During an archeological dig in Northern China in 2021, scientists discovered a small bronze jar within the tomb of a 2,500 year-old nobleman. Closer investigation revealed this jar to contain bovine tallow, one of the oldest cosmetic products ever unearthed and just the latest example of ancient cultures who understood the power of tallow for skin.
Tallow is a rendered ingredient derived from animal fat. For thousands of years it's been revered by our ancestors from Ancient Egypt to Ancient Greece for its healing and beautifying properties. Its secret lies in a precise fatty acid, lipid and cholesterol profile which is so similar to our skin's natural makeup. This makes it extremely compatible with and replenishing to our skin’s outermost layer.
Though once forgotten ancestral knowledge, tallow has made a comeback in recent years as health and beauty enthusiasts recognize it's healing properties, both internally and externally. Contrary to many petroleum and plant derived oils our skin is able to “recognize” tallow and “drinks” it in readily.
Tallow is not for everyone though and not all tallow is created equally. Read on to learn if tallow is an appropriate match for your skin and learn what to look for in tallow products.
Tallow Skin Benefits
The outermost layer of our skin is made up of various fatty acids, cholesterol, and lipids that form our skin’s barrier. A strong skin barrier is what helps keep anti-aging moisture in, and pro-aging toxins and pollutants out. Daily environmental stressors such as excessive sun, pollution, poor diet, and harsh cleansers and exfoliators disrupt our skin barrier. Progressively this makes us more susceptible to dry and rapidly aging skin.
When applied to the skin, tallow allows us to replenish many of those fatty acids, cholesterol, and lipids which our skin needs to maintain a healthy barrier. By maintaining a healthy skin barrier we can expect:
- Plumper, more hydrated skin
- Reduced fine lines and wrinkles
- Reduced skin inflammation
Tallow vs. Plant Oils and Butters
What about plant oils? It is true that there are some exceptional plant oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, and other anti-aging phytonutrients. While there are a few exceptional plant oils that we utilize in our formulations, we always prefer to pair these oils with tallow. Why?
Botanical plant oils can be highly unstable. While the high concentration of essential fatty acids can make these oils great for skin, those very same fatty acids can cause issues. The essential fatty acids are easily oxidized overtime, especially when combined with high heat or UV light, which can actually make them harmful for our skin!
However, when we combine these plant oils with tallow we’re able to significantly increase the stability of these essential fatty acids due to the presence of saturated fats in the tallow. By infusing these delicate plant oils into tallow at low temperatures we’re able to maximize the benefits of our favorite botanical oils.
Not All Tallow Is Created Equally
Not all tallow is created equally. As a bare minimum you should be sourcing tallow from farms with pasture-raised and humanely treated animals.
The best tallow for skin though is going to be tallow produced from grass-fed, pasture raised bison. That is primarily due to the unique fatty acids present in this type of tallow.
Stearic acid is one of the fatty acids which has shown benefits for improving skin barrier function, softening and hydrating skin. Tallow from pasture raised bison is going to provide the highest level of stearic acid compared to conventional or even grass-fed beef.
Linolenic acid, aka omega-3 fatty acid, is another fatty acid with anti-aging skin benefits. In addition to helping maintain healthy and hydrated skin, omega-3 fatty acids have shown to be very beneficial at inhibiting UV damage. A study done in 2003 showed that EPA, a specifically potent form of linolenic acid, was capable of increasing resistance to sunburn by 136%.
With 300% more linolenic acid, bison tallow is superior to beef tallow as a potent source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use tallow on my face? Is tallow comedogenic? Will it clog my pores?
A: Tallow is wonderful used on the face in most circumstances. Due to having such a similar profile to our skin’s natural makeup it’s compatible with most skin types. The only time we would hesitate to use tallow on our face would be if we were experiencing very oily skin.
This is a common question and understandable given that most people associate saturated fats, such as those in coconut oil, with pore clogging characteristics. The difference lies in the specific type of saturated fatty acids though.
Q: How long does tallow stay good for?
A: So long as it is properly prepared and dehydrated, and kept in a cool, dark, and dry location, tallow will stay good for a very long time - years even. Contrary to many plant oils, tallow is high in saturated fatty acids which help protect the more sensitive fatty acids from oxidation.
Q: What is the importance of grass-fed vs grain-fed tallow? Organic and free-range? Bison vs. bovine tallow?
A: As a bare minimum we recommend pasture raised and grass-fed tallow. Organic is not as critical in our opinion as it’s quite difficult for small farmers to have their grasslands certified organic. If you have the choice definitely go with bison tallow vs. beef tallow due to its superior fatty acid composition. This is specifically true with regards to it it's omega-3 fatty acids.
Q: Does tallow help with wrinkles and anti-aging?
A: Due to its ability to plump and hydrate skin, soothe inflammation, and fortify our skin’s barrier, it is excellent for reducing the appearance of existing wrinkles and protecting our skin from future wrinkles. For this reason, grass-fed bison tallow is THE key ingredients in the restoration balm featured in our rejuvenate & renew ritual.
Q: Is cooking with tallow healthy for skin?
A: The jury is still out with regards to the health benefits of consuming saturated fats. The status quo has demonized them for decades, however, recent research is beginning to show their importance for critical functions such as hormone health and metabolism.
One thing is certain though. You are MUCH better off cooking with high-quality, high saturated fat oils (tallow, coconut oil, ghee) vs. high-PUFA vegetable oils (corn, canola, sunflower, rapeseed, etc.). This is due to the saturated fats being literally *millions* of times more stable than the PUFAs.
Unstable PUFAs + High Heat => Inflammation => Premature Skin Aging + Disease
In this context, yes, cooking with tallow is healthy for your skin.