Let’s discuss this trending skincare ingredient! Is it the holy grail of holistic antiaging and acne clearing or is it an overhyped product that actually isn’t any good at all? Or maybe somewhere in between? I did the research!

What is beef tallow?

Beef tallow if beef fat. It is rendered by cooking fatty tissues and organs from a cow. Beef tallow skincare is skincare that uses high-quality beef tallow as the main ingredient or the only ingredient. Beef tallow contains omega 3, omega 6, antioxidants, and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Who Should Use Beef Tallow Skincare:

• Those who are experiencing dry, itchy, inflamed skin in specific areas

  scrub me secret: dermatitis is a skin condition similar to eczema which is caused by allergies, certain skincare or cleaning products, and overuse of hot water. Dermatitis can also be treated with beef tallow skincare.

• Those with eczema

• Those experiencing dry, itchy eyelids

  What is beef tallow good for?

  Treating eczema flare-ups, dermatitis, or other red/itchy/dry patches.

  While I am a licensed esthetician, I am not a dermatologist or doctor and only have my research, education, personal experience, and my client’s experience to base my claims on.

  I also want to note I have met people with beef tallow allergies, so always make sure to try the tallow in one small spot before continuing to use and try the product.

Who Shouldn’t Use Beef Tallow Skincare:

• Those with oily skin

• Those with acne and congestion

• Those looking for a new all-over anti--anti-aging facial moisturizer

• Anyone who isn’t struggling with eczema, dermatitis, or dry/red patches of skin

Common Myths About Beef Tallow

I’m all about finding more natural ways to prevent lines, wrinkles, and signs of aging. And I love discovering ingredients that have superpower benefits for our skin like clearing acne and taking away dark spots. But there are some claims I have seen on social media that advertise beef tallow as a kind of “fix-all” ingredient when in reality it does not benefit most skin types or skin concerns.

• MYTH: Beef tallow is great for acne

  While beef tallow does have some anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that are good for healing, it is far too pore-clogging for acneic skin to use. Beef tallow is beef fat. This fat has a 3 out of 5 rating on the comedogenic scale, meaning it is very likely to clog pores, especially in those who already have buildup.

• MYTH: Beef tallow can replace your anti-aging serums like peptides

  The omegas and antioxidant properties of beef tallow do have anti-aging and age-preventing benefits but since beef fat is heavy and thick, the molecules of it won’t travel down into the deeper layers of your skin like a peptide or collagen production serum would. The fact that beef is so pore-clogging would alert me to suggest not to use it all over your face; just stick to tallow-free antioxidant-rich facial moisturizers.

• MYTH: Beef tallow is similar to retinol for anti-aging

  I think this idea would come from the fact that beef tallow contains vitamin A, just like retinol does. But the fact is that vitamin A in beef tallow is far too low to have any real anti-aging effect on our skin, and nothing similar to the effects that retinol would have.

Choosing a Beef Tallow Item:

When choosing any skincare item, I try to look for products that seem to have a list of purposeful ingredients that I understand what they do for the skin. Look for a beef tallow item that is made with purely beef tallow or beef tallow blended with a short list of skin-safe ingredients like shea, honey, essential oils, beeswax, or other ingredients you recognize that your skin likes.

A few skincare lines with beef tallow items that I like are Primally Pure, Toups and Co Organics, and Evil Goods.

My conclusion as an esthetician? If you are experiencing eczema or dry/itchy/red skin then a beef tallow balm could be super helpful for restoring your skin back to normal. Otherwise, I wouldn’t really recommend it to any of my friends, skincare clients, or family.

scrub me secret: Cold process soaps, like the ones we make at scrub me are made using a process called Saponification. This is when you mix lye with fat to make soap essentially. Beef tallow is among the types of fats we can use to make soaps. Other examples of fats are coconut oil, olive oil, and goat’s milk. Beef tallow soaps are enriched with skin-loving omegas that help condition our skin while we cleanse.