Grass Fed Tallow Moisturizer: Skincare Benefits of Using Tallow for your Face

November 18, 2025

Have you heard of the new (ish) natural skincare trend that seems to be taking the clean beauty industry by storm? Turns out using tallow (rendered beef fat) on your skin comes with some incredible skincare benefits. I have tried it out myself and have a lot to say about using a grass fed tallow moisturizer for your skincare routine. If you’ve ever wondered whether tallow would be good for your natural skincare routine, keep reading on to get the full scoop.

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* Information in this post is not professional medical advice and should not be relied on or used in place of consultation with healthcare professionals. Should you have any medical questions, please consult your primary healthcare provider. **

What is Tallow? Where does it come from?

First, we should dig into what tallow is. It’s been around for a long time and many have used it as skincare long before we began hearing about it. So, what is it exactly? Put simply, tallow is rendered beef fat. At room temperature, it is solid but it melts down to liquid over heat. Tallow is often melted down to liquid so the fat can separate from the meat itself. Impurities are often removed during this process. Once that cools, you’re left with pure grass fed tallow.

Tallow has been used in many different ways for many years. For our ancestors, it ensured that no part of the animal went to waste. But tallow should not be seen as just a simple by-product. It has much more value than that. In fact, tallow provides humans with a number of health benefits. For hundreds of years, farmers and homesteaders alike have used tallow to cook their foods in. In fact, McDonalds cooked their famous french fries in tallow when they first opened their doors many decades ago. This was before toxic and cheap seed oils became popular in restaurants.

Using tallow to cook food is similar to using lard or butter. It contains a number of healthy essential fats that we require in our diets. In our modern day, many are reaching for tallow in their kitchens to cook meals and keep their family healthy. However, tallows benefits go far beyond consuming it as a food product. Many are discovering it’s incredible skincare benefits.

Skincare Benefits of Grass Fed Tallow Moisturizer

Due to it’s rise in popularity, tallow skincare companies are cropping up everywhere. The skincare benefits of tallow as a face moisturizer are hard to ignore. Whether you’re using it on your body as a moisturizer or on your face as a form of holistic skincare, tallow is becoming one of those skincare trends that we won’t see dying off anytime soon. The proof is in the pudding!

6 Skincare Benefits of using Grass Fed Tallow as a Moisturizer

So, what are the skincare benefits of using tallow moisturizer? Let’s break it down:

High in Vitamins A, B12, D, E, K and Essential Fatty Acids: Tallow contains a LOT of essential vitamins for the skin. Tallow is composed of many skin loving vitamins and mimics our own skin’s make up. That is why many of us notice such drastic moisturizing when using tallow on the skin.
Protects the Skin Barrier + Locks in Moisture: Tallow’s fat soluble vitamins and chemical similarities to our skin ensure that skin barrier is protected. This is especially helpful for those who live in colder climates. If you experience chapping or dryness of the skin during winter months, consider reaching for tallow.
Tallow is a Natural Form of Retinol: You may be familiar with retinol’s ability to speed up skin turn over and it’s use in anti-aging skincare. Retinol is created using a Vitamin A derivative. Tallow contains a real bio-source of Vitamin A which helps promote natural anti-aging.
Does NOT contain PUFA’s: PUFA’s, or polyunsaturated fatty acids, are a form of unsaturated fat that can oxidize on the skin and cause health issues. Many are reaching for PUFA free skincare over these concerns. Tallow contains all the essential fatty acids but is naturally PUFA free.
Tallow is Naturally Anti-Bacterial: Tallow holds properties that can help with healing certain skin ailments linked to bacteria. Those who suffer with acne or eczema have reported great results using a grass fed tallow moisturizer.
Tallow Helps with Skin’s Immune Function + Reduces inflammation: The naturally occurring Vitamin D found in Tallow helps to boost the skin’s own immune system. Our skin has it’s own microbiome and yes, it’s own immune function. This can help with skin conditions related to inflammation.

