Centuries old skin care

Humans have used tallow for centuries for all sorts of different reason. It was used as skin care, candles, cooking oil,  It is thought that tallow used for skin care started with the people of southern Mesopotamia, the Sumerians, who flourished between 4100-1750 BC. 

 Unfortunately, beef tallow has all but vanished from our collective vocabulary over the last 70 years. It was vilified in the ’50s and ’60s by the sugar, vegetable oil, and healthcare industries as a cholesterol-laden, unhealthy fat. We now know that the exact opposite is true. Tallow has recently been re-evaluated by nutritionists and has proven to be one of the best and most nutritious oils to cook with – along with being immeasurably valuable for skin care and cosmetics. Recent scientific research suggests that tallow is extremely beneficial to human health, both in our diet and as therapeutic skin care. 

 Being derived from an animal instead of plants, tallow is far closer in composition to our own cellular fats and oils, containing the same lipids found in the oils from cell samples taken from healthy, supple human skin. Thus, tallow is believed to prevent dryness at the cellular level without suffocating the skin's osmotic barrier like petroleum-based synthetic lotions do. Truly, tallow is the most nutrient-dense skin-plumping emollient known to humankind. Tallow has been revered by traditional cultures for countless millennia because of its extraordinary benefits.

• Vitamins A, D, K, E 

• Choline

• CLA 

• Other essential fatty acids, including oleic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid and others. This is why Tallow is so beneficial for the skin, it is rich in fatty acids that help form lipids that keep skin protected, moisturized, and looking young. 

 Tallow contains the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K which are only found in animal products and are necessary for health. These nutrients are not just good for the skin, they also contribute to hormonal, neurological and cardiovascular health as well as bone and muscle growth and immune function.

Vitamin E is important for organ function in your body. It is also an antioxidant that can fight off free radicals, this means it helps to slow down aging processes that damage cells.  We all know how important Vitamin D is (especially for the immune system), but it also helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus, both nutrients are crucial for bone health. Vitamin K is needed in the body for blood clotting, and for helping wounds to heal. Vitamin A is the nutrient touted as a fix for wrinkles, acne, and sunspots. It contains retinoids, compounds that are well known in the skin care world for minimizing fine lines and wrinkles by boosting the collagen production, combating acne by sloughing away dead skin cells, and improving skin tone by stimulating the production of new blood vessels. Retinoids (Vitamin A) are seen in many thousands of products on the shelves today because of its' antiaging benefits.

 Tallow is an excellent source of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), a powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant which is also an effective fat burner. It also contains a beneficial ratio of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats. Both are essential because unlike other fats, our body is unable to make them.  

CLA has many benefits for the skin, because of its antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, it aids the skin in repairing damaged and problematic skin issues such as rosacea, eczema and acne. Recently scientists found CLA to be more anticarcinogenic than other fatty acids. What made it especially unique is that even low concentrations significantly inhibited cancer cell growth. 

 Choline is among the essential nutrients that do important work in your body. Choline helps with memory and cognitive ability, tests using MRI scans have shown that high choline consumption is associated with healthier brain tissue. The skin is your largest organ, using tallow on your face and body not only heals your skin, but can also help in a healthier brain.

 Omegas have a natural affinity for skin and are especially beneficial for repairing damaged skin.  Stearic acid is good for those with sensitive or irritated skin and is known to help reduce the flaking and itchiness associated with psoriasis. 

 There are numerous scientific studies that attest to how Vitamin E helps to reduce signs of aging. It also helps to retain water in the layers of the skin which gives the skin a tightening and firming effect.