Beef tallow skin care has risen in popularity over the past few years. Social media has brought renewed interest in animal-based skincare, with advocates pointing to its fatty acid profile as evidence of skin compatibility. Let’s take an honest look at the science and an explanation of why we've chosen to not go down the Tallow path.

What Is Beef Tallow?

Tallow is rendered animal fat, most commonly from cattle. The modern case for it centers on its fatty acid profile, primarily oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. Proponents argue that these fatty acids closely mirror human sebum, making tallow naturally "biocompatible" with skin. Those fatty acids do appear in skin tissue and do play a role in barrier function. The question we’d like to ask is whether tallow is the best delivery mechanism for them, and whether the evidence supports these claims.

What the Research Shows

In 2024, a review published in Cureus analyzed 19 studies on tallow applied to human skin. Findings were positive on hydration and some anti-inflammatory properties, but there were some clear limitations: most studies lacked human subjects, and there were no large-scale clinical trials.

A 2025 analysis in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology examined beef tallow skincare claims on social media and found that their popularity has significantly outpaced the evidence behind them. 

Biocompatibility

Biocompatibility means a material can exist on or in the body without causing harm. The material and the body essentially leave each other alone. Tallow advocates point to this property as a key selling point, citing its fatty acid profile of oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids as evidence of skin compatibility. However, those same fatty acids are also abundant in plant sources.

those same fatty acids are also abundant in plant sources.

At the heart of our crème and balm products is what we call our Butter Crème Base of which the two primary ingredients are Kokum and Shea butters. These botanical ingredients are the foundation we build every crème from, including Crème Nouveau, Crème Calm, Eye Crème, Hand Crème, Butter Balms, and Sugar Balms. 

Together, their fatty acid profiles closely mirror the composition that makes tallow appealing to its advocates. Kokum is exceptionally high in stearic and oleic acids. Shea delivers oleic, stearic, and palmitic acids in proportions that parallel human sebum. The biocompatibility argument applies equally to these two botanicals, with the added benefit of a consistent, traceable fatty acid profile and also free from the sourcing variability that comes with animal fat.

The Environmental Picture

The tallow trend often positions itself as sustainable and regenerative. But let’s look at the data.

Beef carries the highest greenhouse gas footprint of any food category.

Beef carries the highest greenhouse gas footprint of any food category. A major meta-analysis published in Science found that producing one kilogram of beef generates roughly 60 kilograms of CO2-equivalents — sixty times more than the equivalent weight of peas. The regenerative argument is worth acknowledging: tallow produced as a byproduct of well-managed, pasture-raised beef does carry a smaller footprint than conventionally farmed beef. But pasture-raised beef carries a higher total carbon footprint than grain-fed when land use is fully accounted for, because land used for grazing could otherwise sequester carbon as forest. No ingredient is without tradeoff, but the gap here is significant.

"Ancestral Skincare"

The ancestral framing behind the tallow trend is also worth looking at. Tallow was used historically because it was available, the same reason lard was used in cooking or tallow for candles and waterproofing. Availability and efficacy are different things. "Ancestral" also isn't a neutral word. In the tallow industry it gestures at a generalized human past that's conveniently undefined - which makes it easy to invoke without accountability to any actual tradition

The Beauté Nouveau Standard

Our recipes and formulas are created around not only what is backed by research but is best for our skin and the environment. The botanicals butters and oils we use deliver the same fatty acid profile that tallow advocates point to, more consistently, with more traceably, and with a significantly lower environmental footprint. 

Have questions about our ingredients? Email us, we’re happy to answer!