For generations, our ancestors relied on nature’s simplest ingredients to nourish their skin — and one of their best-kept secrets was tallow. Today, the clean beauty world is rediscovering what grandmothers and pioneers knew all along: tallow is one of the most nourishing, bioavailable, and gentle skincare ingredients on the planet.
If you’re curious about how tallow works, why it’s become a skincare trend, and the best tallow-based brands to support (plus two discount codes for my favorites!), keep reading. This is your guide to the timeless beauty of tallow.
🌿 What Is Tallow Skincare?
Tallow is simply rendered animal fat — usually from grass-fed cows or sheep — that has been purified and transformed into a creamy, nutrient-rich balm. While that might sound unusual in today’s plant-based skincare world, animal fats like tallow have been used for centuries to moisturize, protect, and heal the skin.
Tallow is incredibly close in composition to the natural oils (sebum) your skin produces, which means it absorbs beautifully and delivers deep hydration without clogging pores or disrupting your skin barrier.
🪞How Does Tallow Work for the Skin?
Tallow is rich in fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K — nutrients your skin craves to stay healthy and radiant. Unlike many water-based lotions filled with preservatives and chemicals, tallow delivers pure, bioavailable nourishment straight to your skin cells.
Here’s how it benefits your skin:
✨ Deeply moisturizes without feeling greasy✨ Supports skin barrier health and elasticity✨ Reduces redness, irritation, and dryness✨ Helps balance oil production for both dry and acne-prone skin✨ Packed with anti-aging antioxidants✨ Gentle enough for sensitive, eczema, or rosacea-prone skin.
🪔 A Brief History of Tallow in Skincare
Long before commercial skincare, tallow was a household staple. Pioneers, homesteaders, and even ancient civilizations used tallow to make everything from soap to salves to candles. Before synthetic moisturizers existed, tallow was the go-to solution for dry, chapped skin and harsh weather protection.
Our grandmothers would render beef fat by hand, whip it into simple salves with herbs and essential oils, and use it as an all-purpose beauty balm. Now, modern homesteaders and holistic beauty brands are bringing this traditional wisdom back — with a clean, luxurious twist.
⭐️ Top Tallow Beauty & Skincare Brands to Try
If you’re ready to experience tallow skincare for yourself, here are my top five favorite brands making beautiful, ethical, and effective tallow products — plus a little about each one, product recommendations, and price points. I’ve included affiliate links where available, so you can shop and support my site while stocking up on skincare you’ll love!
1. Clara & Fritz
Faithful, Gentle Skincare for the Whole Family
💰 Price Range: $12 – $45
📌 Notable Products:
Tallow Whip (Unscented & Scented)
Baby Balm
Cleansing Bar Soaps
Clara & Fritz is one of my absolute favorites — a family-owned, faith-based business that makes handcrafted tallow skincare with minimal, non-toxic ingredients. Their products are gentle enough for babies but effective enough for adults who want to simplify their skincare routine and nourish their skin naturally.
✨ Use my discount code: Littlehouse for 10% off your order!
2. Simple Sophistication
Where Clean Beauty Meets Classic Elegance
💰 Price Range: $15 – $55
📌 Notable Products:
Grass-Fed Tallow Beauty Balms for Skin
Tallow & Beeswax Lip Balm
Tallow Lipstick (Nourishing, pigmented, non-toxic) - the perfect subtle colors!
Simple Sophistication blends old-world, clean ingredients with elegant, modern beauty products. Not only do they offer high-quality tallow balms, but they’ve also created one of the few Tallow-Based Lipsticks on the market — a dream come true for anyone wanting to ditch chemical-filled makeup without sacrificing beauty and color payoff.
✨ Use my discount code: LEA15 for 15% off your entire order!
3. Toups & Co Organics
Rooted in Real Ingredients + Whole Living
💰 Price Range: $10 – $50
📌 Notable Products:
Grass-Fed Tallow Balm
Tallow + Aloe Facial Cleanser
Tallow Lip Balm
Toups & Co is a family-run business inspired by traditional, holistic living. Their tallow skincare line is made with grass-fed tallow, organic olive oil, and essential oils to nourish your skin without toxins, fillers, or synthetics. Their packaging and branding have an earthy, luxurious vibe you’ll love.
4. Buffalo Gal Grassfed Beauty
Farm-to-Face Skincare
💰 Price Range: $14 – $65
📌 Notable Products:
Whipped Tallow Balm
Tallow Lip Butter
Radiance Tallow Cleansing Oil
Buffalo Gal makes small-batch, handcrafted tallow skincare products from their own regenerative farm. Their products are ultra-pure, and they prioritize sourcing, sustainability, and transparency. The "Radiance" line is particularly popular for aging and sensitive skin.
5. Folkish Beauty
Minimal, Ancestral Skincare
💰 Price Range: $15 – $42
📌 Notable Products:
Whipped Tallow Balm (Lavender + Frankincense)
Baby & Sensitive Balm
Herbal Infused Tallow Salve
Folkish Beauty offers simple, heritage-inspired skincare with a modern aesthetic. They use grass-fed, grass-finished tallow and infuse many of their products with organic herbs. Their balms are light, fluffy, and smell divine without synthetic fragrances.
🌸 Final Thoughts
Tallow skincare isn’t just a passing trend — it’s a return to old-world wisdom and the kind of intentional, nourishing beauty that our skin thrives on. Whether you’re looking for a moisturizer that won’t disrupt your skin barrier, a gentle product for your little ones, or a holistic approach to aging gracefully, tallow might be the missing piece in your skincare routine.
If you’re ready to embrace this glow-from-within goodness, start with any of the trusted brands above — and don’t forget to use my Clara & Fritz discount code Littlehouse OR Lea15 through Simple Sophistication to save on your order.
Your skin will thank you.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through them — at no extra cost to you.
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