More than one customer has written to say they love the product but had no idea how they were supposed to use it. Face or body? How much? Morning or night? Which jar in the sampler is which? Fair questions, and the print on a 2oz jar is small. This is the single page that answers them for every product we make. Bookmark it, or send it to whoever you gifted a box to.
Three rules that apply to everything
- Use less than you think. Tallow is concentrated. A pea-sized amount of balm covers a hand and forearm. A little lotion covers a leg. If your skin feels greasy, you used too much, not the wrong product.
- Apply to slightly damp skin. Right after a shower or after washing your hands, while the skin still holds a little water. Tallow spreads further and absorbs faster on damp skin, and it seals that water in.
- Warm it first. Anything waterless, meaning the whipped balm, cream, lotion bar and lip balm, softens on contact with body heat. A few seconds between your fingers turns a firm scoop into something that glides.
Tallow lotions (unscented, magnesium, Serbian clay, clear)
What it is: our lightest texture. Contains water, absorbs in a minute or two, feels like a normal body lotion. Comes in 16oz jars and 2oz jars, and the sampler gives you one 2oz of each.
Where: whole body, daily, after showering. Face in the morning for most people, because it absorbs fully and does not add shine under makeup.
How much: a quarter-sized amount per limb. Massage until absorbed.
Which one:
- Natural Unscented is the everyday, everyone lotion. Safe for babies and children, no scent at all.
- Magnesium is the same base with Dead Sea magnesium chloride. Most customers use it in the evening on legs, arms, abdomen, or the bottoms of the feet before bed. A mild tingle the first few uses is normal and fades. Full guide: How to Use Magnesium Tallow Lotion.
- Serbian Clay adds mineral clay, castor and jojoba oil and raw honey. The pick for oily or combination skin and the one most often mentioned for rough, sun-exposed arms.
- Clear (Tea Tree & Lavender) is built for breakout-prone or oily skin, face and body. Skip it if you are sensitive to tea tree.
Good to know: lotion thins when warm and thickens when cool. If it looks runny in summer, an hour in the fridge brings it back.
Whipped tallow balm (4oz jar)
What it is: our richest product. Beef tallow, organic shea butter, organic olive oil, whipped until fluffy, plus an essential oil in the scented versions. No water, no preservative.
Where: face at night, hands, elbows, knees, heels, anywhere very dry. Whole body if you like a rich finish, especially in winter. Safe for babies and children in the unscented version.
How much: a pea-sized scoop, warmed between fingertips, then pressed in. It feels rich for a few minutes and then absorbs. Build up only if you need to.
Good to know: it is the most heat-sensitive thing we make. If it arrives dense or looking half full, nothing is missing by weight. See Did Your Tallow Arrive Melted?
Tallow cream (2oz jar)
What it is: the whipped balm recipe plus natural beeswax, which makes it firmer and longer-lasting on the skin. In our lineup "cream" is the firmest jar, not a lighter lotion.
Where: targeted spots: knuckles, cuticles, cracked heels, elbows, lips, the corners of the mouth, wind-exposed skin. Many customers use it as a morning face moisturizer because it stays put under makeup.
How much: less than a pea. Warm it between two fingers until glossy, then press onto the spot. If it feels stiff or a little gritty coming out of the jar, warming fixes both.
Tallow lotion bar (4oz)
What it is: a solid bar of tallow, olive oil, coconut oil and beeswax. No jar, no water, nothing to spill.
Where: arms, legs and hands. Ideal after washing your hands, in a gym bag, or on a plane.
How: swipe the bar directly on skin, or hold it in your palms for a few seconds and rub in what melts. Keep it somewhere cool.
Tallow lip balm (4 sticks)
What it is: tallow, shea butter, coconut oil, natural beeswax and vitamin E in a stick. It is firmer than a petroleum balm on purpose.
How: hold the tip against your lower lip for two or three seconds to warm it, then use short, light strokes. Thin layer. Apply before bed and it is usually still there in the morning. Full guide: How to Use Tallow Lip Balm.
Which: the Unscented 4 Pack has nothing added at all. The Variety 4 Pack is one each of Cherry, Peppermint, Tropical and Unscented on the same base.
Tallow soap bars (6oz)
Where: face and body. Every bar is gentle enough for the face. The Goat's Milk & Honey bar is the one most often chosen for dry or sensitive facial skin, and the Clear bar (tea tree and lavender) for breakout-prone skin.
How: lather in your hands or on a washcloth rather than scrubbing the bar on skin. A washcloth makes far more lather and uses less soap. Rinse, then moisturize while skin is damp.
Good to know: the bars are big. Cut one in half with a kitchen knife when it is new, keep the other half dry in a drawer, and the bar lasts weeks longer. Store on a draining dish out of the shower spray. More in How Long Does Beef Tallow Soap Last?
Tallow shampoo bar
How: soak hair completely, lather the bar in your palms, work the lather into the scalp only, rinse for twice as long as you think, then finish with an apple cider vinegar rinse: one tablespoon in a cup of water. Expect two to four weeks of adjustment coming from conventional shampoo. Most people do not need conditioner afterward. Full guide: How to Use a Tallow Shampoo Bar.
Fresh beef tallow (16 fl oz)
What it is: the rendered cooking fat itself, from our own cattle. This one is for the kitchen: frying, roasting vegetables, searing, biscuits. Some customers also use it on skin, and you can, but our skincare products are formulated for that job and will feel far better.
Storage: sealed, away from light and heat. About a year at room temperature, two years or more refrigerated, indefinitely frozen. A faint savory note is normal.
A simple daily routine
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Morning shower | Tallow soap on a washcloth. Shampoo bar if it is a wash day. Pat dry, leave skin damp. |
| After the shower | Lotion over the whole body. Cream or a small dab of balm on any spot the lotion does not handle: heels, knuckles, elbows. Lotion or cream on the face, depending on your skin. |
| Through the day | Lip balm as needed. Lotion bar after hand washing. |
| Bedtime | Magnesium lotion on legs and feet. Whipped balm on the face and anywhere that is truly dry. Lip balm. |
Which jar is which in the sampler?
The Tallow Lotion Sampler Pack ($29) contains one 2oz jar each of Natural Unscented, Magnesium, Serbian Clay and Clear Tea Tree & Lavender. Every sample is the identical recipe to the full size. The labels are small, so here is a quick key. The jar that smells herbal is Clear. The other three are unscented: Serbian Clay is the one whose label lists clay, castor oil and jojoba; Unscented and Magnesium look alike, so check the name on the label, and if you feel a faint tingle after applying, that is the Magnesium. With daily full-body use a 2oz jar lasts two to three weeks, and considerably longer for face or targeted use. When you find your favorite, the 16oz jar is the better value.
If something seems off
Arrived melted, leaking or runny? Not ruined. Read Did Your Tallow Arrive Melted? Product actually lost in transit, a cracked lid, or anything else wrong? Email support@texastallowproducts.com with your order number. We replace it, no questions asked.
Our skincare products are cosmetics and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you have a diagnosed skin condition, check with your doctor and patch test first.