Tallow

A Natural, Nourishing Skincare Option

Tallow has been gaining attention in natural skincare over the past few years. I was a little slow to hop on the trend, but after working with it, I feel compelled to share why I love this ingredient. I’ll be honest, I was initially hesitant. I imagined my dogs would relentlessly pester me for a taste. Thankfully, that hasn’t happened! What I discovered instead is a wonderfully nourishing, silky-smooth fat that elevates skincare formulations.

What Is Tallow?

Tallow is a soft, saturated fat that stays solid at room temperature (like coconut oil), but is more pliable than many hard plant butters such as cocoa butter. It melts easily in formulations and blends beautifully with liquid oils to create balanced textures.

For those familiar with plant butters (shea, mango, etc.), tallow works similarly, offering occlusive protection while nourishing the skin when paired with the right oils. Its natural composition is rich in fatty acids such as stearic, palmitic, and oleic acids, along with fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, all of which benefit the skin.

Traditional skincare products and healing salves have used tallow as a reliable emollient long before the popularity of plant oils. Because tallow’s fatty acid profile closely resembles the lipids naturally found in human skin, it can:

• Support the skin barrier

• Improve moisture retention

• Enhance softness and smoothness

The Smell Factor

Grass-fed tallow has a scent; it has a mild/faint animal smell, not strong or unpleasant, but noticeable when you first open the jar. Some people do not mind it at all, while others prefer to mask it with essential oils. The good news is that the scent tends to dissipate once applied to skin.

How Tallow Feels on the Skin

Tallow is rich and emollient without feeling overly greasy. It melts on contact, leaving the skin soft and nourished. Many users describe it as “buttery,” especially when paired with lighter carrier oils.

Comparing Tallow to Other Carriers

Shea Butter: Both are emollient and occlusive, creating a protective barrier on your skin. Tallow is slightly softer and more pliable than shea butter at room temperature.

Coconut Oil: Both are solid at room temperature and melt easily. However, coconut oil becomes very liquid when melted, while tallow maintains more body. Tallow is also less comedogenic for many people.

Mango Butter: Like tallow, it’s creamy and nourishing, but tallow often feels more skin-compatible for people with very dry or sensitive skin.

Blending Tallow with Other Oils

One of the many beauties of tallow is how easily it can be paired with other oils to tailor texture, absorption, and skin benefits. For lighter formulations, try blending tallow with quick-absorbing oils. For more nourishing blends for dry or mature skin, add antioxidant-rich oils.

For Lighter, Fast-Absorbing Blends

• Camellia Seed: Lightweight and fast-absorbing, ideal for delicate areas

• Hazelnut oil: Astringent (feels dry) and balancing, great for combination skin

• Grapeseed oil: Non-greasy, quick-absorbing, and versatile

• Plum Kernel: Moisturizing and gentle

• Apricot Kernel: Softens and nourishes

• Almond: Lightweight and soothing

For Deeply Nourishing or Mature Skin

• Pomegranate: Supports skin elasticity

• Rosehip: Encourages renewal and repair

• Meadowfoam: Adds a protective barrier without heaviness

• Avocado: Deeply nourishing and nutrient-rich

Using Tallow in DIY Skincare

Tallow works similarly to plant butters in DIY skincare formulations. It serves as a carrier for essential oils and herbal infusions, while providing structure and nourishment. Because tallow is highly stable (thanks to its saturated fat content), it resists oxidation and has a long shelf life, making it a great choice for homemade skincare products.

Tallow is ideal for recipes that require a firmer texture, such as:

• Balms and salves: For protective and restorative applications

• Lotion bars: Solid moisturizers that melt upon skin contact

• Body butters: Whipped formulations for luxurious, spreadable creams

• Soaps: Adds creaminess and stability to soap recipes

By combining tallow with liquid oils or waxes, you can create textures ranging from soft, creamy balms to firm, long-lasting lotion bars. This flexibility makes tallow a versatile ingredient for both beginner and advanced formulators.

Tallow Recipes

Tallow can be the star of a variety of homemade skincare products. Here are a few simple formulations to try:

Tallow Lotion Bar

• 1 part tallow

• 1 part liquid carrier oil (jojoba, almond, optionally infused with calendula)

• 1 part beeswax or candelilla wax

• optional: 0.5% essential oils (2-3 drops of essential oils per ounce of tallow + oil)

Melt the wax using a double boiler, then add the tallow, and finally add your liquid oil. Remove from the heat as soon as everything is melted and blended. Stir in the essential oils (if using), pour into silicone molds, and allow to set. This solid bar melts on skin contact and provides long-lasting moisture

Tallow Facial Butter

• 75% tallow

• 20% plum or avocado (optionally infused with calendula and/or lavender)

• 5% rosehip or pomegranate

Melt tallow in a double boiler over low heat, stir in the other oils, and remove from the heat. Place the butter in the freezer until it just starts to solidify, but is still mostly soft. Whip with a hand mixer until it fluffs. Store in a labeled glass jar.

Nourishing Body Balm

• 75% tallow

• 20% jojoba or meadowfoam oil (optionally infused with vanilla and/or lavender)

• 5% hazelnut or almond oil

• optional: 0.5% essential oils (2-3 drops of essential oils per ounce of tallow + oil)

Melt tallow in a double boiler over low heat, stir in the other oils, and remove from the heat. Pour into a jar and allow to cool slightly, then stir in the essential oils (if using). Allow the mixture to solidify; you can place it in the refrigerator for this, but allow it to come to room temperature when you are ready to use it. Be sure to label the jar. Apply to dry areas, elbows, or hands for deep hydration.

Tallow Healing Salve

• 4 parts tallow

• 1 part beeswax

• skin healing, nourishing herbs (plantain, calendula, chickweed, purple dead nettle, comfrey leaf, violet leaves)

• optional: 0.5% essential oils (2-3 drops of essential oils per ounce of tallow)

Fill a jar about half full with tallow. With a double boiler over low heat, gently melt the tallow, then add in your preferred nourishing herb(s), keeping them submerged in the tallow. Keep the heat on the lowest setting, and allow the herbs to infuse into the tallow for 3-6+ hours, then strain out the herbs. Still using the double boiler, melt the beeswax and tallow. Remove from heat, stir in essential oils (if using), and pour into salve tins or small glass jars. Be sure to label.

Tallow Soap

Tallow makes a luxurious, creamy soap with excellent stability and lather. You can use it as a major portion of the fat base in your soap recipes (commonly 40–60 % of total fats/oils), paired with other oils like olive, coconut, and castor for balance. Or, if you want an old-school, homesteader style, go with 100% tallow as the only fat source to create pure tallow soap.

Blended Tallow Soap

• 60% tallow

• 20% coconut oil

• 15% olive oil

• 5% castor oil

Use a soap calculator to determine the amount of water and lye

Pure Tallow Soap

• tallow

• lye

• water

Use a soap calculator to determine the amount of lye and water needed

Both pure and blended tallow soaps can be made using either cold or hot process methods. If you’re comfortable with soapmaking, choose the approach that best fits your style; tallow performs beautifully in both.

Final Thoughts

Tallow is a traditional, yet underappreciated, ingredient in natural skincare. It is an excellent option for skincare formulations with its skin-compatible fatty acids, stable structure, and versatility. Whether you are creating a luxurious balm, a solid lotion bar, or a nourishing whipped cream, tallow can provide rich hydration, protective occlusion, and a natural foundation for herbal or essential oil infusions.