Dermatologists love to hate beef tallow.
They say that beef tallow is going to clog your pores. That because it isn’t ‘FDA approved’, it might be ‘contaminated’.
When in reality… it’s the drugstore skin care products filled with petrochemicals, low quality seed oils and plastic emulsifiers that are making us infertile and gradually destroying our skin.
…And yet, these are the products that are ‘FDA approved’.
It’s time we turn back to the genius of mother nature: beef tallow.
Tallow has been used on the skin for millennia without a problem. No irritation, no allergic reactions, no acne.
It’s only in the last 100 years that everyone has switched to petroleum-based skin care, and for some reason, we now have more eczema, acne and skin issues than ever before.
But why exactly is beef tallow effective for skin?
Here are 7 benefits of beef tallow for skin dermatologists can’t explain:
1. Highly nourishing
Unlike mainstream skincare products which barely have any real nutrients in them, beef tallow is naturally full of vitamins and minerals that deeply nourish the skin, like vitamin E, A, D & K.
It also contains a fatty acid called ‘CLA’ which helps the skin retain moisture. This is why your skin will feel more plump after a few weeks of using tallow balm.
2. Heals eczema and psoriasis
Beef tallow balm is naturally antibacterial due to its high fatty acid content which means it can heal and clear pesky skin issues like eczema and psoriasis.
One study showed that mice with dermatitis experienced symptom relief when tallow was applied to the infection:
3. Anti-aging properties
You don’t need anti-aging retinol creams that cost hundreds of dollars. Beef tallow contains vitamin A which is a natural form of retinol.
Retinol is found in anti-aging face creams and the promise is always that ‘it’s going to smooth fine lines and wrinkles’.
But the problem with these synthetic retinol creams is that they also contain low quality seed oils, petrochemicals and things like parabens and phthalates which are plastic-derived emulsifiers that sink into the skin and disrupt your hormones. No thanks…
In men, these synthetic ingredients lower sperm count and lower your testosterone. In women, they can lower your fertility.
Beef tallow has this magic combo of vitamins, fatty acids and antioxidants that smooths wrinkles naturally. It’s amazing how it works.
4. Toxin-free
Synthetic skin creams use emulsifiers derived from plastic (yes, it’s true) to create a thick, creamy consistency. Beef tallow lotions don’t need any synthetic emulsifiers because… it’s already creamy!
And instead of artificial preservatives, (the good) tallow balms will use all-natural, herbal preservatives like rosemary or pot marigold extract.
You also won’t find any harsh acne medications like benzoyl peroxide in tallow balm, but instead will find ingredients like manuka honey which is naturally antibacterial and clears acne naturally.
Always check the label of course, but as long as you’re buying a tallow balm that is grass-fed & finished and isn’t fed pesticide-sprayed grains, and doesn’t contain any bad ingredients as fillers, it should be toxin-free and safe for your skin.
5. Less breakouts
Even if you have oily skin, you can still use beef tallow!
We assume that scrubbing all the oil off our face with harsh, chemical cleansers will make it less oily, but removing the oil actually signals to the skin to produce more!
Keeping your skin hydrated with oils or beef tallow will help the skin produce less oil, which means… less breakouts!
6. Multi-use
Tallow can be used pretty much everywhere: on your face, body, as an eye cream, lip balm, hair conditioner, after shave balm or even as a base for homemade sunscreen or deodorant.
Why spend hundreds of dollars on skin care when you can buy one jar of high quality beef tallow balm?
7. Doesn’t clog pores
There’s a myth going around that beef tallow clogs pores, but that’s simply not true!
It looks thick, but because it’s so similar to our skin’s natural oils, it easily meshes with our skin’s matrix and nourishes it deeply. It doesn’t just sit on top, clogging pores.
Beef tallow rates at a 2 on the comedogenic scale (1-5). This means that it is less likely to clog pores compared to other commonly used skin care oils. Coconut oil for example rates a 4 out of 5 on the scale.
So don’t worry about beef tallow clogging your pores. Unless you are super prone to acne you should be fine with it.
What to look for in a beef tallow balm (best beef tallow for skin)
Beef tallow is superior to any skin cream, serum or lotion you’ll find in the drugstore, but it’s super important to invest in a quality tallow balm so you actually get the benefits and are not spreading even more chemicals into your skin.
Here are some things to look for:
1. Made in the USA, Grass Fed & Finished
Look for a tallow lotion or balm that is made from grass fed & finished cows, ideally cows that were raised in the USA. This is to ensure that the tallow is clean and not taken from cows who were fed pesticides.
And just because it says “grass fed” doesn’t mean the animal wasn’t fed toxic grains later on in its life.
“Grass fed & finished” means it was fed grass its entire life. “Grass fed” usually means it was fed grass at the start but was then switched to genetically modified, pesticide-sprayed grains for who knows how long.
2. Beware of hidden ingredients
When we were developing our whipped tallow balm, we bought some of the other popular tallow balms on the market and sent them into a lab for testing.
We were shocked to find that at least two of the big tallow balm brands out there have multiple hidden ingredients that were not listed on the label.
Our lab told us that these hidden ingredients are usually to prevent their products from melting in the summer (real tallow melts smoothly in high heat).
Not only is this illegal and dishonest, but it can put people in danger that might be allergic to these ingredients.
3. Beware of knock-offs
There are a ton of cheap knock-off tallow balms out there that are definitely not made with grass fed & finished tallow. The suspiciously low price should tell you that.
4. Get the right size
You also may notice that these companies will sell a smaller jar (usually 2 oz) at a higher price. So, it’s really not worth it. If you’re going to buy a tallow balm, buy a larger jar (4 oz) from a verified supplier.
It will last much longer and you’ll save money in the long run.
5. Natural ingredients
Your tallow balm should not contain any artificial fragrance or additives.
The whole point of switching to a tallow balm is to go back to nature and to use only pure ingredients on your skin.
So, when you read the label, double check that there are no artificial fragrance or petroleum-based additives. There should be just a few simple ingredients with maybe a herbal preservative like pot marigold flower or rosemary.
Manuka honey or another nourishing oil like olive oil may be added to boost the nutrient content and to give the skin even more support.
6. Whipped
When shopping for a tallow balm, choose one that’s whipped!
Most tallows have a thick balm texture, which feels very different from the toxic mainstream products we’re used to using.
And if it feels too different, most people aren’t going to stick to using it.
A whipped texture has a consistency similar to the face creams you’ve already been using so it feels really good.
Plus it also allows for even coverage.
If you don’t want to potentially waste money on a low quality tallow balm, our Evil Goods Whipped Tallow Honey Balm checks all of these boxes. It was our goal to create a skin care product that is 100% pure and clean using truly grass fed & finished beef tallow from cows raised in the USA. Click here to grab a jar.
But whether you choose to buy from us or somewhere else, be sure to invest in the best, cleanest tallow balm available.
