Why Tallow Skincare Is Causing a Stir (+ Myth‑Busting)
Tallow skincare may be trending now, but for us, it’s always been the foundation. Long before it gained attention online (and stirred up debate), we understood its incredible ability to support and heal the skin.
The word tallow comes from the Latin for sebum, your skin’s natural oil, and it’s been at the heart of our formulations for well over a decade.
Once a household essential here in the UK and beyond, tallow was traditionally used for cooking, candle-making, soothing salves, and, of course, skincare. But over time, it was pushed aside in favour of synthetic ingredients and mass-produced alternatives.
Today, that’s changing. Tallow is making a well-deserved comeback.
In this post, we’re diving into:
→ What makes tallow so effective, and why it’s often misunderstood
→ How it works with your skin on a cellular level
→ The truth about whether it clogs pores
→ How to recognise high-quality tallow skincare
But first what exactly is tallow, and why is everyone talking about it?
What Is Tallow + Why Is Tallow Skincare Everywhere?
Although it might seem like a recent trend, tallow has a long history as a skin-nourishing, multi-use fat.
Tallow is rendered fat from ruminant animals such as cows or sheep. It’s made by gently melting down suet, the dense fat that surrounds their organs, and allowing it to cool naturally. This process produces a rich, deeply hydrating balm, packed with bioavailable nutrients and saturated fats that support skin health and repair.
Historically, tallow was used in a wide range of ways:
- Cooking (especially at high temperatures)
- Making candles
- Healing salves
- Moisturising and protecting the skin
It was a true household staple, passed down through generations and used across many cultures including here in Britain right up until recent times.
So, what changed?
Mainly: industrialisation and clever marketing.
As large-scale manufacturing took over, companies began replacing traditional fats like tallow with cheaper, highly processed oils. At the same time, consumers were told that saturated fats were an unhealthy part of a broader narrative that’s still being untangled today.
Tallow was gradually replaced with seed oils marketed as “vegetable oil” which are often rancid, heavily refined, and stripped of nutrients. These oils became the norm in everything from cooking to cosmetics.
→ In skincare, it was a similar story. Traditional, nourishing ingredients like tallow were sidelined in favour of synthetic emulsifiers, artificial moisturisers, and petroleum-based products. These were easier to scale, looked good on shelves, and made big claims, but they often left the skin compromised, irritated, or worse.
Fortunately, things are shifting.
More people are questioning what’s in their skincare. There’s a growing return to ancestral ways of living, eating closer to nature, supporting regenerative farming, and choosing ingredients our bodies truly recognise.
And that’s where tallow fits in beautifully.
It closely mirrors the skin’s own sebum, helping to strengthen the skin barrier, lock in moisture, and deliver essential fat-soluble vitamins naturally. It nourishes without the noise. It protects without harsh chemicals. It simply works.
Still, despite all its benefits, tallow skincare continues to divide opinion.
So let’s clear the air.
Tallow Skincare: Busting the Myths
As a non-toxic skincare company, we’ve been using tallow in our products for over a decade long before it went viral. And at the heart of nearly every concern we hear about tallow skincare are two critical factors: quality and formulation.
When properly sourced and thoughtfully formulated, tallow is one of the most skin-supportive, nutrient-rich ingredients you’ll find. To show you why, let’s unpack a few of the most common myths.
“Tallow is Comedogenic”
This one pops up often even in dermatology circles. While well-intentioned, these claims are usually missing vital context. Tallow often gets unfairly labelled as a pore-clogging ingredient, when in reality, the story is far more nuanced.
Let’s break it down.
Comedogenicity isn’t about one single ingredient it’s about the entire formulation.
So if someone’s experienced breakouts while using tallow skincare, it’s important to look at the bigger picture. What else was in the product? What other steps are in their routine? How is their skin barrier functioning overall?
The truth is, skin health is never about one product or ingredient in isolation. It’s about the totality of your routine and whether or not it’s truly supporting your skin’s natural rhythm.
That’s why pure tallow can behave quite differently from a well-balanced skincare product that uses tallow as its base. When formulating our own products, this is how we approach it:
“Tallow is just one part of the overall formula not the whole story. We wouldn’t recommend judging your skin’s response based on pure tallow alone. Our formulas are carefully crafted with complementary ingredients that work with your skin. Some people love pure tallow, others don’t but that’s a completely different conversation from how a finished, balanced product performs.”
