Why Tallow Belongs in Your Skincare Ritual: A Sustainable Alternative to Shea Butter
At Crow & Ember, my approach to skincare is rooted in tradition, connection to the land, and whole-body nourishment. When it comes to choosing ingredients, I look beyond trends to ask: Where does it come from? How is it made? And does it work in harmony with our skin and the Earth?
One of our favourite ancestral skincare allies is tallow—a rendered form of beef fat from grass-fed cows. While plant-based butters like shea are common in many “natural” products, tallow is quietly making a comeback, and for good reason. It’s not only incredibly compatible with our skin—it’s also a more sustainable and local option in many regions.
Why Tallow Works So Well for Skin
Unlike many plant oils, tallow shares a similar fatty acid profile to human sebum, the skin’s natural oil. This makes it deeply nourishing and easily absorbed.
Tallow is rich in:
Stearic acid: helps repair and strengthen the skin barrier (1)
Oleic acid: supports moisture retention and has anti-inflammatory properties (2)
Palmitic acid: protects skin from oxidative damage (3)
Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E & K: essential for skin repair, cell regeneration, and overall health (4)
Its composition makes tallow an excellent choice for dry, sensitive, or mature skin—and a gentle yet effective option for those with eczema, rosacea, or psoriasis.
Tallow vs. Shea Butter: What’s the Sustainability Story?
Shea butter, while rich and luxurious, comes with a complex environmental and social footprint. Most of the world’s shea is harvested and processed in West Africa—a process that can be empowering when fairly traded, but also highly resource-intensive and subject to global demand pressures.
In contrast, tallow is a byproduct of the regenerative farming and ethical meat industry. When sourced from grass-fed, local farms, tallow:
Helps reduce agricultural waste by using every part of the animal
Supports soil health through rotational grazing systems
Has a lower carbon footprint when compared to imported, monocropped plant oils (5)
By choosing tallow, especially from small-scale regenerative farms, we support local food systems and close the loop on sustainable production.
Reclaiming Ancestral Wisdom
For centuries, our ancestors used tallow to heal, protect, and soften the skin. It was a staple in homes across cultures—from the tallow balms of European folk medicine to the rendered fats used in North American Indigenous healing salves. Today, we return to these roots not just for nostalgia, but because ancestral knowledge and ecological sustainability often go hand in hand.
Final Thoughts
At Crow & Ember, I honour the land, the animals, and the traditions that sustain us. Choosing tallow isn’t about following a trend—it’s about remembering the wisdom of slower, seasonal living and using what is abundant and respectful to the Earth.
I invite you to explore the difference this sacred fat can make for your skin. It’s an offering of nourishment—both from the land and from generations past.
Sources:
Butcher, M. (2018). Fatty acids and skin health. Nutrition Reviews, 76(8), 612-624.
Kim, H. et al. (2016). Effects of oleic acid on skin permeability and inflammation. Journal of Dermatological Science, 83(1), 61–69.
Elias, P. M., & Menon, G. K. (2017). Barrier function in aging skin: Lessons from stearic and palmitic acid. Clinics in Dermatology, 35(3), 310–316.
Micronutrient Information Center, Oregon State University. (2022). Fat-soluble vitamins and skin health.
Poore, J., & Nemecek, T. (2018). Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science, 360(6392), 987–992.