Read the full episode + resources here:

https://becomingnatural.com/tallow-for-skin-basics/

Soap may make you feel clean, but it can quietly wreck your skin’s microbiome. In this final mini episode of the Soap-Free Skin Series, I share the fascinating return of tallow — the ancient, natural cleanser that nourishes instead of stripping. Learn how it mimics our own sebum, protects the barrier, and brings that calm, radiant glow back. Plus, how history, science, and Scripture all point to the same truth: God designed creation to care for us completely.

Products Mentioned:

Hearth and Homestead: Handmade Whipped Tallow Balm

Hosted by Penelope Sampler

Natural Wellness • Chronic Illness Journey • Faith & Wellness

📩 Join the Email List

🛒 My Trusted Resources Contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting the show.

📌 Note: I share what I’ve learned on my own journey — the things that have supported me in hard seasons. I offer personal experience, thoughtful research, and lots of encouragement. This podcast isn’t medical advice, and it shouldn’t replace care from a qualified professional. Always talk to someone you trust before making changes to your health routine.

© Becoming Natural Podcast.

🎙 Episode 53: Tallow for Skin — The Ancient Cleanser Makes an Amazing Comeback

Hey friend, welcome back to Becoming Natural. This is THE final mini-podcast solution to SOAP FREE cleansing. Ok, so it went a little longer than planned, but oh my word how much I have learned! I hope you have too. Quick review….First and foremost, soap basically destroys our skin microbiome with all the terrible chemical laden ingredients and then we try to build it back up with equally terrible lotion products and we become a part of a vicious cycle. Bad news! If you are just catching up, take a swipe back 6-7 episodes to Lotion and then Soap. The now 6 episodes following soap are six fabulous natural ANCIENT solutions to ways we can cleanse our skin with out soap. GASP! Remember, we are re-training our brains. Soap is not what is best for us. No SLS, triclosan, alcohol and drying agents. The solutions we have taken a dive into the last couple weeks are: Oil cleansing, raw honey, clay cleansing, herbal pastes, magnesium and salts and today, drumroll please, newest to me and most excited about is TALLOW.

Surely you have heard the trending words either Beef or Sheep Tallow. If you have and aren’t quite sure what they are or if you haven’t at all, Lets dive right in.

I always start with the good stuff. I want to know the history. I want to know who used it, when and why we don’t use it anymore. It seems to be the same song every time. Accepted for thousands of years in ancient times, used effectively, inexpensive and then…..petroleum. Or then marketing. Or then….a million other distractors. But what can be better for us than what nature provides itself?

Before we get deep into the good stuff — the history, the healing, and the “how” — let’s start simple:
What exactly is tallow?
And what does it mean when people say it’s rendered?

Because let’s be honest — “tallow” IS actually something your great-grandma used to polish her boots or pour into candle molds.
But it’s not weird once you know the story.

Tallow is simply the purified fat from cows or sheep.
When that raw fat is gently melted down, strained, and cooled, it becomes a smooth, creamy balm — solid at room temperature but melts like butter when it touches your skin.

That melting process is called rendering — which really just means melting and cleaning up the fat.

Think of it like making broth, but with fat instead of bones. Im already sold because I do make my own chicken broth slowly heating it with the bones and fat stewing at low heat for hours.Straining it. Letting the fat rise to the top, separate and freezing my own chicken broth in 2 cup increments. Literally the best broth ever and from a girl who has spent many a day or week living on liquid diets and broth due to crohns disease, I know my broths. 
For Tallow, you slowly heat the beef or sheep trimmings over low heat so the pure oil separates from water and tissue, then strain and cool it. Same idea. I even looked into the question we all have to ask….what about bacon grease? Tell me you weren’t thinking it? Bacon grease, for the record is cooked too fast, oxidizes quickly when it hits the air. Its not purified because it has salt, nitrates, sugars, residue and pork fat is inflammatory. So, that pot of bacon grease my granny and mom used to slap a spoon full of in whatever they were making….may not be that bad, but certainly not anything you want to bath in. Once the process is complete with beef or sheep fat separating and cooling, What’s left is clean, golden-white nourishment — shelf-stable, soothing, and surprisingly sophisticated.

When done carefully — sometimes even “wet-rendered” with water to preserve nutrients — it doesn’t smell like beef. It smells faintly warm, like something your grandmother would’ve kept near the stove for biscuits and healing salves.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR YOUR SKIN

Here’s where science meets wonder.

