If you are not aware of the skin benefits of tallow, you have come to the right place. This article will help you know more about tallow, its nutritional profile, skin benefits, and potential side effects. Scroll down.

Mutton Tallow Vs. Beef Tallow

Mutton tallow is derived from sheep whereas beef tallow is derived from beef. Both components are natural, shelf-stable goods. Though both are abundant in saturated fats, beef tallow is higher on the same. Mutton tallow, on the other hand, seems to have more vitamin E than beef tallow. Tallow is most famous for its high oleic, palmitic, and stearic acid content. Beef tallow has more palmitic acid, while mutton tallow has more oleic and stearic acids. Tallow contains the following fatty acids and nutrients:

  1. Stearic And Oleic Acids (Omega-9): These are present in the skin’s protective outer layer and sebum. These help moisturize and soften the skin. They also have anti-inflammatory properties. Stearic acid also helps heal skin damage by improving its suppleness and elasticity. Oleic acid aids the penetration of the other active ingredients into the skin (2). However, some research suggests that oleic acid may also disrupt skin barrier function (2).
  2. CLA (Conjugated Linolenic Acid): CLA has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and may help treat various skin disorders. It may also help reduce wrinkles (3).
  3. Palmitoleic Acid (Omega-7): Palmitoleic acid is another critical component of our skin. It has potent anti-inflammatory properties that promote wound healing (4).
  4. Palmitic Acid: This acid protects the skin’s lipid barrier (5). It also makes the skin smoother.
  5. Alpha-Linolenic (Omega-3) And Linoleic (Omega-6) Acids: These are optimally balanced in a nearly 1:1 ratio. These essential fatty acids contribute to the skin’s structural integrity and barrier function. They also may influence any inflammatory and immunological responses. These acids are also found to lighten skin pigmentation induced by UV radiation (6).
  6. Vitamins:

Vitamin A: It helps develop protein, elastic, and healthy skin cells. It also strengthens skin tissue and makes it firm and youthful. It also supports the daily replacement of skin cells (7).  Vitamin D: It helps repair skin and protects skin from free radicals. It also may have photoprotective effects (8)  Vitamin K: It helps improve skin tone and texture. It also may accelerate wound healing (9).  Vitamin E: It repairs skin and reverses free radical damage (10). It also maymoisturize skin

This composition of tallow offers multiple skin benefits. We discuss them in the following section.

What Are The Benefits Of Tallow For Skin?

  1. May Help Treat Dry Skin The natural oils in tallow may help hydrate skin. They get absorbed quickly and reduce cellular dryness. They do not clog pores or make skin greasy. Tallow is suitable for both dry and oily skin types. However, research is limited in this regard. Tallow’s effects last long, and it doesn’t have to be applied more than once a day.
  2. May Make Skin Looking Younger The vitamin E in tallow is very beneficial for aging skin. Its antioxidant properties protect the skin from UV exposure and reduce the associated damage (10). Tallow also fights free radical damage and may reduce the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. It also may make skin very soft with daily use. Vitamin E has also been proven to protect collagen from breaking down (10).
  3. May Be Good For Acne-Prone Skin Tallow’s antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and skin-repairing characteristics make it ideal for acne-prone skin. However, concrete research is lacking in this regard.
  4. May Fight Skin Infections The vitamin D in tallow may promote the production of anti-microbial peptide genes that helps fight viral skin infections (11). Grass-fed tallow contains CLA. CLA appears to have anti-cancer characteristics and may help reduce the risk of skin tumors (12).
  5. May Be Compatible With Human Skin Cell Biology Tallow may be compatible with our cells’ biochemistry. Tallow used for skin care has a saturated fat ratio of 50-55%, making it potentially more suitable for human skin. These are the few important benefits of tallow. But you also must be aware of its side effects before you start to use it.

Using Tallow On Your Skin: Precautions And Side Effects

 Impurity Issues

The purity of animal parts which tallow is extracted from is an important consideration. The diet of such animals also plays a role in tallow purity. It is quite a challenge to know unless you are procuring tallow from an FDA-approved product.

 Not Cruelty-Free

Tallow is animal fat and is extracted from a dead animal. This can be off-putting for animal lovers. The demand for cruelty-free cosmetics is increasing, for ethical and environmental reasons.

Unpleasant Odor

Though the fat itself has no odor, but part of the animal’s muscle and other tissue might enter the skin are mix during processing. This may make the finished product smell awful.

 Stability Issues

Tallow is not stable. It goes through many production procedures, including heating, before it is made available as a finished product. Hence, such products may lack consistency in color, appearance, and odor. Is tallow good for lips? Yes, it is good for lips as it helps moisturize lips and makes them soft and supple. Is tallow good for hair? Tallow is good for hair. The anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of tallow may help heal the scalp and reduce dandruff.

Sources

Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more. Enzymatically Modified Beef Tallow as a Substitute for Cocoa Butterhttps://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2002.tb08762.x Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oilshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC5796020/ A Topical Anti-inflammatory Healing Regimen Utilizing Conjugated Linolenic Acid for Use Post-ablative Laser Resurfacing of the Face: A Randomized Controlled Trial Contribution of Palmitic Acid to Epidermal Morphogenesis and Lipid Barrier Formation in Human Skin Equivalentshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6928966/ Topical anti-inflammatory activity of palmitoleic acid improves wound healinghttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6181353/ Linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid lightens ultraviolet-induced hyperpigmentation of the skinhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9749992/ What is vitamin A and why do we need it?https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC3936685/ Vitamin D and the skin: Focus on a complex relationship: A reviewhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC4642156/ Wound healing effects of topical Vitamin K: A randomized controlled trialhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC6533928/ Vitamin E in dermatologyhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC4976416/ The vitamin D–antimicrobial peptide pathway and its role in protection against infectionhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC2821804/ Dietary conjugated linoleic acid modulation of phorbol ester skin tumor promotionhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8875552/