Is Grass Fed Beef Tallow The New Skincare Hype? Let's find Out!

Over the last 50 years, tallow has become widely misunderstood, displaced by the rise in petrochemicals in skincare. And yet, it has been used in skin care for millennia across cultures, with a proven track record of protecting and regenerating the skin.

Today, modern science is starting to tell the story of what ancient healers already knew. Tallow can heal, nurture and protect the skin. Tallow has earned its spot in modern day skincare. Read on to learn the reasons why grass fed tallow benefits can be the secret to more youthful skin.

Beef tallow specifically contains naturally occurring fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K and B12, plus conjugated linoleic acid and niacin. Importantly, tallow contains fat-soluble vitamins and their activators which work together harmoniously to improve cell regeneration, fine lines, skin tone, and the appearance of UV-damaged skin. Naturally packed with a dense concentration of fatty acids, beef tallow increases hydration by bringing natural oil production back into balance. 

Is tallow good for your skin?

Mimicking the fatty acids, vitamins, micronutrients and minerals found in human skin, grass fed tallow is good for your skin. It's balanced and 'skin-identical' composition makes grass fed tallow compatible with different skin types.

It has the ability to closely mimic your skin and improve skin health due to containing healthy fats which closely match our own natural oils. It's especially beneficial for sensitive or dry skin. It keeps skin supple and can help speed up the regeneration of dry and cracked skin.

Is tallow good for wrinkles?

Grass fed beef tallow contains Vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as their activators, to help with fine lines and wrinkles.

Vitamin E in particular plays an important role in delivering anti-ageing benefits. Vitamin E, among other fat-soluble nutrients, is found in much higher concentrations in grass fed and grass finished tallow, as opposed to grain fed tallow.

Tallow from grass fed cows has four times the amount of Vitamin E as grain fed tallow, which helps to repair and reverse free radical damage. 

Damage from free radicals may cause collagen levels to deplete, resulting in wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots on aging skin. Adding even just a touch of tallow can help reverse this and boost collagen production. Essentially, reducing free radical exposure (or applying Vitamin E to reverses free radical damage) can be your ticket to younger, healthier looking skin.

What are the benefits of tallow for skin?

The Vitamin E factor

While tallow's range of vitamins from A through to K help hydrate and nourish the skin, Vitamin E plays a particularly important role. 

With tallow from grass fed cows estimated to have four times the amount of Vitamin E as grain fed tallow, it has a unique ability to protect against free radical damage. (Note: The study cited might even be understating the Vitamin E content of tallow as it doesn't specify the type of grass fed tallow.)

Vitamin E has been scientifically proven to help improve moisture in the skin, prevent damage, and protect skin cells from further damage. As such, it may be applied topically to lighten dark spots and pigmentation, improve the appearance of stretch marks, and help with scarring.

Tallow may help with acne and acne scarring

Tallow skincare products may be good for oily skin or acne-prone skin due to a high fatty acid composition, bioavailability of niacin, and naturally occurring fat soluble Vitamins A and E.

Fatty acids not only support skin barrier function, but they may also have anti inflammatory properties. You can use beef tallow for acne scars for this reason.

Tallow contains naturally high levels of fatty acids found to lighten skin pigmentation which may occur in acne-prone skin. 

A natural retinol preventing future breakouts?

While studies of topical application in clinical settings are limited, several studies suggest that grass-based diets in animals can help kickstart Vitamin A and E production.

Grass fed tallow may even take a more yellowish appearance from the elevated carotenoid content, which indicates Vitamin A, a precursor to retinol.

Vitamin A is known for helping our skin regeneration which reduces acne and skin irritation. This also helps restore firmness and improve skin elasticity.

Tallow supports skin barrier function with fatty acids

While research may be limited on the impact of tallow specifically on treating skin conditions, there is evidence that the saturated fatty acids found in high concentrations in tallow may be effective at regulating skin barrier function. Saturated fat can help keep skin hydrated.

Tallow performs the function of a barrier cream, complete with rich essential fatty acids that restore the skin barrier to its healthiest state. As they are naturally found in the skin, essential fatty acids are gentle and biocompatible with your skin when integrated into a skincare routine.

Around 47 per cent of the fatty acid composition of tallow is oleic acid.

Oleic acid is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. Because of its higher concentration of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid content, tallow has a unique ability to preserve the effectiveness of more delicate ingredients. This means it helps keep the beneficial nutrients locked in and ferried into your skin, especially from fat-soluble vitamins. The particular fatty acid-profile of tallow means it helps protect the antioxidants from light and oxygen degradation. 

Similarly, stearic acid, found across other cosmetics and skincare is naturally occurring in tallow.

Tallow's high stearic acid content helps to repair a damaged skin barrier, improving suppleness of skin. It also keeps skin soft, with stearic acid known for its skin softening properties.

 Tallow is naturally compatible with your skin's lipid barrier

Based on its composition, tallow can mimic human skin. This is why it can work so effectively regardless of skin type. Given the molecular structure of our skin and its synergies with tallow, it may be considered a skin identical, even bioidentical, natural skin care ingredient with so many beneficial nutrients. 

Beef tallow skincare performs the function of acting as natural sebum, working with your skin's natural oils, offering just the right amount of skin hydration. It works with your sebaceous glands to lock in moisture in your skin without clogging your pores.

As a semi-occlusive moisturizing cream, applying tallow helps maintain a healthy skin barrier, while doubling as an emollient to penetrate your skin. It does all this without clogging pores.

Essentially, tallow works with your skin, helping bring out the best in your skin. This is incredibly nourishing skin care.