Rendered tallow has a fatty acid profile almost identical to your own skin’s sebum — the natural oil your body produces to stay soft, strong, and hydrated.

It’s rich in:

Stearic acid – strengthens the skin barrier and gives firmness

Palmitic acid – locks in moisture

Oleic acid – deeply softens and helps nutrients absorb

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) – naturally antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory

Vitamins A, D, E, and K – fat-soluble nutrients that literally feed your skin

One of the biggest reasons tallow works so well for skincare is its remarkable similarity to the natural oils our skin produces. Tallow is rich in skin-compatible lipids, making it incredibly easy for the skin to absorb. Unlike synthetic moisturizers that sit on the surface, tallow penetrates deeply, providing long-lasting hydration and nourishment.

🔬 The Science Breakdown (in Simple Terms)

Human sebum is made mostly of:

Triglycerides (40–60%) — the fats that moisturize

Wax esters (20–30%) — give that smooth, protective layer

Squalene (10–15%) — antioxidant-rich oil your body naturally makes

Free fatty acids and cholesterol — help balance pH and fight microbes

Now let’s line that up next to tallow, which contains:

Stearic acid (15–30%) – supports the skin barrier and smooth texture

Palmitic acid (20–25%) – seals in moisture

Oleic acid (30–40%) – makes skin soft and flexible

Vitamins A, D, E, K – fat-soluble nutrients that feed the skin cells

Vitamin A – Encourages cell regeneration and helps with fine lines and wrinkles.

Vitamin D – Supports skin repair and healing, making it great for sensitive skin.

Vitamin E – A powerful antioxidant that protects the skin from environmental damage.

Vitamin K – Helps even out skin tone and supports elasticity.

Omega Fatty Acids – Provide deep hydration, strengthen the skin barrier, and help combat irritation and inflammation.

Small amounts of CLA and cholesterol – anti-inflammatory and barrier-supportive

🧈 Why It’s in Tallow

Here’s the cool part:
When animals are raised on grass, their fat stores higher amounts of CLA.
So, when you render that grass-fed fat into tallow, a small amount of CLA stays behind — even after purification.

That’s why high-quality grass-fed tallow is superior to conventional feedlot tallow.
Grain-fed animals don’t have nearly as much CLA (or vitamins A, D, E, K), which means their fat is less nourishing and protective.

You can see it — both sebum and tallow are made primarily of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids.
That’s what gives them the same melting point, texture, and function on the skin.

That’s why people say tallow “mimics” or “matches” our sebum.
They speak the same biochemical language.

When you apply it, your skin doesn’t fight it — it recognizes it.
It says, “Oh, I know this.”

If you’ve ever felt like your skin is constantly thirsty no matter what you put on, this could be the missing piece — something that feels familiar to the body God designed.

HOW PEOPLE FIRST DISCOVERED TALLOW WORKED FOR SKIN

Like many good discoveries, tallow’s benefits were found by observation — not lab coats.
Early humans used every part of the animals they hunted — bones for tools, hides for clothing, fat for light and protection.

They noticed that this melted fat softened weathered hands and healed cracks from cold or wind.
That’s where the first skincare routine was born — not in a spa, but around a campfire.

Archaeological evidence from Babylon, Egypt, and Rome shows animal fat mixtures used in ointments, cleansers, and wound balms.
Egyptians blended it with clay for sun and sand protection.
Romans massaged oils and fats into their skin after bathing.
Even in Scripture, oil and fat were part of anointing — symbols of cleansing, consecration, and restoration.

They didn’t know the word lipid barrier, but they saw what it did.
It healed, it softened, and it worked. This is exactly where I say I don’t always have to have a scientific study if I can see results.

OTHER USES FOR TALLOW THROUGH HISTORY

Tallow was once the heart of daily life — the original “multi-purpose product.”

🕯️ Candles and Lamps:
For centuries, tallow candles lit homes. Affordable, steady, and long-burning — the working family’s light.

🍳 Cooking:
It was the frying oil of choice before seed oils existed — stable under heat, rich in flavor, and nutrient-dense.

🧼 Soap and Cleansing:
Mix tallow with ash and water and you have the earliest true soap — gentle, biodegradable, effective.

🧤 Leather and Metal Care:
It waterproofed boots, softened saddles, and protected iron tools from rust.

💄 Cosmetics:
Old-world cold creams and balms used tallow as a base because it emulsified perfectly with water and pigments.

🌿 Modern Revival:
Today it’s reappearing in skincare, candles, lip balms, baby salves, and even hair pomades.
It’s the comeback of simplicity — proof that sometimes “old-fashioned” just means time-tested.

