Tallow lotion vs. conventional lotion

Short answer: a conventional lotion is an emulsion — usually water first, then oils, emulsifiers, thickeners, and preservatives. A whipped tallow lotion is fat with no water in it, so it needs no emulsifier and no preservative. Ours is two ingredients: 100% grass-fed and finished beef tallow and organic cold-pressed jojoba oil.

Read the first ingredient

On most lotions it's water (aqua). Water is why the product spreads easily and feels light — and why it needs an emulsifier to stay mixed and a preservative system to stay safe. None of that is sinister, it's just what water-based formulas require.

What changes without water

• Fewer ingredients. No emulsifier, no preservative, no thickener. Two, in our case.
• Different feel. A little goes much further. You warm it between your fingers rather than pumping it out.
• Longer on the skin. Water evaporates within minutes; fat stays and works on the barrier.

Why tallow specifically

Tallow's fatty acid profile — heavy in stearic, palmitic, and oleic acids — is close to human sebum, which is why it absorbs instead of sitting on top. Grass-fed and finished suet also carries naturally occurring fat-soluble vitamins. We describe the fat; we don't promise medical outcomes. The sources we work from are on our research page.

Where conventional lotion still wins

Honestly: pump bottles, instant slip, and a completely neutral feel under sleeves. If you want something that vanishes in two seconds on a hot day, a light water-based lotion does that better. Tallow asks for about thirty seconds of rubbing in.

How to use tallow lotion well

1. Use less than you think — a fingertip's worth per limb.
2. Warm it between your hands first.
3. Apply to slightly damp skin after a shower.

Keep reading

Compare fats in tallow vs. coconut oil for skin, read the complete guide to beef tallow for skin, or see our whipped tallow lotion.