It sounds like a home remedy your grandmother may have sworn by for clear skin, but beef tallow, a kind of animal fat, is the latest skincare trend. Its proponents – who make it at home or spruik commercial products – credit it with everything from clear complexions to healing eczema.
But what exactly does it do, and is it safe to use?
Applying product containing beef tallow is the latest skincare trend. Credit: Monique Westermann
What is beef tallow?
Beef tallow is essentially animal fat, and is often used in commercial cooking, candle-making and by soap hobbyists.
“It’s a hard, waxy, odourless and tasteless fat rendered from the fatty tissue of cattle, typically from the suet around the kidneys,” says Sydney-based GP and cosmetic doctor Dr Prasanthi Purusothaman.
She says beef tallow was used by the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks, and in other areas where animal husbandry was common, to treat wounds and heal skin.
In those times, it was often mixed with herbs or oils and used as a balm or lotion.
Dr Celestine Wong, a dermatologist based at Chroma Dermatology and the Royal Melbourne Hospital, says beef tallow is rich in triglycerides – a common type of fat – as well as vitamins A, D, E and K, which give the product its moisturising properties.
What beef tallow can – and can’t – do
Beef tallow predominantly functions as an occlusive moisturising agent, says Purusothaman, meaning it forms a barrier over the skin that traps in moisture. It can be particularly beneficial for those with very dry skin, and its fatty acids can have anti-inflammatory and skin-conditioning properties.
But she warns that “chronic use for prolonged periods can clog pores and lead to breakouts in susceptible skin types”, which may not present for several weeks.
So what about the claims that tallow can help with conditions such as eczema or psoriasis?
Given that both are multifactorial conditions for which we don’t yet have a cure, and require various management strategies, Wong says there is no single product that can “fix” them.
She says “tallow might address one factor, the barrier and protective factor, which it can help to a certain extent. [But] it’s a bit far-fetched to say that it actually might cure the condition itself.”
Both Purusothaman and Wong reference one study that found an emulsion of beef tallow and walnut oil to be useful for atopic dermatitis and psoriasis through its moisturising properties. But this was only a small study and more research needs to be done.
Wong says some of these products can cause allergic reactions, but this might be due to added ingredients rather than the tallow itself.
Essential oils and fragrances that are often incorporated into these products are known to cause irritation, so Wong says people with a history of contact dermatitis or eczema should steer clear of formulas with these ingredients, particularly given some natural products are often unregulated.
Greener pastures
Many advocates of beef tallow for skin are also part of the growing carnivore movement, which looks to pre-industrial times for guidance on diet and lifestyle.
“Skincare enthusiasts who advocate tallow today often reference its history, stirring imagery of happy cows roaming on green grass,” says Purusothaman. “It’s a marketing ploy that presents a picture of tallow as wholesome and natural, a direct contrast to products ‘made in labs’ or with ‘harsh chemicals’ and this demonisation of modern formulations.”
Wong says she is noticing more patients drawn towards natural products, many of whom are influenced by TikTok.
“In the last four to five years, there has been this exponential rise in the industry of products that are deemed to be natural or clean. Many patients are moving more towards that,” she says.
But, the advent of industrially produced skincare has brought with it a more nuanced understanding of the benefits of synthetic formulations. In other words, natural isn’t always better.
“Formulas can now more effectively mimic the natural lipid composition and ratio of our skin without clogging pores, along with the addition of other beneficial hydrating and skin soothing ingredients that tallow does not possess,” Purusothaman says.
And, she says, that “the words ‘clean’ and ‘natural’ are unregulated marketing terms that prey on consumers, leading them to think they are doing better for their bodies and skin”.
Wong says comparing “natural” products like beef tallow skin care to synthetic formulations you might find in the chemist is like comparing apples and oranges.
“The mainstream moisturisers that we have in the market have been rigorously tested and have good science backing them,” she says.
Since cattle are a large contributor to greenhouse emissions, Purusothaman says consumers should also consider the environmental impacts of using beef tallow products.
A lack of regulation around tallow can make it “harder to ensure consistent quality and efficacy”, she says.
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