Skin types that benefit MOST using a Grass fed tallow moisturizer

Tallow is a great option for most skin types due to it’s presence of skin compatible nutrients. It is very similar to our skins natural makeup. But there are a few skin types that will ESPECIALLY benefit from switching over to a grass fed tallow moisturizer. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Dryness prone and/or compromised skin barrier: whether you are prone to dryness naturally or you live in a cold climate, tallow is going to be your best friend. It is one of the most nourishing skincare options available. It will create a soothing and protective barrier to the skin while the natural fat soluble vitamins heal and strengthen the skin barrier. The skin barrier keeps moisture in. Think of it like a wall that lets out moisture when it is broken down. We need to fill that moisture back up and construct a better wall to keep it all in.
Eczema/Acne/Psoriasis prone: those with inflammatory skin conditions benefit from tallows ability to heal at the root. It contains all the necessary nutrients that help soothe and nourish inflamed and angry skin. Tallow is loaded with skin loving fat soluble vitamins that feed it with what it requires to heal skin conditions.
Mature and Aging skin: Tallow is Natures retinol. It contains the natural vitamin A content that will help your skin improve it’s cellular turnover. It also provides the nourishment and moisture required to keep skin looking plump and supple. Tallow helps the skin produce collagen, increases cellular turnover and heals barriers to ensure moisture is not lost leading to loose weak skin texture. This is helpful for those who wish to prevent signs of aging, as well as reduce or reverse wrinkles that are already present.

Does Tallow Heal Skin Conditions like Acne?

This is a frequently asked question that comes up when discussing tallow as skincare. Having experienced acne myself and had a son who experienced eczema, I can sympathize with those who look endlessly for a product that will cure their woes. I wish tallow was as well known during my teenage acne years. I would have jumped at the chance to try it, and here’s why.

Tallow naturally contains high amounts of Vitamin A, which is often used in acne medications to cure acne. Vitamin A speeds up healthy turnover of the skin. This helps keep sebaceous glands clear of too much sebum. In fact, the main active in the infamous acne medication called Accutane is a Vitamin A derivative. That being said, accutane comes with a laundry list of side effects and cautions due to it’s harsh nature. That is why tallow products are so intriguing to acne sufferers alike. You may experience the same benefits of cellular turnover from the vitamin A content in tallow, without the nasty side effects from a strong prescription medicine like Accutance.
Tallow naturally contains high levels of Zinc. Many acne sufferers are found to be deficient in zinc. In fact, the first thing my naturopath added to my regiment when we worked on my acne years ago was a zinc supplement. Applying zinc topically through a natural skincare product like tallow will improve zinc levels in the skin and discourage angry acne sores.
Tallow in naturally anti-inflammatory. Due to it’s high content of Vitamin D, tallow boosts the skins immune system and reduces inflammatory response. Acne is an inflammatory disorder so any reduction in inflammation of the skin will support the reduction of angry acne sores.

My Experience using Grass Fed Tallow Moisturizer

I’ve tested a number of tallow products. Some have become staples in my skincare routine and some were underwhelming. The good news is, with all the buzz surrounding tallow, there are a number of companies to choose from. I have a personal favorite that I will be sharing below. But I wanted to share some tips on choosing a tallow product that you’ll benefit from and love!

What to Look for When Choosing a Tallow Product

With so many different companies cropping up, it can be overwhelming to know which tallow skincare products are the best. Luckily, I have done my market research and have a few tips to share with you.

100% Grass-fed Sourced Tallow: Firstly, ensure that the company is using a Grass fed tallow. Grass fed cows produce much better quality products than their grain fed counterparts. “You are what you eat” also applies to our bovine friends. You want to ensure you are applying the best quality tallow with the most vitamins intact. Grass fed cows produce products, such as meat, colostrum and tallow, that has higher vitamins and minerals than grain fed cows. Your tallow quality will reflect the quality of the diet of the cow it came from.
Organic Ingredients: Secondly, ensure that all added ingredients are high quality too. Many companies will add other ingredients to soften the application of the tallow itself. Added ingredients often come with additional skincare benefits and actives. For example, if the brand has chosen to add a cocoa butter or a jojoba oil, you may want to check in on it’s quality. I like to make sure added ingredients are organic if possible.
Ingredient Transparency: Thirdly, ensure there are no synthetic added ingredients. Most tallow skincare companies create non-toxic skincare. That being said, there are so many different companies now and it is important to look at ingredient list and avoid a product with any parabens, phthalates or synthetic fragrances that are unnecessarily added to your products.

Benefits I saw from Tallow Moisturizer

Tallow is ultra moisturizing and I especially love to use it during the Winter months in Canada. Because the essential fats in tallow mimic our skin’s natural composition, it does a very good job of adding and retaining moisture of the skin barrier. I often experience dryness during these months and when I use tallow, I see a marked improvement.
Fine lines softening due to the natural content of Vitamin A. This took some time to notice but the plumpness of my skin due to how moisturized it is may also be part of this.
Scaly dryness on my body are disappearing during cold winter months.
Years ago, we used tallow on my Son’s skin. He had patches of eczema and tallow helped drastically reduce inflammation, redness and itching. After a few months, we noticed a drastic reduction of eczema. Now years later, he has none.
Anytime the temperatures drop during season changes, my lips crack and become very dry. Using a tallow lip balm was one of the most effective lip products. It eliminates dry, red, sore lips. It also helped my kids when they experienced red and dry lips during colds.
My skin has a tendency to redden. I have sensitive skin that is acne prone and redness will rear it’s ugly head when not properly nourished. Tallow reduces redness and inflammation on my face with ease.
I often experience cracked heels due to dryness and so I decided to test my grass fed tallow moisturizer on my feet. Turns out, tallow will eliminate dry cracked heels over time. If you keep up with it, you’ll experience soft feet again like I now do! I recommend using it on areas that tend to dry out like heels, elbows, knees, hands, etc.

