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Beef tallow for your skin? We put the viral product to the test
Written byAdele Miner
Reviewed byDr Nora Jafaar
Skinfluencers are hailing beef tallow as the secret ingredient to smoother, plumper and more resilient skin. But does it live up to the hype?
Summary
1Is beef tallow good for your skin?
For 22-year-old Olivia, beef tallow has helped to calm the redness of her skin and treat dry spots, while 45-year-old Michelle shares that...
2How should I use beef tallow?
Dr Jafaar recommends using it as a night balm on clean, damp skin to lock in moisture. “It’s particularly good on...
3Before and after using beef tallow
While there’s still limited clinical research on beef tallow for skin, Olivia and Michelle share their before and after results...
How has something used to roast your potatoes at Christmas ended up a skincare staple? We spoke to 22-year-old Olivia Jago and 45-year-old Michelle Haslan about how beef tallow has been a game-changer in addressing their skin concerns, while Dr Nora Jafaar, a cosmetic and medical dermatologist, weighs in on how the ingredient works and ways to incorporate it into your own skincare routine (yes, by applying to your skin!).
Before we get into it, it’s worth keeping in mind that there’s not a tonne of research out there on beef tallow and how it affects the skin. So while some people swear by it, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll work the same way for you.
What's beef tallow?
Traditionally used in cooking, beef tallow is a solidified fat derived from beef, and more specifically, the fat surrounding the organs and internal tissues of a cow.1 Along with being used to roast things like yorkshire puddings, it can also be found in soaps, candles and skincare.
Breaking down how beef tallow works with your skin, Dr Jafaar explains: “Beef tallow is rich in fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and palmitoleic acid, which have soothing and purifying properties.2
“Its profile is similar to our skin’s natural sebum,2 making it highly compatible and moisturising, especially for dry or compromised skin.”
Is beef tallow good for your skin?
For 22-year-old Olivia, beef tallow has helped to calm the redness of her skin and treat dry spots on her body. “I’ve been using it on my face and my whole body. I get dry skin a lot of the time in certain areas like my legs and around my arms,” she shares.
“After going through hell and back with my skin, I decided that enough was enough. Constantly using five different products all the time wasn’t helping. So now I only use beef tallow and other simple skincare products.”
45-year-old Michelle shares that TikTok convinced her to try the unconventional product, using it to address pigmentation. “My skin has always been quite dry, but since hitting my mid-40s, it also became very textured with sunspots and was in a terrible state a couple of years ago.
“I've had dry patches on my arm before and tallow gets rid of it within a couple of days. I have also suffered from blemishes in the past but even those seem much less frequent. I love it.”
Who should use beef tallow?
Dr Jafaar says that those with dry, delicate and compromised skin can particularly benefit from using beef tallow.
“It’s particularly good on dry and flaky skin, so if you have this skin type you might see results thanks to its barrier-supporting and soothing properties.”2
However, Dr Jafaar urges those with blemish-prone skin to be careful. “Beef tallow doesn’t suit blemish-prone skin as it’s occlusive,2 meaning it can block the pores.” In this case, you should only use beef tallow on non-active breakouts.
How should I use beef tallow?
Dr Jafaar recommends using it as a night balm on clean, damp skin to lock in moisture.
“Start with a pea-sized amount and warm it between your fingers. It pairs well with gentle actives like niacinamide3 but should be avoided immediately after strong exfoliants or retinoids to reduce risk of irritation.”
What kind of results can you expect from beef tallow?
“While there’s limited large-scale clinical research specifically on beef tallow skincare, there’s data supporting the individual components it contains,” shares Dr Jafaar.
“CLA4 has been shown to have soothing properties, and vitamin E is well-documented for its antioxidant5 and skin barrier benefits. Most of the evidence isn’t always reliable or based on historical use, but it’s gaining traction in natural and ancestral skincare communities.”
While there’s still limited clinical research on the product, Olivia and Michelle share the before and after results they’ve seen since incorporating beef tallow into their skincare. “The redness I used to suffer with was crazy, but since using beef tallow my redness has gone down so much and my skin is the softest and smoothest it’s ever been,” says Olivia.
“My skin has changed drastically in the last two years,” begins Michelle. “That's partly to do with the tretinoin, but the tallow is hydrating so suits my ageing skin and keeps the 'tretinoin purge’ (where your skin can flake off) at bay. It's never dry anymore.”
Curious about the hype herself, writer Adele Miner trialled beef tallow for a week in the aftermath of a recent breakout, to see if it could calm the redness and pigmentation left behind. Once the breakout was no longer active, she picked up a jar of Hunter Gather Organic Tallow and applied a small amount to the affected area each night for a week.
She says: “Over the week I saw the hyperpigmentation fade, making my skin look clear and feel hydrated by day seven.”
The final say
Social media skincare trends come and go, but it’s exciting to see where studies will be in the next few years on beef tallow. Although it’s still lacking more scientifically based research on its effectiveness in skincare, the personal experiences many have with beef tallow are hard to ignore.
When used the right way on the right skin type, the results can be incomparable, making it a great alternative remedy to slot into your skincare arsenal.
Want more standout skincare inspo? Check out Why I’m loving salicylic acid for another ingredient worth knowing about.
Disclaimer - This article provides informational advice and is not a substitute for medical care. Curated by experts for accuracy, we take great care to ensure the information is up-to-date and relevant. However, you should always consult your GP or healthcare professional before using supplements or alternative products, particularly if you have medical conditions or are under supervision.
1. Tallow - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics [Internet]. www.sciencedirect.com. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/tallow
2. Russell MF, Sandhu M, Vail M, Haran C, Unaiza Batool, Leo J. Tallow, Rendered Animal Fat, and Its Biocompatibility With Skin: A Scoping Review. Curēus. 2024 May 24;
3. Nicotinamide - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics [Internet]. www.sciencedirect.com. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/nicotinamide
4. Husna Dharma Putera, Rumi Iqbal Doewes, Mohammed Nader Shalaby, Andrés Alexis Ramírez-Coronel, Clayton ZS, Walid Kamal Abdelbasset, et al. The effect of conjugated linoleic acids on inflammation, oxidative stress, body composition and physical performance: a comprehensive review of putative molecular mechanisms. Nutrition & Metabolism. 2023 Aug 29;20(1).
5. Rizvi S, Raza ST, Ahmed F, Ahmad A, Abbas S, Mahdi F. The Role of Vitamin E in Human Health and Some Diseases. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal [Internet]. 2014 Apr 7;14(2):e157. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3997530/
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