Here’s another important angle:
→ If you’re using tallow, but pairing it with harsh exfoliators, stripping cleansers, or products full of synthetic surfactants, your skin’s oil production can go haywire. Even the most nourishing product won’t work if the rest of your routine is undermining your barrier health.
As with anything (skincare included), we believe the solution lies in a holistic approach. Your skin reflects how you care for it both inside and out.
And honestly? The results speak for themselves.
We’ve had countless customers tell us that switching to tallow was a turning point in healing their skin especially when it came to acne or chronic irritation. If it were truly so comedogenic, we’d probably be out of business by now. 😉
Of course, we get that it might feel counterintuitive at first putting something oil-based on already oily or breakout-prone skin. But here’s the key:
Tallow mimics your skin’s own natural oils. That’s why it helps regulate sebum production rather than disrupt it. It supports your skin’s natural lipid barrier and encourages it to return to balance.
The ripple effect? Less inflammation, faster healing, and skin that feels calmer, stronger, and more resilient.
And here’s a little (not-so-secret) secret:
Every moisturiser on the high street is essentially trying to synthetically replicate what tallow already does naturally.
Case closed.
“Tallow-Based Skincare Is Bad for the Environment”
In today’s climate, where there’s a strong narrative against meat and animal products, it’s no surprise that tallow skincare is often criticised from an environmental perspective. And while there is nuance to this conversation, context is everything.
Let’s break it down.
Yes intensively farmed, industrial cattle operations can be harmful to the environment. There’s no denying that. But not all farming is created equal.
When cattle are raised in alignment with nature on pasture, using regenerative practices the impact can actually be positive. In fact, well-managed grazing systems can improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and help sequester carbon in the ground.
Here’s how ethically raised cattle can support the environment:
→ Cow manure acts as a natural fertiliser, reducing the need for chemical inputs
→ Cows gently aerate the soil as they roam, supporting healthy microbial life
→ Grazing, when done in rotation, encourages stronger grass growth and root systems
→ Healthy, living soil absorbs more carbon and retains more water
Compare that to industrial monocropping which strips the soil of nutrients, damages ecosystems, and leaves behind nutritionally empty crops. Regenerative agriculture, on the other hand, works with nature to restore the land, not deplete it.
It’s also important to note that tallow is a by product of cattle farming. The fat rendered into tallow comes from suet, which is often discarded during meat processing. By using tallow in skincare, we’re honouring the whole animal and reducing waste not increasing demand.
So the real question isn’t whether tallow is bad for the environment it’s where your tallow comes from.
Our products only use grass-fed, grass-finished, UK-sourced tallow ethically raised on small farms practising responsible, regenerative farming methods.
It’s skincare rooted in respect for the body, and for the earth.
The Real Truth About Tallow for Skin
There are plenty of myths floating around about tallow skincare. But after over 10 years of using it in our formulations—and receiving hundreds of five-star reviews—we can confidently say:
Tallow works.
Here’s what we’ve seen it do time and time again:
✔ Locks in moisture and deeply hydrates
✔ Softens and smooths the skin
✔ Supports skin structure and integrity
✔ Strengthens the skin barrier and helps resist environmental stress
✔ Naturally antimicrobial
✔ Absorbs easily, helping carry other nutrients deep into the skin
✔ Calms inflammation and reduces redness
✔ Especially beneficial for dermatitis, psoriasis, dry skin, and wound healing
✔ Gentle enough for sensitive skin, even babies
✔ Helps prevent oxidation and boosts skin elasticity
Tallow also has excellent shelf stability and holds up beautifully against heat and UV making it far more reliable than many industrial seed oils commonly used as skincare bases.
✱ Note: We’re not anti-seed oil across the board only industrialised, heavily processed seed oils. That’s why we only use cold-pressed, nutrient-rich oils in our formulas, where they actually benefit the skin.
So how does one natural ingredient do all that?
Let’s take a closer look under the surface. 😉
Tallow’s Best-Kept Secret: Its Fatty Acid Profile
We could talk about the fatty acid profile of tallow all day long. Honestly, it’s one of the most exciting things about this humble ingredient and one of the most overlooked.
Tallow is often praised for being rich in fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. And while that’s true, there’s something even more impressive going on beneath the surface: tallow contains a naturally balanced blend of fatty acids that closely mirrors the composition of our own skin.
This unique harmony of skin-compatible fats allows tallow to nourish, protect, and repair at the cellular level.
So why do fatty acids matter?
Quite simply, they’re the building blocks of healthy skin. Fatty acids form the structure of lipids, which make up your skin’s protective barrier. They lock in moisture, defend against external stressors, and keep skin supple and resilient.
