Tallow vs. Plant-Based Oils: Which is better for your skin?

When choosing skincare products, ingredients matter, and so does understanding them. While plant-based oils like coconut, jojoba, olive, and palm are common in skincare, beef tallow is making a well-deserved comeback. However, it is important to understand how these ingredients compare when it comes to nourishing and protecting your skin.

Let’s explore some key questions to help you make an informed choice.

How well do these ingredients match your skin?

Tallow is uniquely situated to moisturize your skin because its fatty acid profile is remarkably similar to human sebum. This makes it incredibly bioavailable, meaning your skin absorbs it easily and utilizes it to restore balance and moisture, without clogging pores or leaving a greasy residue. It’s especially effective for dry, sensitive, or compromised skin.

Plant-based oils can also hydrate the skin, but not all of them absorb in the same way. Coconut and palm oils, for example, are occlusive and may feel heavy or lead to breakouts for some skin types. Jojoba oil is one of the more skin-friendly plant oils, as it closely mimics sebum, but it lacks some of the fat-soluble vitamins found in tallow. 

Which has a better nutrient profile?

Tallow is rich in naturally occurring vitamins A, D, E, and K, nutrients that support skin regeneration, elasticity, and barrier function. These vitamins are fat-soluble, making them easier for your skin to absorb and use effectively.

Plant oils often contain antioxidants and essential fatty acids. For instance, rosehip and avocado oils are rich in linoleic acid and vitamin C, while palm oil contains vitamin E. However, many of these oils are more prone to oxidation and may require preservatives to remain stable in products, especially in heat or humidity. 

Which ingredient supports long-lasting moisture?

Both tallow and plant oils can lock in moisture, but tallow tends to penetrate more deeply. Thanks to its similarity to your skin’s natural lipids, it reinforces the skin barrier, delivering nourishment beneath the surface for long-lasting hydration without clogging pores.

Many plant oils, including coconut, olive, and palm, create a protective layer on the skin, which is great for sealing in moisture but doesn’t always offer deeper support and can something clog your pores. If your skin is chronically dry or irritated, tallow may offer more lasting relief.

What about sustainability and sourcing?

This is where things get interesting and important.

Tallow is a natural byproduct of the meat industry, meaning it uses what would otherwise go to waste. When sourced from local, grass-fed, or pasture-raised farms, tallow becomes part of a sustainable, regenerative cycle. It supports small-scale agriculture, reduces waste, and utilizes the entire animal.

Plant oils, on the other hand, vary widely in sustainability. Palm oil, in particular, has been linked to deforestation, habitat destruction, and labor concerns—especially in regions like Indonesia and Malaysia, where it’s most commonly produced. While certified sustainable palm oil does exist, it can be hard to trace, and many skincare brands don’t disclose sourcing practices. Even more eco-friendly oils, such as almond or avocado, still rely on water-intensive crops and large-scale farming.

If environmental impact is a consideration in your skincare decision-making, tallow, when sourced responsibly, can be a cleaner and more transparent choice. 

So, which one should you use?

Both tallow and plant-based oils offer unique benefits. But if you’re looking for something closer to your skin’s natural composition, rich in nutrients, deeply moisturizing, and responsibly sourced, tallow is your best bet. It’s effective, backed by history, and rooted in sustainability when done right.

That’s why we make it the heart of every bar and balm we craft because your skin deserves nourishment that works with it, not against it.

How Does Tallow Soap Compare to Traditional Soap?

In the ever-evolving world of skincare, the conversation around the types of soaps we use is endless. Among the numerous options available, tallow soap has been gaining attention for its unique properties and benefits. But you may be wondering, how does it really compare to traditional soap? Let’s dive in.

The Basics of Tallow Soap

Tallow soap is made from animal fat, primarily beef fat, that has been saponified—a process where fat is turned into soap by reacting it with an alkali. This traditional method of tallow-based soap-making has been around for centuries, providing a rich, creamy lather that’s deeply moisturizing.

