Why the Tallow Skincare Trend Isn't It

If you're going to rub beef fat on your face, why not just use the grease straight from your frying pan after cooking a steak? Why not use bacon grease, while you're at it? (Bonus: Your dog will be extra obsessed with you!)

I'm being serious. Tallow is just rendered animal fat. The process of making it involves slowly heating beef fat until it melts, straining out the solids, and letting it solidify into a waxy paste. This is the exact same process you'd use to save bacon grease in a jar, except someone did it in a copper pot, whipped it with honey, added enough essential oils to mask the smell, and charged you $50 for it.

The tallow skincare trend is everywhere right now. TikTok is flooded with videos of people scooping beef fat out of jars and massaging it into their faces while making claims about clear skin, healing eczema, and anti-aging benefits. One influencer even licked her tallow before telling viewers "if you can't eat your skincare, you shouldn't put it on your face." Cool logic. I'm sure poison ivy is also edible by that standard.

I formulate with natural ingredients. My entire brand is built on botanical oils, butters, and plant-based actives. I'm not anti-natural skincare, obviously. But I am anti-bad-science-masquerading-as-ancestral-wisdom, and this trend is exactly that. (Also, it's just so GROSS. I mean... whyyy???)

What Tallow Actually Is

Beef tallow is fat rendered from cows. Historically it's been used in cooking, candle-making, and soap production. The fatty acid profile includes stearic acid, palmitic acid, and oleic acid. Proponents claim these fatty acids make it bioidentical to human sebum, which sounds impressive until you realize that's marketing language, not peer-reviewed science.

The 2024 literature review that everyone keeps citing actually concluded that while beef tallow has some hydrating properties, researchers still don't know what composition of tallow and other ingredients is most effective, and the short-term and long-term negative side effects remain unknown. That's not exactly a ringing endorsement for slathering it all over your face daily.

There's also essentially zero clinical evidence supporting tallow's use for any specific skin condition. We have decades of research on botanical oils like jojoba, rosehip, and sea buckthorn showing measurable benefits for skin barrier function, inflammation, and repair. Tallow? Not so much.

The Comedogenicity Problem

Here's where things get messy. Every brand selling tallow claims it's non-comedogenic or rates it at a 2 on the comedogenic scale (which measures pore-clogging potential from 0-5). They all use nearly identical language about how it's "bioidentical to sebum" and "won't clog pores."

Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Leslie Baumann says beef tallow actually scores high on the comedogenic scale and compares it directly to coconut oil and lanolin, both known for clogging pores. Other dermatologists point out that even a rating of 2 means roughly a 40% chance of causing congestion, which isn't exactly safe for everyone.

The bigger issue is the delayed reaction. Acne has an eight-week development cycle. Tallow's occlusive nature (it sits on top of skin creating a barrier) means it can trap bacteria, dead skin cells, and sebum underneath. You might see improved moisture initially and think your skin loves it. Eight weeks later? Breakouts everywhere. By then you've already convinced yourself tallow is amazing and recommended it to three friends.

Tallow is also highly occlusive, which sounds good in theory (locking in moisture!) but in practice means you're sealing everything under that layer of beef fat. If you have any acne bacteria present, you've just created an oxygen-free environment where it thrives. Acne bacteria doesn't need oxygen to grow. Sealing it under an occlusive layer isn't giving you acne, but if you're prone to breakouts, this creates a perfect breeding ground.

The Preservation Problem

Most tallow products market themselves as free from synthetic preservatives, which appeals to people seeking clean beauty. What they don't emphasize is that without proper preservation, you're potentially growing bacteria and fungi in a jar of animal fat that you're repeatedly dipping your fingers into.

Rendering removes moisture, which does provide some shelf stability. But once you open that jar and start using it, especially in a humid bathroom, contamination becomes a real risk. One nurse practitioner in dermatology recommended washing hands before AND after using tallow products, which should tell you something about the contamination concerns.

Properly formulated skincare includes preservation systems that prevent microbial growth without compromising efficacy. Botanical oils have natural antioxidants and, when formulated correctly, remain stable and safe. Beef fat sitting in a jar for months? That's a different story.

The Ancestral Argument Doesn't Hold Up

The marketing around tallow leans heavily on "ancestral" and "primal" wellness. People used it for centuries, the argument goes, so it must be beneficial. Ancient wisdom and all that.

Ancient people also used lead, mercury, and arsenic in their cosmetics. White lead-based makeup was incredibly common in ancient Egypt. Just because something is old doesn't make it optimal, and just because your great-grandmother used it doesn't mean it's the best option available now.

We also didn't have indoor plumbing, antibiotics, or an understanding of germ theory back then. The "natural" practices of the past killed a lot of people. Romanticizing ancestral beauty practices ignores the fact that we have significantly better options now, backed by actual research and safety testing.

