Beef Tallow – You Herd?

As a young child with eczema, my loving mother flew me around the world in search of relief. I’d tried every American, Indian, European, or other worldly lotion, cream or oil. I’d seen a “homeopathic doctor” who prescribed natural herbs (with prednisone in them!), and was deprived of my favorite condiment, ketchup, for months. Shockingly – or not so shockingly given my Indian heritage – slathering cow fat on my face was not on this list. Had I been born in the Tik-Tok age, however, it might have been.

Beef tallow, or rendered beef fat, has become the latest skincare viral trend. Videos proclaiming it as the eczema, wrinkles, or even acne cure, are abundant in social media feeds. These stem from it being natural, inexpensive, and free of synthetic preservatives. But is it legit?

The use of beef tallow is centuries old. Greeks and Romans used it as moisturizer, Native Americans applied various tallows as protective barriers to the elements, and European apothecaries mixed it with herbs for wound care. Beef tallow has a high triglyceride content with a lipid profile aligning with human skin, as well as some fat-soluble vitamins, so in theory it could retain skin moisture and add anti-oxidants.

The challenge is the science is lacking, and there are no comparisons to other well-established ceramide based or petrolatum products. A 2024 review in Cureus demonstrates the limited efficacy studies in humans, and while stating tallow may have beneficial effects on healthy skin, the application to eczema or psoriasis is a clear research gap. Additionally, the side effect profile is unclear, with reported skin and eye irritation. Moreover, the inconsistency in product concentrations, formulations, and lack of regulation all add to the opacity.

Also unfortunate is the occlusive nature and unpleasant odor of beef tallow; the former may exacerbate acne, the latter may exacerbate the need for perfume.

So, after a review of beef tallow data as it stands, while it may help moisturize, there are many more scientifically sound alternatives. I may have missed out on adding this to my childhood eczema therapies, but I’m not sure if I regret it.

Krakowsi AC. Beef tallow for eczema: Grade A prime or just another bum steer? Dermatology World Insights and Inquiries. 2025 June 18. Vol 7, No 24.

Russell MF, Sandhu M, Vail M, Haran C, Batool U, Leo J. Tallow, rendered animal fat, and its biocompatibility with skin: A scoping review. Cureus. 2024 May 24;16(5):e60981. doi: 10.7759/cureus.60981. PMID: 38910727; PMCID:PMC11193910.