5 Ways Tallow is Ideal for Skin Care
Tallow has likely been used for human skin care for tens if not hundreds of thousands of years—it is the original, all-in-one, multipurpose skin care! Tallow can address skin conditions, can optimize already-healthy skin, and can moisturize dry skin, and do so much more!
Some folks use tallow to help prevent sunburn (or to quickly usher your skin back to health after a bad sunburn), and others make soap with the tallow to treat skin conditions, rather than applying tallow directly as a lotion or moisturizer.
In any case, tallow can be applied to the skin in myriad ways. Whether through a balm infused with other carrier oils, or after being formed into soap, or even by itself, tallow applied to the skin has numerous benefits whether you have existing skin issues or not.
1) skin superfood
Tallow is for the skin is like liver is for the body! Tallow is super nutrient-dense and rich in vitamins and fatty acids that are hard to find elsewhere in nature. Tallow contains Vitamins A, D, K, E, B1, and more, which are all fat-soluble (of course, tallow is 100% fat) and absorbed subcutaneously, or through the skin. Additionally, tallow contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). This potent anti-inflammatory molecule has been shown to enhance fat loss in humans as well as reduce redness, irritation, and inflammation of skin.
2) ancestral moisturization
Tallow is an excellent moisturizer of dry skin, or of any skin in dry climates (like here in Colorado!). Tallow is rich in fatty acids like palmitoleic acid, which is also found in human skin. These bioidentical compounds and saturated fatty acids are exactly what our own skin needs to keep in moisture when exposed to wind, sun, and the elements (yes—your child’s pre-school falls under “the elements”). Many people report using tallow as a moisturizer helps hydrate and soothe irritated and/or dry skin.
3) Reduces acne
In my teens, I found that NO skin care was better than ANY skin care for my sensitive skin—I was plagued by acne, breakouts, whiteheads, blackheads, and other facial rashes that did not improve my favor with the opposite sex. Whenever I used shaving cream, or even products that claimed to assist in dealing with acne, my skin issues got worse rather than better. So, I was trained to stay away from anything marketed for skin. Fast forward to my thirties, and experimenting with tallow-based balms—now, I use tallow daily and it keeps my skin clear, healthy, and glowing. This completely natural product has been used longer than any chemically-based alternative labeled “For Acne” on department store shelves across America, and is non-comedogenic, or low on the comedogenic scale. This means tallow is extremely low in likelihood to clog pores or otherwise contribute to any breakouts. I wish I knew about this substance in my teens!
4) can improve skin conditions
Acne isn’t the only skin condition that can be improved using tallow. Using tallow for skin care can improve conditions like psoriasis, eczema, acne, dermititis, and other issues that may be related. While it is certainly not a panacea, and is not always helpful for every individual who suffers from one or more of these conditions, tallow has been incredibly useful for individuals (or their stressed out parents) attempting to alleviate suffering from these conditions. The moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, and vitamin-rich properties of tallow likely combine to create a synergistic effect, and help to ameliorate or resolve symptoms of these conditions entirely. There are many reports of such individuals on the internet and are worth researching if you too suffer from one of these conditions.
5) Sustainable & regenerative
Unlike most skin care products (which are often composed of hundreds of hard-to-pronounce chemicals produced in a lab), tallow is a sustainable and renewable product. If we regeneratively and sustainably ranch the animals that we produce the tallow from (as is the case with our 100% grass-fed bison tallow), then the tallow is of course sustainable as well. The bison we source our tallow from are third party certified regenerative (among other qualifications) and truly the most sustainable, regenerative, cleanest, toxin-free bison we could find on Earth. Bottled in USA-made glass jars, in the same state they’re ranched, our product is as sustainable and regenerative as we can make it—until we figure out bison-based containers!
Key takeaways
Tallow is a skin superfood—rich in vitamins, anti-inflammatory fatty acids, and other compounds beneficial for skin
Humans and hominid ancestors have used bison and other tallow for tens of thousands of years to moisturize and protect their skin from elements
Tallow can reduce breakouts and severity of breakouts
Tallow is very low on the comedogenic scale and very similar to human skin, making it biocompatible and bioavailable
Tallow can improve other skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and other dermatitis symptoms
Tallow is a chemical-free, sustainable, and (sometimes) regenerative skin care product
The best tallow for skin care is grass-fed, regenerative, made in the USA, from bison like this one!