The History of Tallow Skincare: The Ancient Secret to Naturally Radiant, Healthy Skin
- Katie Gustafson
- Sep 28, 2024
- 10 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
There's no doubt that tallow-based skincare is trending, but that doesn't mean it is a modern fad. In fact, did you know that tallow is one of the most time-tested natural ingredients in skincare history? It was even used in ancient times by early cultures such as the Babylonians and Egyptians. The Greeks and Romans also used it in healing balms and salves and for smooth, glowing skin. In later eras, many other cultures would adapt versatile, nourishing properties of tallow in their own skincare routines. The history of tallow in skincare is pretty incredible! It's only over the last few decades that it became less popular, and that had nothing to do with its effectiveness.
Get ready guys. For this blog, I am about to release my inner skincare nerd upon you all in a fascinating journey that explores the history of tallow in skincare: from ancient times, to its retirement in the last century, to its present revival!
From the Beginning--The History of Tallow in Skincare
Ancient Egypt: Here's something we know about the ancient Egyptians--beauty and self-care rituals had an important, and even spiritual, significance to them. This is so much the case that we continue to use many beauty tools and tips from the Egyptians today, including rendered animal fats (like tallow) for skincare. The ancient Egyptians used rendered animal fat to make healing balms to protect their skin from the hot sun, as well as perfumes to smell nice. They even used it to create create those cosmetics they loved. It is speculated that this may have been one of Cleopatra's beauty secrets.
Babylonian and Mesopotamian Skincare: The ancient Babylonians also used animal fats like tallow to make salves and ointments for skincare and medicinal purposes. Tallow is naturally anti-inflammatory and full of vitamins that can be naturally absorbed by the skin. Because of it's thick, moisturizing texture, it also acts a bit as a natural bandage.
I am not sure how they made this discovery. I mean, who was the first person to say: "Let's melt down this cow fat and put it on that wound"? I don't know, but I do love an out-of-the-box thinker! The fact is, it worked. This even continues to be a way that we can still use tallow today! I keep a jar in the kitchen specifically for minor scrapes and burns. (Beauty Balm works particularly well on bug bites, while the Bee Balm and Blue Balm are favorites for burns and other irritations.)
Roman Empire: Is the Roman Empire your "Roman Empire"? Well, the Romans used tallow in their daily skincare routines, too. Like the Egyptians, they applied it for moisture. There is even evidence that they used it in their famous bathhouses to soften and protect the skin after cleansing (before scraping it off with a strigil). They would have had soap made of tallow as well, but at this point in history, this would have been used more for cleaning clothes and other cloth.
Medieval Europe: Whereas the cultures of the ancient world would have used tallow balm to protect against the effects of a hot and constant sun, peoples of Medieval Europe used it to treat skin that was chapped by the cold and the wind. It was also used in balms and pomades, and medicinal salves. And around this time, it became more common for people to use bars of tallow soap to clean their skin, not just for cleaning clothes. If you were lucky, you might enjoy your own bar of tallow soap during your weekly or bi-weekly bath! As a side note: most soap was made of tallow until more recent decades, and tallow soap is amazingly moisturizing if you've never tried it.
Colonial America: Early settlers and pioneers in the New World used tallow in plenty of homemade skincare products, including simple (or maybe even scented) tallow soaps and balms for moisturizing and protecting the skin from the elements. The native peoples of America, and later colonists, also used tallow to make pemmican, a nutrient-rich snack that could be made to last all winter.
Regency/Victorian Era: Tallow was still popular in 1800s cosmetics and skincare. It would have been used with floral oils and essences to create luxurious lotions and creams to moisturize and smell nice at one's social events. Lavender or rose would have been popular scents of the time (still two of my favorite scents today, which is why I make my Honey Lavender Bee Balm!)
So What Happened to Tallow Skincare? The Decline of Natural Skincare
Honestly, our use of tallow in skin and beauty products was pretty consistent from ancient times until the early/mid 1900s! As you can see, it was a very time-tested, natural ingredient that held many health and beauty applications for thousands of years. (Thousands!)
So what happened to tallow skincare? Why did it become less popular in recent decades?