Interestingly, tallow doesn't even have strong roots in traditional medicine. Despite claims about ancient use, experts in traditional Chinese medicine note that while animal fat was occasionally used as a carrier for herbal ingredients, beef tallow specifically wasn't a widely practiced remedy for skin conditions, and reports on its efficacy are mixed.

Better Botanical Options Exist

Plant oils have been studied extensively. We understand their fatty acid profiles, how they penetrate skin, their effects on barrier function, and their long-term safety. Jojoba oil, for example, closely mimics sebum without the comedogenicity concerns. Sea buckthorn is packed with beneficial fatty acids and has anti-inflammatory properties backed by research. Pumpkin seed oil, green tea seed oil, and tucuma butter all provide deep nourishment with far more sophisticated nutrient profiles than beef fat.

These botanical oils contain not just fatty acids but also phytosterols, polyphenols, carotenoids, and other compounds that actively benefit skin beyond simple occlusion. They're also formulated with complementary ingredients that enhance absorption, provide antioxidant protection, and support skin barrier repair.

When I formulate products, I'm thinking about how ingredients interact, how they penetrate, what pH is optimal, how to ensure stability, and what the research says about efficacy and safety. Mixing beef fat with honey and lavender oil in your kitchen isn't formulation science. It's making a paste with beef grease and adding way too much essential oils to cover up the inherently weird smell it has.

The Influencer Marketing Machine

The tallow trend is being driven largely by affiliate marketing. Brands pay commissions to TikTok creators for every jar they sell, which explains why hundreds of videos with millions of views all promote the same handful of brands using nearly identical language. When an influencer dramatically scoops tallow into their palm and raves about their transformed skin, they're getting paid for your purchase.

This isn't inherently bad (affiliate marketing exists everywhere, although Stark doesn't partake), but it does mean you're seeing carefully curated testimonials from people with financial incentive to sell you beef fat. The dramatic before-and-after photos, the glowing reviews, the breathless claims about healing eczema and clearing acne overnight? Follow the money.

The Sourcing Question

Quality matters, obviously. If you're going to use tallow, the sourcing should be transparent and verifiable. Most brands make vague claims about "grass-fed" cattle without providing any actual documentation or third-party certification. Where exactly is this beef fat coming from? What were the farming practices? How was it processed?

Without transparency, you have no idea if you're getting rendered fat from factory-farmed cattle raised on antibiotics and hormones, or actually ethically sourced tallow from regenerative farms. And frankly, most small tallow brands don't have the resources or infrastructure for true supply chain transparency, and many small cattle farms don't have the resources to create bulk tallow for sale (I have farmer friends... I've asked, out of curiosity.) They're sourcing from wherever they can get bulk rendered fat at a reasonable price... possibly just the grocery store butcher. 

If You're Going to Try It Anyway

Some people will read this and still want to experiment with tallow. Fine. If your skin genuinely never gets acne, if you have extremely dry or eczema-prone skin, and if you understand the risks, you can make that choice.

Patch test first. Use a small amount on your inner elbow for a week before putting it anywhere near your face. Start with hands, feet, or elbows rather than facial skin. Use it sparingly, once or twice a week maximum. Wash it off in the morning rather than leaving it on all day. Make sure your hands are clean before touching the product to minimize contamination.

Don't use it if you have oily skin, acne-prone skin, or any active breakouts. Don't use it if you have a known sensitivity to animal proteins. And honestly, if it smells like meat (which multiple reviews mention), just stop. Your skincare shouldn't smell like a butcher shop.

What I Use Instead

For deep moisture and barrier repair, I reach for botanical oils with proven track records. Oils like pumpkin seed, sea buckthorn, and green tea seed provide fatty acids without the comedogenicity concerns. Kokum butter, mango butter, and tucuma butter all offer rich, occlusive properties when you need that level of moisture without using animal fat.

These ingredients have been studied. We understand how they work. They're formulated properly with complementary actives. They don't require me to overlook major red flags or trust influencer testimonials over dermatologists.

Your skin deserves better than a trend driven by affiliate commissions and nostalgia for a past that wasn't actually better. Natural ingredients are powerful and effective when they're the right ingredients, properly sourced and thoughtfully formulated. Beef fat from a jar doesn't meet that standard, no matter how many TikTok videos tell you otherwise.

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References:

1. Daley CA, et al. "A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef." Nutrition Journal. 2010.
2. Katta R, et al. "Diet and Dermatology: The Role of Dietary Intervention in Skin Disease." The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2014.
3. Rabinowitz M, et al. "The skin barrier and moisturizers: A systematic review of occlusive effects." Journal of Dermatological Science. 2023.
4. Yang et al. "Fatty acid composition and nutritional value of beef tallow: A scoping review." Nutrients. 2024.
5. Stewart S. "Historical uses of animal fats in cosmetics and medicine." Journal of Cosmetic History. 2019.