Did you know that when you are massaging in that tallow-based skincare product, you are actually applying acids to your skin? Most people don’t know that tallow, or beef fat, is not only rich in a multitude of vitamins, but that it also contains several highly beneficial acids. These compounds naturally occur in the cellular composition of the fat of the cattle as they are being raised, and are immensely nourishing when it comes to your skin’s biological structure as it works to repair and sustain itself.

Oleic Acid

Oleic acid is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid that is commonly found in the food that we eat. Its highest levels can be found in good oils such as olive and avocado oil, but it is also readily found in meat such as chicken, pork, and beef. Oleic acid works as a powerful emollient that nourishes at the cellular level to promote radiance, improve texture, and deeply moisturize¹. When it comes to skincare, oleic acid is the backbone of some of the best natural products on the market today.

Palmitic Acid

Palmitic acid is a commonly found saturated fatty acid that is abundant in the world around us. It possesses natural anti-inflammatory properties that help to calm the skin, as well as natural smoothing benefits that result from its ability to act as a mild surfactant and emollient².

Stearic Acid

Tallow is an excellent source of stearic acid, another saturated fatty acid that works to help strengthen the bonds between skin cells and helps prevent the loss of moisture in the skin. The result? Smoother, tighter, more supple-looking skin that’s hydrated from the inside out³. Stearic acid can be found in all beef fat, but levels of this helpful little gem are more saturated in the leaf fat of the cattle vs. the smooth subcutaneous fat⁴. Even greater still, cows that are completely grass-fed throughout their upbringing will have a good deal more stearic acid available in the raw tallow, or suet, of the animal than their grain-fed counterparts⁵. In this case, 100% grass-fed leaf tallow is going to give you the most bang for your buck when it comes to the high concentration levels of beneficial skin-loving acids.

1. Uses and Benefits of Oleic Acid – Minimalist ↩︎
2. Palmitic Acid: What You Need to Know – Dr. Axe ↩︎
3. Stearic Acid in Skincare – Paula’s Choice ↩︎
4. Grass-fed Beef Suet an Excellent Source of Stearic Acid – Fire in a Bottle ↩︎
5. Fatty Acid Analysis of Grass-Fed Cows and Grass-fed Beef Tallow – The Weston A. Price Foundation ↩︎