Years ago I discovered the benefits of sebum for skin health. While these homemade tallow lotion bars were a favorite in our house, I wanted something with a smoother consistency. The result is this nourishing whipped tallow balm, perfect even for sensitive skin.
I love how it makes my skin feel so silky and soft. Plus, it has natural ingredients that I feel good about using with my kids too. I really saw a big difference in my son’s eczema scars after using tallow. Here’s why tallow balm is so good, how to use it, and how to make your own!
The benefits of tallow balm
Unlike other moisturizers and lotions with vegetable oils, tallow balm is a unique creature. It all starts with animal fat (usually beef fat, but lamb fat works great too) which is then processed and purified. It is similar to lard, which comes from pigs. The best fat to use in beef tallow comes from tallow or grass-fed leaf fat. This leaf fat is what is found around the kidneys.
Since sebum comes from an animal source, it nourishes and penetrates our skin beautifully. It is ideal for all types of skin care uses, from soap to lip balm and ointments. As a balm, it helps with dry skin, eczema and anti-aging. It’s perfect for all ages, from babies (to help with eczema and diaper rash). You can read more about the skin benefits and how to use tallow here.
Tallow Balm Ingredients
You could just use tallow on your skin, but it is very firm and difficult to spread. An easier way is to make a tallow balm made from a mixture of tallow and liquid oils. This makes it much easier to apply and you get the best of both worlds.
Some people add ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, or jojoba oil. I like to keep things simple and here I mainly use extra virgin olive oil. I also added a little rosehip seed oil. Since rosehip is an astringent, it helps sebum absorb a little better and also has amazing skin healing properties. This Rosehip Anti-Aging Facial Moisturizer is a reader favorite!
Many times with balms and salves I add beeswax to help thicken, but you don’t need any with tallow. You can also add some of your favorite essential oils, although it is totally optional. Frankincense, chamomile, and lavender essential oils are some good ones to consider.
This recipe feels like a whipped body butter, or you can skip the whipping step and it feels more like a salve. Either way works, but I prefer the feel of the whipped version.
Where to get tallow
Ok, so maybe I’ve told you how wonderful tallow is for your skin… but where do you get it? You may be able to find high-quality grass-fed beef suet from a local farmer in your area. If not, I also like to get my tallow online here.
Molten tallow is whitish in color and may or may not have a meaty odor. Purifying it further, it helps eliminate sebum odor and produces a snow-white color.
How to purify sebum
If you use tallow for cooking (or even making soap), the smell is not strong enough to make a difference. For skin care products, you’ll want purified sebum. You can find a tutorial on how to produce your own sebum here, but here’s how to purify it even further.
- Add melted suet, 4 to 8 cups water, and 3 tablespoons salt to a slow cooker. The amount of water you use depends on the amount of sebum you have.
- Put it on low heat and let it simmer for about an hour.
- Strain the hot liquid into a large bowl through a fine-mesh strainer lined with paper towels or a very clean kitchen towel or T-shirt cloth.
- Let the bowl cool in the refrigerator until firm.
- Remove the hardened suet block from the top of the salt water and turn it over. At the bottom, you may see some brown bits; scratch them all.
- You can repeat this process one more time if you wish.
- Let the tallow air dry at room temperature so that all the water evaporates (otherwise mold may form).
Once your sebum is purified, you’re ready to make your own sebum balm!
Whipped Tallow Balm Recipe
This silky sebum balm is ideal for dry skin and all types of skin irritations. Great for all ages!
Produce: 6 ounces
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Add suet to the top of a double boiler and melt the suet over low heat.
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Once it is completely liquid, add the olive oil and stir.
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Remove from heat and add essential oils and rosehip seed oil if using.
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Pour the tallow balm into a glass jar and put it in the refrigerator to harden.
Whipped Tallow Balm
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For a whipped tallow balm version, pour the balm into a bowl before storing in the refrigerator. You want it to solidify to the point that it is firm, but not too hard.
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Beat the tallow balm with the whisk attachment on a stand or hand mixer. If it’s too hard to whip, let it sit at room temperature until it’s soft enough to whip.
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Transfer to a glass jar to store.
- Shelf life and storage: Store your tallow balm at room temperature, away from direct light and heat. Should last several months if stored correctly.
- This recipe uses a 1% essential oil dilution ratio. If using on children 6 months to 3 years, reduce essential oils to 7 drops total (0.25%) or omit.
Don’t you feel like doing it? Toups & Co Organics makes some fantastic tallow balms that my family loves.
Have you ever used sebum on your skin? What is your favorite way to use it? Leave a comment and let us know!