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I love making a good moisturizer—especially one that’s all-natural and free from mystery ingredients. My skin tends to get ashy quickly, so having something nourishing on hand is a must. When I make it myself, I know exactly what’s going into it, and I don’t have to second-guess a long list of ingredients I can’t even pronounce.

That’s one of the reasons I love using tallow as the base for homemade moisturizers. It’s become increasingly popular in recent years. That’s because Tallow is a nutrient-rich fat rendered from beef, typically from the fatty tissue around the loins and kidneys. The rendering process involves slowly melting the fat and straining out any solids, leaving behind a smooth, creamy product with a texture similar to butter once cooled.

Tallow has a long history of use in both traditional cooking and natural skincare. Today, this beef fat is making a comeback and is used in everything from skin care products and lip balm to candles and salves. Many people swear by its ability to help with dry skin, acne, and even hyperpigmentation.

That’s why we had to try making our own tallow moisturizing lotion.

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide so you can make it at home too.

Why Use Beef Tallow?

Beef tallow is often associated with cooking because it has a high smoke point, making it ideal for frying, roasting, and sautéing. This rich, fat product is packed with nutrients and is also great for skincare. Beef tallow is a source of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K, which support immune function, bone health, and skin health. It is also rich in stearic acid and palmitic acid.

It contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), known for its anti-inflammatory and potential fat-burning properties. Tallow can be used in natural skincare products due to its moisturizing and skin-barrier–supporting properties, which closely resemble those of the oils found in human skin.

Since it’s rendered from animal fat, using beef tallow also supports a more sustainable approach to eating by reducing waste from livestock processing, and it’s all-natural and preservative-free.

Ingredients

½ cup Pure Fully Rendered Grass Fed Beef Tallow
2 tablespoons jojoba oil (you can also use extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil as well)
2 tablespoons shea butter
20 drops of essential oils (peppermint oil works well here)

How to Make Tallow Body Butter

The first step is to add the beef rendered tallow and shea butter to a glass jar. Then heat slowly in a double boiler until melted. You can also do this in the microwave.

Once melted, add in the carrier oil.

Pour into a bowl until it is hard. Then whip it with a blender or hand mixer.

Finally, add in your essential oils to the mixture.

And that’s it. You can now use your lotion as desired.

How to Store Tallow Lotion

To keep your tallow lotion fresh and effective for as long as possible, store it in a cool, dry place at room temperature—away from direct sunlight or heat sources, which can cause the fats to soften or spoil more quickly.

When properly stored, homemade tallow lotion can have a long shelf-life and last up to a year thanks to the natural stability of the rendered fat. The best way to store it is in a clean, airtight glass jar or metal tin to prevent air and moisture from getting in.

For everyday use, my favorite way to store it is in a small jar in a cabinet or drawer so it’s easy to grab when needed, while storing any extra portions in a cool spot to extend their shelf life.

Where to find grass-fed beef Tallow?

The easiest way to find Pure, Fully Rendered grass-fed beef Tallow is online. Plenty of retailers sell it. However, if you want to buy and support locally, then you can always source this clean product from a local farmer.