Moisturize. That’s what almost every skin care company promotes more than any other product. That’s what almost all dermatologists recommend for their patients. And that’s what most research will say helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It’s everywhere; and they’re not wrong! Moisturizing doesn’t necessarily prevent wrinkles but can help with making them less noticeable. It works to trap water under the skin; keeping the skin hydrated and plumped. By using moisturizer, it can help brighten skin complexion and make wrinkles appear less obvious.
Now the question is, what moisturizer to use? The amount of skin care companies out there and the numerous different types of moisturizers; whether it’s a gel, cream or butter, it’s crazy. Not to mention, the outrageous prices you have to pay for these products. All in all, it is just overwhelming.
Allow me to make it a little simpler and more cost effective for you. Two words, tallow whip. For those of you that don’t know, tallow is essentially animal fat, usually from that of cattle. Tallow is commonly used in the kitchen for the purpose of cooking, but can be used on the skin as well. It is different from other types of moisturizers for many reasons. Tallow works great for dry skin as it is highly absorbent and can prevent dryness all the way at the cellular level. That’s right you heard me, at the cellular level. It is rich in essential vitamins like vitamin A, B, C, D, E and K. Since tallow is high in Vitamin E, it is perfect for fighting free radicals, preventing fine lines in the skin and the breakdown of collagen. For those of you with oily skin, don’t worry; you can still use tallow! Tallow very closely resembles our sebum produced in the body, it absorbs into the skin very well and can to some degree control the amount of sebum production resulting in clearer, more balanced skin without clogging pores. Finally, grass-fed tallow contains conjugated linoleic acid. CLA has been found to be linked with cancer suppressor genes and can possess anti-cancer properties!
For me, it was a no-brainer to switch out all my other moisturizers for tallow. I started ordering a tallow whip online and while I absolutely loved it, it started to add up. In the interest of saving money, I decided to venture out into making my own. It’s probably one of the easiest and simplest recipes, but does require a little more time in the process of making it.
Here’s what you’ll need:
14 oz. 100% Grass Fed and Grass Finished, Pasture Raised Beef Tallow
2 tbs. Cold-pressed Organic Jojoba Oil
7.5-15 mL Essential Oil (of your choice)
Instructions:
1. Take your tallow and begin to melt it into a liquid. You can either scoop out the tallow into a sauce pan or to avoid extra clean up, take a cooking pot and fill it about halfway with water, place the jar of tallow onto the center of the pot and turn on the stovetop to a low or simmer setting. The tallow should take about 10-15 minutes to
melt completely into a liquid.
*Note: It is important to use tallow from grazing animals. Grain-fed livestock tend to have smaller mineral complexes and an imbalance of fatty acids. However, the food from grass-fed livestock alters the composition of their fat tissues and gives us all those beneficial properties. I like to get my tallow from Amazon by Fatworks, there is a three pack available that definitely gives you the best price per 14 oz jar.
2. Once the tallow has melted, it should be a golden color. You can then transfer the
tallow to a mixing bowl or to a regular bowl.
3. Add Jojoba oil.I also like to get my Jojoba oil from Amazon. It is a cold-pressed and
unrefined certified organic oil by Cliganic.)
4. Add essential oil. You can add as much or as little as you would like, this part is up to
you! Keep in mind, the tallow smells a bit different in it’s liquid and solid states. As it
cools to room temperature, it may not smell “as good” so when in doubt, add a little
extra!
*Note: Straight tallow doesn’t smell the best, I highly recommend you add essential oils to your tallow to give it that nice smell as well as the added benefits of the essential oil itself. (For more information about the benefits of essential oils; you can go to my post, Oil Up under the Health and Wellness tab!)
5. Stir well.
6. Allow the tallow to cool all the way to room temperature, this time can vary
depending on the temperature of your home. But it should be completely firm and look like how it did when you first opened it up.
7. Transfer your tallow to a mixing bowl; if it’s already there, place the whisk attachment on. (If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer as well.)
8. Then queue up Dazz Band because you’re going to let it whip! Whip the tallow on high until it becomes a white color, looks and feels fluffy and light. You really can’t mess this step up, whip it to whatever consistency you want. (Pictured on the right is an example.)
9. Place into a glass container, preferably a dark glass, and begin enjoying your tallow
whip!
I’m not going to lie, tallow takes a little getting used to. Because it is a natural alternative to other moisturizers on the market, it does have a sort of musky, gamey and well an “animal” kind of smell. But for me, the benefits far outweigh this one negative thing. I have been using tallow as my sole moisturizer for close to a year and have found my skin looking and feeling healthier than it has before! I hope this is something you consider and enjoy using!
And that’s the dirt!