Let’s Talk About Tallow

Today we’re kicking off our farm blog with an introduction to tallow. We’ve been using tallow products since well before tallow was trending on Tik-Tok, and we’ve seen the evolution of claims made from all sides of the spectrum — positive and negative. You’ve likely encountered some of these claims as well, so in the coming weeks we’re going to help set the record straight regarding what it is, what it is not, best uses, and much more. We’re going to get into the technical weeds a bit, but we feel it’s a necessary deep-dive to ensure those who use tallow are well-informed, so buckle up y’all!

What is tallow and where does it come from? Tallow is the harvestable fat from a variety of animals; cattle, sheep, and deer or other wild game. At Covenant Heritage Farm, we exclusively source tallow from grass-fed and finished Mississippi cattle raised utilizing regenerative practices in order to support our local economy and farmers who care deeply for the well-being of their animals and the land they are raised on.

Once rendered and filtered, high-quality tallow is comprised of almost entirely mixed triglycerides. Triglycerides are a type of fat molecule that is built from one glycerine molecule with three separate fatty acids (commonly called free fatty acids, or FFAs) bonded to the glycerine molecule. When the composition of tallow is tested, it is not possible to determine the many different triglycerides that comprise it. Instead, the amounts of each individual fatty acid can be measured and reported.

The end result of this limitation is that individuals will write about the fatty acid composition of tallow to make both negative and positive claims about the benefits/detriments of using it on your skin [1,2,3], and both end up erring in their claims. When you apply a high-quality tallow product to your skin, you are applying triglycerides, not free fatty acids (though this is often the claim made), and triglycerides have a profoundly different interaction with your skin as opposed to free fatty acids. {This blog by Lab Muffin Beauty Science, written by Dr. Michelle Wong, a chemistry phD and cosmetic chemist dives into the nitty gritty of triglycerides vs free fatty acids and the studies that have been done to understand what is happening at the skin barrier level}.

Let’s take the fatty acid, oleic acid, as an example. Oleic acid is the most prevalent fatty acid in tallow and has a well-defined method of disrupting your skin barrier [4,5]. Oleic acid interacts with the lipids between your skin cells and opens pathways for other molecules to penetrate beyond the outer layer of skin cells. This can be beneficial if a topical ointment is needed to deliver an active ingredient deep into the skin, oleic acid can serve to improve the efficacy by opening a pathway in the skin. However, this disruption has the negative effect of drying out the skin and causing irritation. In contrast, the triglyceride molecule made with three oleic acid molecules bonded to one glycerine molecule (triolein) does not disrupt the skin barrier but instead acts as an emollient [6]. This triglyceride form is what is present in tallow skincare products, not the FFA form.

So, lets talk a bit about the skin and skin barrier. The outermost layer of your skin is made up of dead skin cells held together by various lipids and is called the stratum corneum. For illustrative purposes, picture the stratum corneum as the dead skin cells being bricks, and the lipids as the mortar that holds everything together. This layer is your body’s first line of defense against external threats, and it aids in regulating water loss through the skin. When your skin and skin barrier is damaged, this is commonly due to the “mortar” being weakened and not doing its job properly, which is where various skincare products come to the rescue.

To help protect and/or repair you skin barrier three main categories of skincare ingredients are used, two of which are naturally occurring in tallow products: occlusives (T), emollients (T), and humectants.

Occlusives are ingredients that create a new barrier on top of your skin. These do not penetrate into the skin, but serve as a temporary layer of protection to help block out unwanted substances (irritants, allergens, etc.), and prevent loss of hydration. The most common occlusive used in the skincare industry is petroleum jelly (Vaseline), however, petroleum jelly definitely has its downsides. It is very greasy when applied, and its persistence on the skin can make it unpleasant to use for extended periods of time.    

Emollients are ingredients that help the skin feel softer and more hydrated. These work by moving into the stratum corneum layer of skin cells where they fill the gaps that have formed in the lipids (mortar). With the gaps filled, moisture is retained, and your skin’s hydration levels will rise, producing a more full, firm feel and appearance. Since emollients are absorbed into the top layers of the skin, they do not leave you with a greasy feeling, and they are an excellent choice for individuals who struggle with dry skin due to a damaged skin barrier.

Humectants are a unique class of ingredients that actually attract external moisture and pull it into the skin. A common humectant you may be familiar with is hyaluronic acid. While the triglycerides found in tallow do not have humectant properties, there are other excellent, naturally occurring humectants, namely honey, which we’ve utilized in some of our formulations to specifically include this property. Honey is a natural humectant and possesses a long list of additional benefits, therefore making it an excellent choice for formulas focused on bringing external moisture into the skin. For this reason, we’ve chosen to use honey in our Restorative Salve to help draw water in for the purpose of hydrating those areas of the skin battling severe dryness and/or cracking.

When you apply a high-quality tallow product like our Whipped Moisturizer to your skin, you are going to see and feel the emollient and occlusive effects. Tallow’s complex mixture of triglycerides will provide a layer of protection for damaged skin, aid in moisture retention and ultimately strengthen your skin barrier leaving skin looking and feeling more smooth. Of course tallow’s benefits don’t stop with your skin! Choosing tallow-based skincare over other options contributes to waste reduction, benefits the environment [7] and supports local farmers in their endeavor to ensure the availability of high-quality, local food sources for communities across Mississippi.

Sources:

1.https://nypost.com/2023/04/18/beef-tallow-skincare-trend-concerning-docs-not-really-the-best/

2. https://nefertemnaturals.com/blogs/news/5-reasons-to-use-tallow-on-your-skin

3. https://www.fatco.com/blogs/blog/why-you-should-be-using-beef-tallow-in-your-skin-care-routine

4. Lin TK, Zhong L, Santiago JL. Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Dec 27;19(1):70. doi: 10.3390/ijms19010070. PMID: 29280987; PMCID: PMC5796020.

5. Kováčik A, Kopečná M, Hrdinová I, Opálka L, Boncheva Bettex M, Vávrová K. Time-Dependent Differences in the Effects of Oleic Acid and Oleyl Alcohol on the Human Skin Barrier. Mol Pharm. 2023 Dec 4;20(12):6237-6245. doi: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00648. Epub 2023 Nov 11. PMID: 37950377; PMCID: PMC10698716.

6. Fiume MM, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, et al. Amended Safety Assessment of Triglycerides as Used in Cosmetics. International Journal of Toxicology. 2022;41(3_suppl):22-68. doi:10.1177/10915818221123790

7. https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog/carbon-negative-grassfed-beef