Your Moisturizer is Working Against You - Why You Need Tallow

The word "tallow" might make you think of old-school candle-making or something your great-grandmother used to cook with, but did you know that it’s actually one of the most powerful, skin-nourishing ingredients on the planet?

Tallow’s made quite the comeback in the skincare world, and not just among the crunchy DIY crowd. Dermatologists, estheticians, and beauty experts have all taken notice. And for good reason. The beauty industry is finally catching up to what our ancestors knew all along: with its perfect balance of vitamins, essential fatty acids, and deeply moisturizing benefits, tallow is unmatched when it comes to skin health.

What Exactly Is Tallow?

At its core, tallow is simply rendered fat, most commonly from cows. While that might initially conjure mental images of greasy, heavy goop, high-quality, grass-fed tallow is nothing like the overly processed fats found in cheap commercial skincare. When sourced properly, with minimal processing, it becomes a luxuriously rich, deeply penetrating moisturizer that’s packed with nutrients your skin craves.

And one of the most mind-blowing facts about tallow is that it’s nearly identical to human sebum, the oil our skin produces naturally. So, instead of sitting on the surface like so many commercial moisturizers do, tallow penetrates deep into the skin to deliver hydration where it’s actually needed.

Most modern skincare is filled with water, fillers, and synthetic emulsifiers that create the illusion of hydration, until they evaporate and leave your skin drier than it was before. Tallow, on the other hand, works with your skin, not against it. No artificial barriers. No unnecessary additives. Just pure, skin-loving nourishment.

The History of Tallow

Before lab-made lotions and synthetic serums, humans had one go-to for skincare: animal fats. In fact, tallow’s use in skincare dates back thousands of years. Sometime around 2500 BC, ancient Egyptians would blend animal fats like tallow with botanical extracts for skin protection against the harsh desert climate. By the 1st century AD, Romans were incorporating tallow-based ointments into their self-care rituals to heal wounds and nourish skin. In medieval Europe, tallow-based balms and soaps became common among both peasants and nobility. Meanwhile, Indigenous cultures in North America were using rendered animal fats to shield their skin from extreme weather conditions. And when they needed additional healing, they mixed tallow with herbs, much like we do today.

The second wave of tallow’s popularity started gaining traction in the early 2000s when the real food movement took off. The focus on whole, unprocessed foods started prompting folks to ask themselves, “If I shouldn’t eat toxic chemicals, then why would I want to slather them on my skin?”

Fast forward to current times, where online talk of tallow in skincare has been steadily rising, and for good reason. Consumers are getting smarter about what they put on their skin and starting to question the long ingredient lists on commercial products.

Now, well in the midst of the clean beauty revolution, tallow is reclaiming its rightful place as an essential skincare ingredient, and leading more people than ever to discover its unrivaled benefits.

Why Tallow is the Holy Grail of Moisturizers

If you haven’t already swapped out your drugstore lotion for tallow, let’s talk about what it actually does for your skin:

Deep hydration: Unlike water-based creams that evaporate, tallow locks in moisture, and does a great job of keeping your skin hydrated all day long.

Skin barrier support: Tallow strengthens the skin’s natural protective layer, while reducing skin sensitivity.

Rich in fat-soluble vitamins: It’s a natural source of vitamins A, D, E, and K, which support skin health, healing, and elasticity.

Balances oily and acne-prone skin: Because it mimics human sebum, tallow can help regulate oil production rather than overcompensating and causing breakouts.

Anti-aging and skin repair: Tallow is packed with antioxidants that help fight free radicals and promote smooth, youthful skin.

Perfect for sensitive skin: No fillers or synthetic chemicals means no irritation. Just pure nourishment.

Bonus: It’s Sustainable!

One of the most overlooked benefits of tallow is its sustainability. As a natural byproduct of the beef industry, tallow is made by using parts of the animal that might otherwise go to waste, so it’s an incredibly eco-friendly ingredient. Unlike commercial skincare products that rely on petroleum-based or synthetic ingredients, tallow is biodegradable and zero-waste-friendly when sourced responsibly. So, when you choose grass-fed tallow, you get to nourish your skin while also supporting sustainable farming practices.

While tallow may boast some incredible benefits, let’s talk about why it’s so imperative for you to get the right tallow.

Grass-Fed or Nothing: Why the Source Matters

Not all tallow is created equal. If you're going to use tallow on your skin, grass-fed is the only way to go.

Why? Because cows that are grass-fed are eating what they were biologically designed to eat, which results in a significantly healthier fat profile. Their tallow is richer in vitamins A, D, E, and K, powerful antioxidants and essential fatty acids.

Factory-farmed, grain-fed cows, on the other hand, produce fat that is loaded with inflammatory omega-6s and often contains traces of hormones, antibiotics, and other toxins. If you wouldn’t eat heavily processed, factory-farmed meat every day, why would you want to slather its byproducts all over your skin? Your skin absorbs everything you put on it, so quality absolutely matters.

Once high-quality tallow is sourced, it undergoes a refining process, called “rendering”, to remove impurities while maintaining its nutrients. This involves slowly heating raw animal fat to separate the pure fat from any remaining connective tissue or impurities. Unrefined tallow can have a strong beefy aroma, which many people find off-putting, but refined tallow provides all the same skin-loving benefits without the smell. When done correctly, rendering also preserves tallow’s bioavailability and richness, so it remains deeply nourishing.

Ready to Try Tallow For Yourself?

I started questioning why so many skincare products were loaded with synthetic ingredients. Why was something as simple as moisturizer packed with so many fillers and random chemicals I can’t even pronounce? I wanted skincare that actually worked with my body, not against it. Something simple, real, and effective. And that’s how American Farmacy was born.

Our tallow-based products blend lab-tested, high-quality grass-fed tallow with herbs and oils that enhance skin healing and hydration. This is especially true when it comes to our Golden Glow Tallow Face and Body Butter, a radiance-boosting infusion of chamomile, calendula, mango butter, and vitamin E for glowing, even-toned skin.

If you’re looking to ditch the harsh chemicals and nourish your skin the way nature intended, head to any Herbally Grounded location to pick up our Golden Glow Tallow. And if you want to learn more about skin care that’s made with Earth’s original remedies, check us out at AmericanFarmacy.com.

Jaden Rae is a Las Vegas resident, best-selling author of the Microdosing Guide And Journal, and founder of American Farmacy, a modern apothecary that empowers people to take control of their own health using Earth’s original remedies. She is also a two-time best-selling cookbook author, television chef and has been featured on the Today Show, The Early Show, Martha Stewart Radio, Fox Business News and more. You can find her on Instagram at @amfarmacy.