, E and K, grass-fed and finished suet tallow …
- penetrates skin cells
- is bio identical to our cellular structure
- is non-comedogenic
- is perfect for even the most sensitive skin
Tallow might just be the ingredient your skin care routine needs for plump, glowing hydrated skin everywhere on your face and body.