Tallow Skincare - Something Old is New Again

There is a lot of buzz right now about Tallow in the skincare marketplace. For those who are not familiar with it, Tallow is rendered animal fat, most commonly beef fat. While it may be one of the latest skincare trends, its use in skincare goes back a long way.

As people have become more conscious of the ingredients in their food over the past few years, they have also begun asking more questions about the ingredients in their skincare products. With this increased awareness has come a growing popularity of skincare products made with clean, natural ingredients and, in particular, Tallow.

What most people don't know is that for much of human history, going back to ancient and pre-industrial times, animal fats such as Tallow were commonly used for skincare.

What I find particularly interesting is how something used for so many generations largely disappeared from mainstream skincare during the twentieth century. I was surprised to learn that World War II played a role in Tallow's decline. During the war, animal fats were in short supply because they were rationed and collected for military and industrial uses. As a result, Tallow became much less available for everyday household products such as soaps and lotions.

After the war, consumer preferences began shifting toward manufactured products. Aggressive marketing helped change the perception of traditional ingredients such as animal fats, which increasingly came to be viewed as old-fashioned and unsophisticated. At the same time, the growth of American manufacturing and the rapidly expanding consumer-products industry favored mass-produced lotions and soaps made with ingredients that offered a longer shelf life.

And for several generations, Tallow largely disappeared from the mainstream skincare conversation.

So Why Is Tallow Back?

The surging popularity of natural skincare is driven by a mix of changing consumer values and market dynamics, and online selling has played a massive, direct role in making it happen.

Online platforms do not just support trends. They actively drive them, and the re-emergence of Tallow is a great example of this phenomenon.

On a personal note, I had no idea what Tallow was until I saw it in a TikTok video. Because of the way the algorithm works, once I watched one Tallow-oriented video, many more appeared in my feed. I was in Ohio recently and bought a jar of 100% grass-fed Tallow moisturizer from the Amish, and after using it for a few weeks, I'm hooked. I can't say enough about how much better my skin looks and feels.

You'll find this product, along with other carefully selected skincare products made with simpler ingredients, at movingwithgracefl.com.