IS IT ALWAYS BEEF OR SHEEP?

Mostly, yes — but both have unique personalities.

🐄 Beef tallow – mild, firm, high in stearic acid; great for all skin types and excellent for barrier repair.
🐑 Lamb or mutton tallow – softer, higher in oleic acid; ultra-nourishing for dry or mature skin but a bit more fragrant.
🦌 Other animal tallows – deer, bison, or goat were used in Indigenous traditions for healing salves — richer in omega fats, a bit earthier in scent.

No matter the source, grass-fed, pasture-raised makes all the difference.
That’s where you get the vitamins and purity.

And honestly? I love that the same animals God created to nourish us also help heal our skin.
Nothing wasted. Everything redeemed.

SECTION 1: A BRIEF HISTORY OF TALLOW

By the Middle Ages, every household made tallow soap: melting down kitchen scraps, mixing with lye, and pouring into molds.
It wasn’t glamorous, but it was clean, sustainable, and born of gratitude.
They used every part of the animal because they saw it as stewardship — a way to honor provision.

SECTION 2: WHEN AND WHY WE STOPPED USING IT

Then came the Industrial Revolution.

Factories needed animal fat for explosives and machine grease, so soap-makers replaced it with synthetic detergents made from petroleum.
During the World Wars, companies like Procter & Gamble pivoted from fat to chemicals — birthing the “beauty bar.”

It foamed better with all that chemically SLS, smelled stronger with endocrine disrupting fragrances and lasted longer… of course it did because it stripped the skin barrier we were meant to protect.
We traded nourishment for convenience — a pattern we see far too often. After a year here on Becoming Natural the pattern is painfully obvious.

SECTION 3: HOW TALLOW ACTUALLY WORKS

Here’s where the research meets reality.

Your outer skin layer — the stratum corneum — is made mostly of lipids, free fatty acids, cholesterol and ceramides: If you imagine your skin barrier as a brick wall, the skin cells are the bricks,
and ceramides are the mortar that holds everything together.

Without enough mortar, the wall starts to crumble — water leaks out (that’s transepidermal water loss) and irritants sneak in (hello dryness, flaking, redness, eczema, and early aging).

So in essence:
🧱 Ceramides = the glue that keeps your skin strong, hydrated, and calm.
Tallow contains many of those same building blocks.

When applied topically, it behaves as a lipid solvent — gently lifting dirt and oil while replenishing the barrier instead of breaking it. Remember…oils dissolve oils. Water does not dissolve oil. IN order to truly cleanse and purge your cells you need oil. Contrary to popular comedogenic belief.

And a 2024 scoping review titled Tallow, Rendered Animal Fat, and Its Biocompatibility With Skin concluded that tallow’s natural structure “closely mimics” human sebum and may support hydration and elasticity when properly rendered.

So the science quietly agrees with what our ancestors already knew:
Healthy skin thrives on real fats. “I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” — Psalm 139:14
Every discovery like this feels like another glimpse into divine design — our bodies already wired to work with creation. The more I dive into the complexity of our body and our systems down to the cell, I realize more and more that our bodies are a masterpiece of creation and a symphony of thousands of processes to work ever so perfectly. And what makes them work ever so perfectly? The plants and animals and everything under the sun that God gave us to use to take care of our bodies. 🌿 Genesis 1:29–31

Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.

✨ Meaning:
This is the very first record of God saying, “I’ve already thought of your needs.”
He didn’t create Adam and Eve and then scramble to provide food, shade, or beauty — He created the provision first, then placed humanity inside it.

So yes — Genesis 1:29–31 is essentially God saying:

“I’ve already provided everything you need to live and thrive.”

SECTION 4: WHY IT’S GOOD — BODY & SPIRIT

Tallow is the very definition of slow beauty.
It doesn’t fight your skin — it feeds it.

For eczema, rosacea, or dry, inflamed skin, it soothes like nothing else.
And studies have confirmed that natural saturated fats help reduce transepidermal water loss, the measure of how quickly skin dries out.
(Cleveland Clinic Dermatology reports the same principle for barrier repair.)

Beyond science, it’s spiritual.
When we return to what’s real — the fats, minerals, and plants God gave — we step into restoration, not reaction.

SECTION 5: What are THE DOWNSIDES (BECAUSE HONESTY MATTERS)

Scent:
Unrefined tallow can carry a faint beefy note. Gentle wet-rendering or essential oils (lavender, frankincense) soften it.