Tallow skincare obviously went away somewhere, at some point, or we couldn't be experiencing it as a resurgence, right?
As with many things in our culture, we can point to changes immediately following WWII.
During and after the War, there was an increasing emphasis on newer products that could be manufactured in mass and placed on a shelf for indefinite periods of time.
Let's be honest, we were beginning to be impressed by our own innovations. We had survived a possibility of the end-times, largely due to our own brilliant innovations! We were pretty proud of our own ability to adapt to change. Perhaps, as a result (one which had many positive AND negative repercussions), everything old was out. All things new were in!
Tallow-based skincare began to be seen as "old-fashioned" and took a backseat to trendy, synthetic ingredients that could made in a lab. The young families of the 50s and 60s were all about the latest innovations-- Tupperware! Trips to the moon! Food that lasted indefinitely on the shelf! Poly...everything! Marketing!
Tallow? Too old school! Pond Cold Cream (main ingredient: mineral oil)? Hip and new!
As the world rushed to embrace the new and innovative, tallow started to fade into the background..."
The Fat Phobic 80s, 90s, and Early 2000s (Even Skincare Can't Be Fat!)
This likely progressed in the 80s and 90s, when they started telling us that all things naturally "fatty" were bad for us. Fat was out, and this applied to every aspect of 80s, 90s, and early 2000s culture. (If you grew up in any of these decades, like I did, you remember how intense this was!)
Among other things, this is why is why we collectively stopped consuming and using natural fats like butter, tallow and nuts and opted for things like margarine, vegetable oil, and lowfat Snackwells cakes. (I still remember the way I ate 3 of these at a time as a 9 year old because they were "low fat.")
Fun fact: this is also when McDonald's stopped frying their fries in tallow and made the switch to vegetable oil. As we've since learned and observed- ditching nature's fats for chemically-manufactured oil/fat replacements didn't do us much good, health-wise! (Another post for another time!)
And it wasn't just our food—this aversion to fats crept into our beauty routines too. Tallow hadn't been the most popular product for a couple of decades already, but being made of fat probably didn't do it many favors during Millennial-childhood era.
The Great Tallow Comeback in Natural Skincare (and Beyond)
“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.” — Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park.
We're finding Ian Malcolm's words of wisdom to be true for many things in this digital age, but nutrition (including skincare) definitely goes on that list!
If you live even a little in the world nutrition or healthy living, you know that our excited (and relatively short) blip of experimenting with seed and petroleum oils and chemical-rich beauty products has died down.
We now know that natural, healthy fats (nuts, avocado, butter) are much better for us to ingest than processed seed oils. We've learned that excessive ingestion of synthetic products and foods are associated with increased risk of cancer, obesity, and other diseases.
When it comes to beauty and skincare, we also know that what we put on our skin counts towards-- not just our skin health, but our overall health. Our skin is our largest organ, and we absorb things that we put on it into our body!
So, as fun and good as it is to invent new things, many are now turning back to historically proven methods when it comes to how we take care of ourselves. Natural skincare is experiencing a major comeback. And when it comes to natural skincare, few ingredients rank this list with all As like grass-fed tallow does.
As people return to more natural skincare and time-tested methods, tallow is becoming increasingly popular again! (And let's be honest, when you look at it historically, it wasn't off the A-list very long).
Skincare Benefits of Tallow, According to Science:
Our ancestors somehow discovered that rendering beef created a natural product that provided excellent moisture, seemed to have some healing properties, and created healthier, glowing skin. They liked tallow skincare so much that it remained a top ingredient for thousands of years! And while I'm not 100% sure, it's maybe fair to speculate that they probably didn't know why tallow worked so well on the skin--just that it worked!
Today, as we look at tallow as a modern, natural skincare favorite, we have more knowledge about why it is such an effective and nourishing moisturizer. Here are a few of the skincare benefits of tallow that we have a better understanding of, today:
Loaded with Skin-Loving Fatty Acids: Tallow is full of linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid that keeps your skin hydrated and soft. Plus, its makeup is super similar to the oils your skin naturally produces. This is what allows tallow balms to soak in without feeling greasy.