My Favorite Tallow Brand: FATSkn Tallow

I have been testing and trialing different brands of tallow for many years. There are a LOT of people who threw together a tallow skincare company, rendered their own tallow from suet, added some essential oils and bottled it to sell. I can tell you that these products are easy to find and not as nice to use. Tallow skincare products still require proper formulation.

So, if not all tallows are created equal, then what brand is best? I’ll tell you my favorite and why.

FATSkn Grass Fed Tallow Moisturizer Review

FATSKN Tallow is the OG tallow brand. It is a Canadian Woman owned business that emphasizes the importance of what we use on our bodies. I can relate to Caitlin, as a Mother of two who started becoming serious about health when I started a family. After going down rabbit holes and finding what works for her family, Caitlin landed on a conclusion that many of us have: simplicity is often more powerful for our health. And whole food ingredients are what do it best. She discovered the benefit of tallow for skincare and this began her journey creating the brand FATSKN.

FATSKN began before the influx of other tallow companies. While many tallow brands have folded, FATSKN has remained one of the best thanks to their quality, innovation and dedication to creating the best products for their customers. Anyone can render tallow and slap it on their skin, but FATSKN creates a game changing line of effective skincare that nourishes, heals, protects, and leaves you with the most beautiful skin you could imagine.

What makes FATSKN different

FATSKN stands out amongst the hundreds of tallow companies who try to sell you simple rendered suet. The formulations take the skincare benefits of tallow and make them 1000 times better. You will not experience another tallow skincare tallow product that makes your skin feel this good. I’ve tried so many, and the other brands left my skin feeling wet and oily since the pure tallow never fully absorbed. But, FATSKN skincare products, have blown my skincare expectations away. There’s a reason why it’s one of the best tallow skincare companies around. The proof is in the pudding.

Besides the products being incredibly nourishing, healing and protective for the skin barrier, the quality of ingredients used has set the bar high for the skincare industry. FATskn sources ONLY grass fed and grass finished tallow in their blends. This ensures highest quality with the most naturally occurring skin loving vitamins and minerals intact. But thats not all, here is a complete list of the quality of ingredients that FATSKN ensures:

Ingredient Sourcing and Quality

Ingredients are sourced from specific areas known for their quality ingredients. Tallow is sourced from grass fed AND finished cattle. Many skincare lines source their ingredients from a general white label company. FATSKN sources their ingredients from the areas that produce the highest quality of that particular ingredient. You really are getting the best, most nourishing versions of each of these ingredients with FATSKN.

Grass fed + Grass finished tallow
Organic Unrefined Cacao butters
Organic and Coldpressed Jojoba oils
Filtered yellow Alberta beeswax
Raw unfiltered Honey
Genuine Zechstein Magnesium Chloride Flakes
Boswellia Sachra Frankincense Resin
Wildcrafted Alberta Spruce Resin
USP grade MB
NO synthetic additives or fillers
NO synthetic fragrance
Full ingredient transparency

FATSKN Texture and Application

Many people don’t understand that they key to a good tallow skincare product is a blend of tallow with other skin compatible oils and ingredients. This helps the product apply effortlessly and is simply better for your skin.

If you use a pure tallow, you will find the application is a bit frustrating. It comes out of the jar hard and doesn’t melt down into your hands as nicely compared to products that are well formulated. It can be difficult to apply and pull across the skin. You don’t want to be pulling sensitive skin areas everyday just to apply your skincare. Pure tallow also takes much longer to absorb, so don’t even think about layering it under your makeup.

A well formulated tallow needs less time to melt down in your hands. But when it does, you’re left with a creamy nourishing moisturizer that applies like a dream and feels so nourishing to the skin. Tallow is my go to during winter months and I cannot explain how good it feels once applied. I want to keep touching my face!