Sourcing:
Always grass-fed and pasture-raised AND finished; conventional feedlot fat lacks vitamins and can contain residues. KNOW YOUR SOURCE.

Skin type:
Patch-test if you’re very oily or acne-prone. For most, tallow balances oil long-term.

Shelf life:
Stable for 9–12 months if kept cool and dark. Replace if the scent changes.

So HOW TO USE TALLOW IN PLACE OF SOAP

Cleansing balm:
Massage a pea-sized amount onto dry skin.
Wipe with a warm, damp cloth.
Rinse with cool water.

Moisturizer:
After cleansing, press a small bit into damp skin to lock in hydration.

DIY Miracle Balm:
Melt ½ cup tallow + 2 tbsp jojoba or olive oil + 1 tbsp beeswax.
Add a few drops of lavender or sweet orange. Pour into a jar.

Full-body cleansing:
Use a pure tallow soap bar, or simply apply balm to damp skin in the shower and rinse — your skin will feel clean, not stripped.

We’re watching a quiet skincare revolution. A tallow rebirth you might say.
Makers, homesteaders, and moms are turning back to tallow and seeing results — calmer eczema, fading redness, smoother texture.

And science is slowly catching up: new studies are exploring animal-based lipids for wound healing and microbiome support.

14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,
    and plants for people to cultivate—
    bringing forth food from the earth:

15 

wine that gladdens human hearts,
    oil to make their faces shine,It’s all connected — the earth, the animals, the oils that make our faces shine.

So what’s the takeaway?
Tallow isn’t trendy — it’s timeless.

It reminds us that healing often happens when we simplify — when we return to the materials of creation and let our bodies do what they were designed to do.

Try swapping your soap for tallow for two weeks.
Notice how your skin responds — softer, calmer, more alive.

Because real healing isn’t about perfection.
It’s about partnership — with your body, with the land, and with the One who made both. And I have to admit I am laughing using words like “Partnering with your skin”. The inner hippie is coming out and I couldn’t believe in it more!

🛠️ What to Look for in High-Quality Tallow

These are your must-haves — without them, even a “tallow” jar might be more hype than healing.

🏆 Trusted Brands + Examples You Can Use or Review

Here are some brands (with product examples) that are often recommended. Use your litmus test above to vet them for your specific skin needs. I like to find really brands for you so you can buy something trusted on the spot and I found this brand linked in show notes that is family owned, small business, grass fed and pasture raised and finished, minimal ingredients. These are simply a must if you are going to be putting not only on your face, but on the largest organ of your body that will likely drink it right up if you haven’t had a good moisturizer in. Your life.

⚠️ Beware: Brand Pitfalls & Cautionary Notes

“Natural” doesn’t always mean good: Some brands use “natural” as marketing, but still add synthetic fragrance or cheap stabilizers.

Scent masking: If a brand covers up strong odor with heavy essential oils or perfumes, ask why. Could be masking a compromise.

Don’t rely solely on “organic” buzzwords — always check how the organics are handled and what certification they use. USDA is one to stand by

🧡 My Recommendation (from my heart + research)

If I were you, I’d start simple with a brand that offers pure, transparent, grass-fed tallow with minimal extras. Use that as your control. Then, test a product with some natural ingredients like honey, olive oil or a couple essential oils. Best to start pure if its your first try at tallow and go from there.

I cannot wait to hear the feedback on this one. I love my oils for my skin, but yet again, this is a fabulous option to either use alone or in tandem with your favorite nourishing organic oil.

On a side note I wanted to say that since I started doing oil cleansing about 6 months ish ago? Honestly, I have no idea when I started, but its been awhile. I have very heavy hooded eyelids. Like the kind that will be drooping over my eyelids when I am 90. I have always worried I would have to have some sort of cosmetic rescue just to see my eyeballs. Let me tell you that since I have only been using oils as a cleanser and moisturizer on my face, my hoods are not as puffy, you can actually see my eyelid that is over my eyeball…..do you follow me? Surely those of you with hooded eyelids know my plight. The oil has reduced the inflammation around my eyes. The puffinesss is no longer there, my hoods aren’t hooding and I can definitely tell a difference.

So lets do this friends! Lets go all in on tallow! Check the show notes for the link to the tallow I feel checked all the boxes for small production, family farm, fewest ingredients, grass fed and finished. Just remember, if your dog starts licking you like a piece of steak, it might be time to swap out your tallow either for a new bottle or a new brand.

Talley ho! Lets go!