Unveil the power of tallow in skincare and dive into my Tallow Balm recipe! Affordable, all-natural, and customizable to your skin needs. Enjoy!
Never heard of tallow before? You’re in for a real treat.
The stuff is everywhere right now, making headlines with its all-natural, deeply moisturizing effects on the face and body.
But with that comes an elevated price tag.
This is partly why I’m sharing my tallow balm recipe here in this post. You’re sure to love it!
Making your own tallow balm is super easy, plus much lower in terms of cost compared to buying a tallow balm in-store, and you get to control how you fragrance it.
Why pay a premium if you don’t have to, I say!
I think it’s comforting and somewhat empowering when you know exactly what you’re putting on your skin too, which is why I love all kinds of DIY beauty products.
In this article, you’ll learn how to make your own tallow balm. From scenting the balm, tips for making it the right texture, and how to store and use it.
This post is from numerous requests I received to make a tallow balm recipe, following on from the positive feedback from this Tallow Body Butter recipe.
Let’s get started.
Why use tallow in balms?
Tallow balm is rapidly becoming the go-to in the beauty world!
It’s an all-natural, deeply nourishing skin care product, protecting and replenishing dry and sensitive skin while offering a protective barrier against the elements.
Tallow locks moisture into the skin and keeps it there, so it’s perfect to use if you suffer from dry patches or flaking skin in freezing weather.
It also helps reduce wrinkles and age spots and smooth out your skin while you sleep, leaving it soft, smooth, and well-prepared for the day ahead.
Ingredients needed for tallow balm
For the recipe below, you only need three ingredients.
They are:
Tallow: Another name for tallow is rendered fat (from animals,) with the most common source being beef fat. You can also buy 100% organic tallow from grass-fed beef.
Not only is tallow moisturizing for your skin, containing heaps of beneficial fats the skin absorbs like butter (literally,) but it’s also toxin and synthetic-free.
It whips up into a light texture really well, making it perfect as a body butter or balm, as you’ll discover in the recipe below.
Jojoba oil: Wonderfully moisturizing with a light texture, jojoba oil helps balance out the oils in the skin, working in harmony with the tallow to reveal a youthful, vibrant look. Read more about jojoba oil here.
Beeswax: Beeswax is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergenic; it has moisturizing abilities to boot, making it great as an anti-aging ingredient. You can read more about beeswax here.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Get my full disclosure HERE.
How to make tallow balm
Ingredients:
- Tallow 3 ounces
- Jojoba oil 2 ounces
- Beeswax 1 ounce
- Essential oils 15-20 drops (optional)
Tallow Balm Recipe:
- Begin by melting the beeswax, tallow, and jojoba oil in a double boiler. I use a double boiler to heat the ingredients gently and evenly. You can use a saucepan over low heat if you don’t have a double boiler; the result will be the same so long as it’s low heat.
- Once melted, remove from the heat and let it cool down until it starts to set up. Stir it every couple of minutes to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated. Add the essential oils in at this time if using.
- Transfer the balm to an airtight container as soon as it begins to set up. Leave the lid off until it cools completely. I like to stick it in the fridge to speed it up!
Adding fragrance
Toward the end of step two, you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for fragrance.
I like to start with 15 drops and then add more if needed.
Don’t add too much; you don’t want the scent to be overpowering.
Here are a few of my favorite blends for this tallow balm recipe. You can also check out this post on blending essential oils for skin care.
Favorite blends
Sweet floral
- Roman chamomile
- ylang ylang
Flower petal
- Lavender
- Geranium
Citrus bloom
- Tangerine
- Grapefruit
Check with your healthcare provider before adding essential oils to any skincare products.
How to use tallow balm
To use this tallow balm, scoop a small amount onto your fingertips and massage it into your skin.
The balm will melt on contact and absorb quickly, so you can apply more if your skin needs it.
Tips
- Wipe out the double boiler with a paper towel while it’s still warm but not hot before washing it out. You don’t want any beeswax going down your drain, as it’ll set and potentially block your pipes.
- For an unbeatable anti-aging tool, apply the balm upwardly over your cheeks, chin, forehead, and between your brows. Give yourself a mini face massage, in essence, which promotes blood flow to the area and helps iron out fine lines.
- The balm sets smooth in its storage container once cooled. Remember, if you want a whipped version, you can make a whipped version following this method here.
Is tallow balm good for the skin?
If you don’t mind using animal products on your skin and are after a moisturizing, nurturing, 100% natural ingredient that shouldn’t clog pores or cause breakout, then yes! Tallow balm is a great option for the skin.
Of course, there are alternative vegan options available, such as this whipped Mango Body Butter recipe.
Storage
First, ensure you put the lid on correctly once you’ve made your tallow balm and it’s cooled down.
Store your tallow balm somewhere cool, away from sunlight and heat sources.
It should last in the container for up to six months – though I expect it’ll have been well used before then, and you’ll be onto your second batch!
Wrapping up
That’s all there is to my tallow balm recipe! I hope you love making it and using it as much as I do.
Tallow balm is a versatile product with many uses, which is why I love it!
If you made this recipe and loved it, I would love for you to leave a review below!
And if you are looking for more great moisturizing skin care products, you may like reading one of these next!
- Homemade shea butter lotion
- How to make tinted moisturizer
- Homemade night cream
- How to make a body butter stick
Easy Tallow Balm Recipe
Discover the secret to radiant skin with this DIY Tallow Balm Recipe!
Instructions
- Begin by melting the beeswax, tallow, and jojoba oil in a double boiler. I use a double boiler to heat the ingredients gently and evenly. You can use a saucepan over low heat if you don't have a double boiler; the result will be the same so long as it’s low heat.
- Once melted, remove from the heat and let it cool down until it starts to set up. Stir it every couple of minutes to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated. If using essential oils, add them in right before the ingredients start to solidify.
- Transfer the balm to an airtight container as soon as it begins to set up. Leave the lid off until it cools completely. I like to stick it in the fridge to speed it up!
Notes
If you use essential oils, be sure to add them before the ingredients are set up.
You will also need to store the balm in a glass or thick plastic container if the product contains essential oils.
Resources
https://healthnews.com/beauty/skin-care/heres-why-you-should-add-tallow-skincare-to-your-morning-routine/
https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/prohibitedrestrictedbyFDA%2011-30-2011.pdf
Connie Matta says
I made this a couple of days ago and do not like the “beefy” smell. I used about 20 drops of lemongrass oil but the “beefy” smell is still there. I do t know whether to remelt and add shea butter or to throw it out along with my 2 jars of tallow.
Any suggestions?
Laura says
You can definitely add more oils to help mask the scent. Shea butter is also a great option, however, it will change the texture.
Stephen Osterday says
* Is your recipe by weight or volume?
* If by volume, and you want to use weight, would you compensate for the density of each ingredient or just do a straight up 1:1 ratio?
* Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Laura says
I measure by weight in this recipe!
Barb says
Love this! Ordering some tallow today! I’d love to see a tallow lip balm! Maybe a peppermint mocha themed for the holidays… ? All things tallow! Thank you for sharing!