Myth busting: tallow-based skincare

There’s been a lot, and I mean a LOT, of traction on the various social media channels about tallow-based skincare of late, with skinfluencers raving about the ancient ingredient suddenly supposed to be a miracle-worker for all skins.

My concern with this is that a considerable number of the (mostly very young and fresh faced) influencers having a tallow moment were firstly only two posts ago raving about a whole other skincare miracle-worker and, more importantly, rarely go further than reading the press release they have received about the product they are now merrily reviewing. 

Now, I love a great skincare ingredient as much as the next woman - probably far more than the next woman, indeed, as this is my passion and my business, so I have done quite a bit of research around tallow-based skincare and looked at both its pros and its cons.

What is tallow-based skincare?

Tallow is rendered beef or mutton fat. So, tallow skincare refers to the use of this rendered beef or mutton fat as a moisturiser and ingredient in skincare products. To get tallow, the fat must be trimmed from the animal and any meat removed, before it’s all melted down and then strained to remove any impurities.

For me, as a pescatarian, any product that is animal-based is a no. I just can’t… That is of course a personal choice, but it is one many more people are making today, so if you’re vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian, tallow skincare is not for you.

Alleged pros

The manufacturers of tallow-based skincare argue that as a natural ingredient that has been used to moisturise skin for millennia tallow is clean and kind for skin, containing vitamins and essential fatty acids close to those we produce in our own skin. Grass-fed tallow contains fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K, which are important for skin health (especially vitamin A and E as antioxidants and for cell turnover).

Tallow acts as an occlusive, sealing moisture into the skin, and as an emollient, softening and smoothing it. So, if you apply it after your chosen serums, it will sit on the skin’s surface and create a barrier that prevents water loss and keeps skin hydrated. You might remember we talked about the difference between hydration and moisturisation last month; it’s key to understand the differences - a heavily moisturised skin is not always a well-hydrated one, and you want your skin to be well hydrated.

Tallow's fatty acid profile is similar to human sebum, particularly rich in oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid, which are naturally found in our skin barrier, which allegedly 

Apparent cons

While tallow as a skincare ingredient does indeed date back millennia (as long as people have farmed sheep and cattle, we have used their fat to soften skin and it protect against the elements) there has actually been very little clinical research done to test whether it lives up to all the claims, or if other less…meaty… ingredients can be used instead. Oleic acid, for example, is found in shea butter and jojoba oil.

At this point in time most of the ‘evidence’ is anecdotal, or passed down through folklore/ancestry routes. So not actually evidence at all.

Tallow can be comedogenic. Oleic acid might be soothing and kind for most skins, but if you have acne-prone skin, or oily skin, oleic acid can actually block pores, triggering breakouts and blackheads.

A summary of research on tallow skincare

I read a really interesting study on the The National Library of Medicine website, in the United States, which was a peer-reviewed round-up of all clinical research undertaken to date on the use of tallow in medicine or skincare. The paper opens by saying that actually not a lot of research has been done, and it would be very useful to do more.

In their review of all the research published to date, the paper’s authors found that: 

“Tallow was found to offer hydrating and moisturizing properties. However, other compounds that were studied in comparative studies such as pumpkin seed oil and linoleic acid were found to offer superior hydrating and moisturizing benefits than tallow.”

A key objective was to: “determine the therapeutic properties of topical tallow.” and this has (almost) positive results: “Research indicated that tallow may be beneficial in helping with skin conditions such as dermatitis, psoriasis, dry skin, and wounds. However, more research needs to be conducted with larger sample sizes to determine the longitudinal effects of tallow on a variety of skin types and skin disorders.”

The team also analyzed research done into the possible side-effects of tallow (and yes, some of these studies were conducted on rabbits). Here, they found “the largest number of discrepancies between papers. Some papers argued that tallow resulted in no irritation to the skin and eyes, others reported that it causes severe irritation, and some only classified either the skin or eyes as having a reaction. The results of these papers showed a significant limitation in understanding any potential adverse side effects of tallow.”

Finally, and this is something I hadn’t actually even thought of myself, their final objective was to determine if tallow is reef-safe. The conclusion they made was based on two papers - “it is not reef-safe and is detrimental to marine life.” Not great.

In conclusion

From all that I have read, even if I were not a pescatarian and wholly against animal testing, I would not choose to use a tallow-based skincare product. It is most certainly not a miracle treatment for wrinkles or other skin conditions, and more research is needed to determine its effectiveness and safety for skincare. 

There are many well-tested, safe and effective alternatives available that have been proven to work. Tallow-based skincare is promoted under a ‘one size fits all’ umbrella, and in my years of working in clinic, and in creating my own skincare range, I know very well that there is no ‘one size’ skin type.