Transform Your Skin Health With Grass-Fed Beef Tallow

Sep 11

I won’t lie, if you had told me 10 years ago that I’d choose beef tallow for my skincare, I’d have laughed out loud. It was a little more than 10 years ago that my sister first introduced me to using pork lard while baking. That was enough of a shock.

I’ve certainly come a long way in my health journey, getting back to nourishing foods, eliminating toxins, and now choosing skin care products that are in tune with my system rather than against it. From a distance, it can look like it all comes naturally *no pun intended* hehe. But it’s been a journey that has taken me nearly a decade and I still have so much to learn!

Today, I’d love to explore the benefits of beef tallow for skin health! Who knows, maybe this will be the next step in your health journey.

The Trouble With Conventional Skin Care

Cosmetic standards in the United States are inferior compared to other countries. Many toxic chemicals that are banned in other countries are still legal in the U.S. Even though many companies are committing to eliminating these toxins from their cosmetic lines, it’s still legal and they don’t have to list them in the ingredients.

It’s no wonder there has been a rise in demand for more natural cosmetics. Not only are people waking up to the fact that our food may be contaminated but they’re also aware that what you put on your skin affects your overall health.

Conventional lotions and anti-aging serums continually boast they have found the “perfect composition” to benefit our skin but many fall short and simply create a layer on top of our skin instead of nourishing our skin's ecosystem. What’s worse is these companies can say “naturally derived” or “nontoxic” but these labels aren’t regulated by anyone. So what's nontoxic for some may be carcinogenic for others.

Additionally, many additives to conventional skin care care disrupt our hormone health. Whether it’s artificial fragrances, polysorbate 80, or artificial colors, these all influence your chemical makeup and prevent your body from working at optimal function.

So, if conventional cosmetics are filled with synthetic additives it’s high time we find an alternative! Enter in grass-fed beef tallow. 🐮

Benefits of Beef Tallow

The benefits of beef tallow for skin health are almost endless. Recently a friend asked me how to use my whipped tallow cream and I said, “Oh I use that stuff everywhere!” My family uses it for dry skin, irritated bug bites, eczema spots, daily skin moisturizer, you name it!

I use it exclusively for my face and I’m certain it has decreased my fine lines and helped heal acne scars. All in one little jar of cream! One jar goes a long way because it’s such a rich composition. Read on for additional benefits of beef tallow for skin care.

Tallow is Packed With Vitamins

Vitamins A, B12, D, E, and K contribute to skin health and are abundant in grass-fed beef tallow. Unlike synthetic vitamins made in a lab, these vitamins are readily absorbed by your skin since animal fat composition is so close to ours. Plus, vitamin A gives you retinol and vitamin E fights free radical damage! So you’re getting a powerful anti-aging/acne healing serum all in one product.

Tallow is Naturally Anti-bacterial and Anti-inflammatory

My kiddos know that if they have an owie I will tell them to put tallow on it! They rarely come back saying their owie still hurts. And when it comes to skincare, it calms any angry patches I may have on my face and helps to heal acne spots in a flash.

Tallow is Rich in Triglycerides

Have you ever heard of linoleic acid? Skincare companies are chomping at the bit to create linoleic acid synthetically to add to their products but grass-fed beef tallow has it naturally occurring. Your skin can only produce a finite amount of fatty acids (triglycerides). Fatty acids are the building blocks of your skin health so you have to actively nourish your skin with essential fatty acids to have optimal skin health.

That’s why tallow may be helpful for people with psoriasis or atopic dermatitis. These disorders have trouble creating the proper barrier in the skin and tallow can help improve your skin function.

Tallow Can Increase Collagen Production

Remember the vitamins found in beef tallow? Turns out vitamins A, D, E, and K also increase your collagen production! I’m sure you’re aware of the supplements containing collagen but that’s not the same as encouraging your body to make its own. No wonder I’m seeing fine lines disappear.

Tallow Won’t Clog Your Pores

Because tallow mimics your skin barrier, there is very little chance that it will cause any acne or skin irritation. Of course, all of our bodies are different, but multiple studies have shown the efficacy of beef tallow for skin care. Even though the whipped tallow is thick and oil-based, it works with your skin instead of against it.

If you’re like me, you want the best skin care products for you and your family. I don’t want to risk giving my family a product that could disrupt their hormones or make their skin health worse. So choosing a 100% natural product, given to us by God, makes perfect sense. But, it does matter where you get your beef tallow from. Read on to know what to look for when sourcing beef tallow for skin care products.

What to Look for When Sourcing Beef Tallow

It’s important to remember that not every beef tallow is created equal. Because of its rise in popularity, you’re going to have companies who try to create a “tallow-like product” while skimping on the best sourcing.

Keep the following in mind when buying tallow for you and your family

Use Tallow From Grass-Fed Cows

Hopefully, you’re not surprised to know that grass-fed cows are much healthier than their grain-fed counterparts. Grass-fed cows can eat the way God intended and break down the nutrients they need most, which means you get the best nutrients for your skin because of how they were raised.

Grass-fed tallow has a better balance in the concentration of fatty acids, which are necessary for optimal health, remember? Studies show that essential nutrients are 4 times more available in grass-fed tallow vs. grain-fed tallow.

Look for No-Fillers or Additives

You don’t want anything added to tallow other than other natural oils — shea butter or avocado oils, for example — any synthetic fillers can cause your skin irritation and potentially cause hormone disruption.

Fillers are a cheap way of adding volume to the jar. You don’t want to buy a product for your family and think it doesn’t work, only to find out you’ve been lied to in the sourcing and amount of tallow you're actually using.

Avoid Synthetic Fragrances

It’s well known that synthetic fragrances can cause headaches, skin irritation and dryness, and can lead to hormone disruption. So when choosing a tallow product, ensure it doesn’t have any added fragrances.

Pure essential oils may be a good choice if your body agrees with them, but fragrance-free beef tallow has a wonderful earthy smell. Especially in my formulation that has added raw shea butter!

Beef Tallow During Pregnancy and Nursing

Some of you may be wondering if it’s safe to use beef tallow during pregnancy or while nursing your baby. I am happy to report, that like any other animal fats such as butter or lard, beef tallow is perfectly safe during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

I love it during both seasons because pregnancy does weird things to my skin. Either increased acne or redness, dry itchy spots, what have you, and tallow always calms my skin irritation down. Come postpartum, beef tallow is great for healing and fading stretch marks! Then while breastfeeding, tallow is a great nipple balm. I don’t have to worry about wiping it off before my baby nurses because there is nothing in it that could harm my baby.

You Really Can’t Go Wrong With Grass-Fed Beef Tallow for Skin Care

Grass-fed beef tallow has changed my skin health. Whether you buy it yourself from a local family farm or purchase it from a reputable buyer online, it can make a great addition to your routine.

If you don’t want to whip up a batch yourself, head over to my Etsy shop and purchase a jar or two from me. All of my batches are homemade with 100% organic grass-fed beef tallow, unrefined avocado oil, and raw shea butter. I have scented and unscented options all from 100% pure essential oils.

Do you have any questions? I’d love to help you find a way to incorporate beef tallow into your and your family's skincare routine.

women's healthhormone healthskin health

Cathryn Barker