How to make Tallow Balm

Years ago, I learned about the benefits of tallow for skin. Although these DIY tallow soap bars were a family favorite, I wanted to make something that was softer. This nourishing balm made from whipped tallow is great for even sensitive skin.

It makes my skin so soft and silky. Also, it contains natural ingredients which I am happy to use on my children. I really saw a big difference in my son’s eczema scars after using tallow. Here’s why tallow balm is so great, how to use it, and how to make your own!

Tallow Balm: Benefits and Uses

Tallow balm, unlike other lotions and moisturizers that use plant oils, is a rare creature. It all starts with animal fat (usually beef fat, but mutton works nicely too) that’s then rendered and purified. It’s similar to lard, which comes from pigs. For beef tallow, grass-fed leaf fat or suet are the best fats to use. This leaf fat is what’s found around the kidneys.

Because tallow is made from animal fat, it is rich in nutrients and can be absorbed by the skin. It’s great for all sorts of skincare uses, from soap to lip balm, to salves. It can be used as a balm to treat dry skin, anti-aging, and eczema. It’s perfect for every age from babies (to help with eczema and diaper rash) on up. Read more here about tallow and its skin benefits.

Ingredients in Tallow Balm

You could use just plain tallow on your skin, but it’s very firm and hard to spread. A tallow salve can be made by mixing tallow with liquid oils. This is a much more convenient way to apply it and you can get the best from both.

Some people add shea butter or coconut oil. I keep things simple by using extra virgin oil. I’ve also added a little bit of rosehip seed oil. Rosehip oil is astringent, so it helps the tallow absorb a bit better. It also has incredible skin healing properties. This anti-aging, rosehip facial moisturizing cream is a favorite among readers!

Many times with balms and salves I’ll add beeswax to help thicken, but you don’t need any with the tallow. You can also add some of your favorite essential oils, though it’s totally optional. Consider Frankincense essential oil, Chamomile and Lavender.

You can make this recipe feel like a whipped butter or skip the step of whipping and use it more as a salve. The whipped version is my favorite, although either way will work.

Where can I get Tallow?

Ok, so maybe I’ve sold you on how awesome tallow is for skin… but where do you get it? If you’re lucky, a local farmer may sell high-quality beef tallow made from grass-fed cattle. If not, then I like to order my tallow from this website.

The color of rendered tallow can be off-white and the smell may or not be beefy. It can be further purified to remove the tallow odor and achieve a white color.

How to Purify Tallow

If you’re using tallow for cooking (or even soap making) the smell isn’t strong enough to make a difference. For skincare products though you’ll want purified tallow. You can find a tutorial for how to render your own tallow here, but here’s how to purify it further.

1. Add tallow rendered, 4-8 cups water and 3 Tablespoons salt to the crockpot. You can adjust the amount of water depending on how much tallow is available.
2. Let it simmer on low for an hour.
3. Strain into a large, clean bowl the hot liquid using a sieve made of fine mesh. You can also use a tea towel or very clean t-shirt.
4. The bowl should be chilled in the fridge to firm up.
5. Then flip the block upside down. If you see brown bits on the bottom, scrape these all off.
6. If desired, you can repeat the process.
7. The tallow should be allowed to air-dry in a room temperature environment so that the water can evaporate.

Once your tallow is purified, you’re ready to make your own tallow balm!

Don’t feel like making it? Toups & Co Organics makes some great tallow balms my family loves.

Have you used tallow before on your skin? What’s your favorite way to use it? Please leave a message and let us now!