As I often share with customers when talking about my formulations:
“Our cell membranes are made primarily of fat. So it makes complete sense that topical skincare with a similar fatty acid profile to our own sebum would support cellular health and skin function.”
When applied topically, animal-based fats like tallow don’t just sit on the surface. Their compatibility with our biology means they can penetrate deeply, helping to deliver other nutrients into the skin more effectively.
Best of all? These benefits apply to every skin type from dry and damaged to oily and acne-prone.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate how each of tallow’s fatty acids works together to create healthy, glowing skin:
Saturated Fatty Acids
Palmitic Acid → Helps seal in moisture and improves skin texture
Stearic Acid → Supports elasticity and suppleness
Myristic Acid → Acts as a protective emollient and helps rebuild the moisture barrier
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids
Oleic Acid → Deeply moisturising and softening
Palmitoleic Acid → Enhances the benefits of other fatty acids and supports skin regeneration
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
Linoleic Acid → Prevents water loss and keeps the barrier intact
Linolenic Acid → Calms inflammation and helps strengthen the skin
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) → Offers anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, with potential anti-cancer properties
From a skincare perspective, this profile is near-perfect. It’s exactly what your skin needs to stay balanced, resilient, and nourished. But, as with anything, the power of tallow comes down to sourcing and processing.
Our Sourcing & Processing Standards
You’ve heard the phrase “the devil’s in the details” and that couldn’t be truer when it comes to tallow.
Not all tallow is created equal. The quality of the animal’s diet, the environment it’s raised in, and how the fat is rendered all make a huge difference in the final product and its impact on your skin.
At Kayle at Home, we don’t cut corners. We believe ingredient integrity should never be compromised, so we uphold the highest possible standards both for the land and for the animals.
Here’s what makes our tallow skincare different:
100% Grass-Fed & Finished
We source only from UK farms that raise cattle on pasture year-round. These animals are never given:
- Antibiotics
- Growth hormones
- Grains or starches
- Animal by-products
A biologically appropriate diet = healthier animals = more nutrient-dense tallow.
Ethical, Regenerative Farming
We work exclusively with farmers who treat their animals with care and respect and who practise regenerative farming that supports the land and restores biodiversity. This includes:
- Rotational grazing
- Pasture-raising throughout the seasons
- Using compost and organic matter over chemical fertilisers
- Low or no-till soil practices
Tallow is a natural by-product of the meat industry. By using it in skincare, we’re helping to reduce waste and honour the full life of the animal.
Culinary-Grade Purity
Our tallow is so pure, it meets food-grade standards. Technically? You could eat it. (But we’d rather you let your skin enjoy it.)
No Chemicals, No Shortcuts
Many tallow brands rely on harsh processing techniques: high heat, bleaching, deodorising, hydrogenation, and over-filtering. These steps damage the nutrients and compromise the final product.
We use only low-heat, chemical-free rendering methods, preserving the natural benefits of the tallow without adding anything artificial. No hidden ingredients. No shortcuts. Ever.
We’re proud to work with such dedicated, responsible UK farmers who share our commitment to sustainability, ethical treatment, and true transparency.
Because when it comes to what you put on your skin, every detail matters.
Our Tallow Skincare
From day one, I knew tallow had to be part of my formulations. The skin benefits speak for themselves and the stories I’ve heard from real people using our products only reinforce what traditional cultures knew all along: tallow works.
It’s a powerful ingredient, not just because of what it offers on its own, but because of how beautifully it pairs with nature’s finest like organic plant oils and essential oils. Tallow helps those nourishing ingredients sink in deeper and perform better. It’s been a game-changer in so many of our recipes.
There’s been a lot of noise about tallow recently, but for us, it’s never been about trends. Our tallow skincare has always been crafted with purpose, care, and deep respect for both the skin and the animal. And it’s not going anywhere.
More Than a Moment: Why Tallow Is Here to Stay
Tallow isn’t just a throwback to ancestral wisdom it’s backed by modern skin science, too. With its skin-identical fatty acid profile, deep healing potential, and ability to support the skin barrier, tallow is one of the most effective ingredients you can use.
If you're just discovering tallow or looking to invest in skincare that actually works without the fluff, I hope this guide has helped you understand why we trust it so deeply.
Thanks for being here.
With love,
Kayleigh x
Sources:
PubMed / NCBI – Studies on Animal Fats and Skin
Soil Association / Organic Farmers & Growers