FAQ

What is Tallow?


Tallow is rendered beef fat, specifically suet fat which comes from on top of the kidneys and along the loin. The fat is heated until melted and then strained and cooled. Once this process is complete the tallow can be stored at room temperature in an air tight container, or the refrigerator. Tallow is shelf stable and has many amazing uses and benefits, from a perfect fat for cooking to our favourite use: skincare! 

Why Tallow For Skincare? 

In our personal lives we try whenever possible to support local producers and farmers. We often try to use offal like organ meats, bones for broth, etc., which is how we discovered tallow. We learned that this traditional fat that would have been essential at one time is now, more often than not, discarded and wasted. We are fortunate to have a close relationship with our local butcher who now provides us with our suet. What started as a desire to use the offal and tallow for food and consumption developed  into a love for tallow for skincare and sharing this with all of you.

We discovered that not only is tallow excellent for cooking, it is also an excellent moisturizer as it is very similar in properties to our skin's own oils.

Tallow is similar in structure to our skin's natural sebum, making it readily absorbable and nourishing. 

Why We Don't Formulate with Essential Oils

We wanted a product that was safe for the whole family, from head to toe, and have therefore decided not to use essential oils in our products.

Instead, we infuse whole plants directly into our tallow. This way we are able to extract all of the plant properties, rather than just a select few. This also broadens which plants we can use, as not all plants are able to produce an essential oil.

We also know that it takes hundreds of pounds of plant matter to produce most essential oils, which is unsustainable use of precious plants and we have chosen not to support this industry.

Given that we do not use added fragrance or essential oils, our products have a light, subtle scent that is not overpowering.

Why Jojoba Oil?

When choosing an oil to combine in our tallow, we wanted something that would be suitable for use from head to toe. Jojoba oil (which is actually not an oil at all, but a wax) is the perfect pair for tallow. 

Why? Jojoba Oil is noncomedogenic, meaning it is similar to our skins natural oils and will not clog pores.

We also wanted an oil that was low in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA's), which have a tendency to oxidize easily and lead to inflammation. Jojoba oil, like tallow, is low in PUFA's  and contains only 3% polyunsaturated fatty acids, which makes it a great addition to skincare.

 

Hello! We are sisters Amy and Kim

Mothers, Makers and Creators behind 78 Acre Woods