I tried Grass-Fed Tallow Skincare for 30 days. Here’s What Happened:
Curious about alternative skincare options, I recently embarked on a 30-day adventure using only ONE product: Tallow-based skincare.
Yes, TALLOW. As in fat from grass-fed cows.
Today, I'm sharing my honest experience, and a few insights I picked up along the way after my month-long experiment using tallow on my acne-prone skin for a month.
Why Tallow?
Why might someone consider switching to tallow skincare? Here are a few of the points to that I personally considered, which led me to trying it for myself:
Natural Moisturization:
Tallow contains high amounts of natural fatty acids like CLA, oleic acid, and palmitic acid, and it contains vitamins A, D, K and E in small amounts., promoting absorption without the reliance on petroleum-based synthetic ingredients.
Skin Barrier Support:
Tallow is rich in vitamins and essential fatty acids that can help strengthen the skin's protective barrier, locking in moisture and supporting overall skin health.
Skin Compatibility:
Tallow's composition is similar to the lipids found in our skin, making it easier for our bodies to absorb and utilize its nourishing properties. When you apply it, it’s an entirely different experience to other moisturizers, because you can essentially feel it melting directly into your skin.
Potential Anti-Inflammatory Properties:
Anecdotal evidence suggests that tallow-based skincare may help soothe inflammation and calm sensitive or irritated skin. I was expecting a major acne flare as my skin got used to the Tallow, but I was pleasantly surprised at how I may have had one pimple throughout the entire 30-days, while on my period. Unheard of for this acne-prone girl!
Sustainable and Ethical:
Tallow is a byproduct of the meat industry, making tallow-based skincare a potential way to reduce waste and utilize animal resources more fully. It is typically made from rendering suet, which is the hard, white fatty layer that surrounds an animal’s organs, specifically the loins and kidneys.
The plan: Cut out all current skincare products for 30 days, and only use tallow balm + gua sha.
My goal was simple. For 30-days, I removed everything else I was using for skincare. Moisturizers, serums, hydrating mists, ALL of it was on the bench. I still wore makeup as I always have, but I swapped every other skincare product for tallow.
And do you remember this blog post from when I first tried gua sha for 30 days straight? Well, I chose to use the tallow along with my gua sha stone, because stacking the 2 habits together would mean less of a struggle with staying consistent with my gua sha. And I’m proud to say I stuck it our consistently for the full month!
Wanna try it for yourself? Here’s how to do it:
My tallow brand of choice: Noaic Balm
Noaic Balm is the tallow-based skincare company that I opted to experiment with. I chose their products not only because they’re grass-fed (which means a more nutrient-dense final product), but also because the founders, Ben & Grace, truly have a desire to produce a product that actually helps to improve their customer’s skin challenges. This means they don't receive any outside capital or funding through their business. Instead, they do things the old-fashioned way by producing their products in small batches and with genuine care for their customers.
They also offered a variety of scents to choose from. Among them, my personal favourite was called, “Woods,” with “Citrus Joy” coming in at a close second. And yep, I had to try one of each!
Here’s what I learned:
The consistency was like nothing I’ve used before.
Compared to petroleum-based skincare, tallow balm presented a distinct consistency, which was like nothing else I’ve tried. It felt like a luxurious butter that melted directly into my skin, rather than something sitting on the surface like regular lotions seem to often do. This unique texture left a wonderful softness without any greasy lotion feeling.
Acne-Free , glowy results.
Finding skincare that doesn't trigger breakouts has been a challenge all my life, and my skin has been acne-prone since as far back as I can remember. That said, coupling the tallow with regular gua sha sessions offered a winning combination. Throughout the 30-day period, my face remained remarkably clear. In fact, I’d say my breakouts actually improved quite a bit! This breakthrough was a pleasant surprise, given my lifelong struggle to find the right skincare products for me.
You can use it with the oil cleansing method.
After the 30-days of consistency with my tallow + gua sha routine, I eventually decided to get creative, and I added a few drops of castor oil to a bit of tallow, and massaged it into my face for several minutes. Then, I would soak a facecloth in hot water (as hot as I could stand), wring out the cloth, and press the cloth on to my face for a minute or so, wiping away any excess oil after doing this a few times.
The theory behind the oil cleansing method (AKA using oil to cleanse your skin) is that “like attracts like,” so by applying the oil, then applying heat and wiping down your face, you’re drawing out oils and other impurities that are in your skin. I found the tallow to be an excellent fat source for the oil cleansing method. It removed my makeup beautifully, and it definitely made my skin feel clean and soft!
It makes for the * best * massage lotion, hands down.
My guy pulled a muscle at work last week, and I gave him a few shoulder massages over the course of a few days. On the first day, I used a lotion I had on hand that had an awesome ingredients list, but as soon as I would apply a bit of it, it seemed like I needed more and more. I ended up using about half of a small bottle of the stuff! The next afternoon, I tried again using a second lotion, and I not only seemed to need a ton of the product again, but it also left a tacky feeling on the skin that stuck around well into the next day.
Finally, I grabbed the bottle of tallow and gave it a try. I was shocked at the difference in how well it worked. I didn’t need to keep applying more and more, and it left his skin feeling as smooooooth as butta.
I thought to myself: “I need to remember to include this in next week’s blog.” It truly made a HUGE difference!
Final Thoughts
My journey with tallow-based skincare was honestly a pleasant surprise. The unique consistency of this particular fat source, and my breakout-free experience certainly made it an enjoyable experiment! While individual preferences may vary, the potential benefits of tallow skincare, including natural moisturization, skin barrier support and compatibility with the unique composition of human skin, all were absolutely worth exploring. I’m hooked, I’ll always keep a jar of this stuff in my home!
If you're seeking an alternative approach to skincare, tallow-based products might be the breakthrough you’ve been looking for.
Have you ever tried using tallow on your skin before? OR have you tried making it at home? If so, what was your experience like?
In great health (and with one helluva glow lately),
Michelle
👉🏽 Related Reading: “I Tried Facial Gua Sha for 30 Days. Here’s What Happened.”
Please note: Skincare experiences can vary, and it's essential to find what works best for your skin type and personal preferences. As always, consult with a dermatologist or skincare professional for personalized advice and recommendations.
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