FATSKN’s grass fed tallow moisturizers are all formulated to meet your skin’s needs. They are a blend of tallow with skin nourishing oils, butters and resins. They offer a wider range of skincare benefits due to the presence of other oils that come with their own set of nutrients. FATSKN also melts down and applies like a dream. It absorbs well after a few minutes and leaves your skin feeling plump with a velvety texture.

FATSKN Grass fed tallow Face Moisturizers

FATSKN has a wide range of products that are tallow based, including my favorite topical magnesium butter and healing spruce salve. But I wanted to highlight their face moisturizers for those who want a good skincare option. These moisturizers offer the most beautiful blend of nourishing tallow, butters, resins and skin loving oils.

1. FATSKN Purist Face Tallow Grass Fed Moisturizer

Best For: FATSKN purist face is their most basic moisturizer. It’s for those who want the nourishment and deep moisturizing properties of tallow but no extras. It is one of my favorite moisturizers to date. If you love the simplicity and richness from popular moisturizers like Vanicream, then you will LOVE this one.

It does not contain any aggravating ingredients so perfect for those who have sensitive or reactive skin. Purist contains rich butters that are skin compatible like mango and cacao. It also contains olive squalane oil. This olive squalane brings it over the edge and provides a number of additional skincare benefits including: deeper moisture, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, barrier support and is non-comedogenic. It is a highly reviewed moisturizer that delivers and leaves you with the softest skin imaginable. I love this one for layering over actives and for cold/dry winter climate. Truly, anyone could benefit from this one. It’s magical!

Consistency/Application: A rich creamy balm that melts into your hands and leaves a velvety finish to the skin.

FATSKN Purist Ingredients: Grassfed and grassfinished suet tallow, Olive squalane oil, Mango butter, Raw (unrefined) cacao butter.

2. FATSKN Frankincense Face Tallow Grass Fed Moisturizer

Best for: Reactive skin that is inflamed, acne break outs, scarring, and uneven skin tone. FATSKN Frankincense face is for those who want a little help with inflammation, breakouts, or scarring. The frankincense oleoresin is great for reducing redness and calming down angry skin. It provides an extra layer of protection to the skin barrier and calms angry breakouts. Frankincense is healing and has been known to help fade scarring and hyperpigmentation over time.

If you have sun spots or old acne scarring, this might be a great option for you! The added benefits of frankincense to the high content vitamin A tallow that promotes quicker turnover will help produce a more even complexion. It’s also a great option for those who need some clarifying support. It will reduce the bacteria known to cause acne and help promote clearer skin and less breakouts.

Consistency/Application: A fluffy and creamy whipped texture that is easy to apply and glides on smooth. Does not contain butters like purist face does, which reduces it’s viscosity and requires no melting prior to applying.

FATSKN Frankincense Ingredients: Grass fed and grass finished suet tallow, Olive Squalane oil, Boswellia Sacra (Frankincense) Oleoresin.

3. FATSKN Copper Peptides Tallow Grass Fed Moisturizer

Best for: Mature Skin, those who want Anti-aging, Collagen Production, Skin Tightening and Elasticity, Deeper skin repair. FATSKN’s Copper Peptide is a moisturizer with copper peptides which are incredible for those who want effective anti-aging. This is a premium skincare product with a powerful anti-aging active called copper peptide. Copper Peptides help boost collagen production, tight elasticity of the skin, smooth deep wrinkles and reduce visible signs of aging.

If you have mature skin, early signs of aging, or want to prevent signs of aging, this may be the best option for you.

Consistency/Application: A medium viscosity balm that melts quickly in the hands and applies smoothly. It melts into skin easily and leaves behind a silky plump finish.

FATSKN Copper Peptides Ingredients: Jojoba seed oil, Grass fed and grass finished suet Tallow, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Water (distilled), GHK-Cu (copper peptide).

FATSKN Tallow Discount Code

If you want to grab your own high quality grass fed tallow moisturizer or other tallow products, FATSKN tallow has graciously offered all THV readers an exclusive discount code. Just enter my FATSKN discount code: KARIBYERS to save 15% off your entire order at checkout at their website HERE.

Where to buy FATSKN Tallow

Here is a collection of my favorite FATSKN tallow products. They ship to both the US and Canada. You can click through these products to learn more or purchase your own grass fed tallow moisturizer.

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Kari Byers

Kari is a wellness blogger, wife and mom of two living in Ontario, Canada. Prior to blogging she worked in healthcare and saw gaps in the system that was designed to help people with their health. Having experienced first hand the benefits of living a cleaner lifestyle, she became passionate about educating others on health and wellness. This is how The Holistic Vanity Wellness Blog began. It remains today as a resource for others who want wellness tips, healthy recipes, and non-toxic swaps for everyday products.