Full of Vitamins: Tallow is a natural source of vitamins A, D, E, and K—all of which support healthy, glowing skin. Vitamin A, for example, is a natural retinol, and vitamin K helps fight off free radicals. (Yes, like the ones that cause wrinkles!)
Antioxidants Galore: Speaking of free radicals, tallow comes with its own set of antioxidants that help protect your skin.
Naturally Soothing: Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, tallow is perfect for calming irritated skin. Whether you’ve got redness, dryness, or any kind of irritation, tallow’s got your back. I use my whipped tallow balms for anything and everything, not just with skincare, but also inflammation. I particularly like Blue Balm and Beauty Balm for messaging achy areas.
Boosts Collagen: Collagen products are another current trend in skincare. The vitamins in tallow can help kickstart your collagen production, which keeps your skin plump and reduces wrinkles over time.
Locks in Moisture: Tallow is an excellent natural barrier that helps seal in moisture, protecting your skin from the elements and keeping it soft and smooth. The honey that add to my whipped tallow balm line adds additional humectant properties, helping to lock in that moisture and act like a natural Band-aid.
Helps Heal: Got a scrape, burn, or even a rash? For many of the reasons listed above, tallow can help speed up the healing process while soothing your skin. Our ancestors figured this out, but now we have a better understanding of why it works!
Getting Started with Natural, Tallow-Based Skincare
Tallow is a beauty secret that’s been cherished for thousands of years, so I'm happy to see it is finally making its well-deserved comeback! Looking at historical and scientific evidence, I think it's pretty clear that tallow isn’t just a skincare fad; it’s a tried-and-true ingredient with a long history of keeping skin healthy, radiant, and moisturized.
From ancient Egypt to today’s skincare routines, it’s clear that tallow stands the test of time.
As a maker of self-care goods, I have always loved the idea of using natural, historically proven ingredients in my products. In fact, my love of lavender oil is what started Bloom! I don't just love the time-tested nature of these ingredients, but also their historical significance. Tallow, for example, is a skincare ingredient which has played a role in the stories of our ancestors around the world, proven to be safe and effective throughout many different kinds of lives and journeys. As you can probably tell from this article, I think that is fascinating! There is something incredible about the ability of an ingredient or product to link us together throughout time.
If you're wanting to get your hands on some tallow-based skincare at this point, I feel like I should insert my shameless plug here! It really is shameless; I make good products. They are natural, they work, and they have a very competitively low-price point when it comes to tallow balms!
Bloom's Tallow Line for Skincare
At Bloom, we craft three unique types of whipped tallow balms, each made with carefully selected, 100% natural ingredients like organic, grass-fed tallow, organic sunflower oil, honey, and essential oils. These balms are designed to deeply nourish, hydrate, and soothe your skin, offering versatile solutions for skincare, massages, and targeted treatments.
If you're not sure which balm is best for your skin, don't worry! Below, we’ve highlighted the unique benefits of each balm to help you make the perfect choice for your skincare needs. For a deeper dive, check out our blog post: Choosing the Right Whipped Tallow Balm.
Ready to explore? Learn more about Blue Balm, Bee Balm, and Beauty Balm below, and discover which one fits your routine.
This balm is designed to address wrinkles and UV damage, as well as on bug bites. (Look up some of properties of Frankincense! It is amazing for anti-aging skincare). Frankincense is also anti-inflammatory, so this balm is great for massage. Safe for all ages.
This naturally blue tallow balm is particularly good for skin rashes and irritations! Blue Tansy, like Frankincense, is anti-inflammatory, so it's great for any inflammation issues. I have heard many good reports about this balm for eczema. Since blue tansy oil is not universally recommended for pregnant women, I tend to encourage any expecting mamas to choose a different balm.
I love the lavender scent of this balm, and it is my favorite for night-time skincare or to use as a face mask. This product has more honey than the others. Safe for all ages!
I hope you enjoyed this little historical exploration into the world of tallow and skincare! I think it is fascinating to see how trends and culture influence one another, and how some ingredients continue to pass the tests of time. Do you have any thoughts or questions about the history of tallow in skincare? Comment below!