Differences in Ingredients and Production

Tallow Soap: The key ingredient, tallow, is a byproduct of the meat industry, making it an efficient use of resources. It’s combined with lye (sodium hydroxide) to produce soap. Our tallow soaps and many others include natural ingredients such as essential oils for fragrance and additional properties. As such, tallow soaps are known to be a more natural choice than traditional mass-produced soaps.

Traditional Soap: Traditional soaps can be made from various oils and fats, including vegetable oils (like olive, coconut, or palm) or synthetic detergents. The production processes can vary, with some focusing on natural ingredients and others on synthetic formulations designed for specific skin types or uses.

Environmental Impact

Tallow Soap: One of the main benefits of tallow soap is its lower environmental impact. Tallow is a byproduct, and its use in soap-making helps reduce waste. Our tallow soaps are also made with minimal, recyclable packaging and without synthetic additives, making them a more eco-friendly choice.

Traditional Soap: The environmental impact of traditional soaps varies widely depending on the ingredients and production methods. Soaps made with palm oil, for example, have been criticized for their role in deforestation, habitat destruction, and unfair labor conditions. Synthetic components and packaging in some traditional soaps can also contribute to pollution and waste.

Skin Benefits and Experience

Tallow Soap closely mimics the lipids in human skin, making it highly moisturizing and nourishing. Because of its gentle, hydrating properties, it’s recommended for use on dry or sensitive skin. People also typically appreciate the creamy lather and natural scents that provide an aromatherapy and spa-like experience.

Traditional Soap: The benefits of traditional soap depends largely on the formulation. Soaps with synthetic detergents can be more drying or irritating for some skin types, while those made with natural oils can offer similar benefits to tallow soap. The variety of scents, colors, and added ingredients in traditional soaps can enhance the user experience for different preferences.

Cost and Accessibility

Tallow Soap: While less widely available in mainstream stores, tallow soap can be found in specialty shops, farmers’ markets, and online. Its price varies, but it can be more expensive than mass-produced soaps due to its artisanal nature and the quality of ingredients. While we would consider our soaps mid-range from a price perspective, they are all-natural and handmade which is provides additional benefits to your skin than traditional soaps.

Traditional Soap: Regular soaps are highly accessible and available in a range of prices. From luxury, natural soap bars to economical, mass-produced options, there’s something for every budget.

Choosing between tallow soap and traditional soap depends on personal preferences, values, and skincare needs. Tallow soap offers a sustainable, moisturizing option for those looking for natural skincare, while traditional soap provides a wide range of choices to suit various preferences and requirements. We believe that understanding the differences helps consumers make informed decisions that align with their lifestyle and environmental values.

In the end, there is no wrong soap, only the soap that is right for you. Whether you lean towards the traditional, minimalistic appeal of tallow soap or the diverse options available among traditional soaps, there’s no shortage of ways to keep clean and feel great about your choice.

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Facts and Myths about Pine Tar Soap

Our Pine Tar 20% tallow soap is one of our most unique and powerful soaps. That is why we decided this month’s blog post will be all about pine tar soap. Have you heard about the miraculous benefits of using tallow soap made from pine tar but don’t know if it’s true? From skin-calming properties to odor-absorbing abilities, pine tar soap has been popular among those with sensitive skin for centuries. But what exactly is this spectacularly powerful tool in your natural beauty arsenal? In this blog post, we will explore the facts and dispel some myths about how you can take advantage of all this incredible soap has to offer! So keep reading - you’re sure to love what you discover about our Pine Tar 20% tallow soap.

Fact: Pine tar oil is made by burning pine tree stumps 

People have been using the age-old method of creating pine tar oil by burning pine tree stumps to extract the sap for centuries. This traditional approach yields genuine peasant-made tar that maintains a dark golden hue packed full of qualities beneficial to your skin, such as antiseptic and antibacterial properties that protect against bacteria and fungi. Now this valuable oil can be found in soaps crafted exclusively with natural ingredients like coconut oil and tallow blended into it – making it the ultimate soap for soft, smooth, and healthy skin!

Myth: Pine tar smells bad

One myth that has been floating around is that pine tar soap smells bad. This couldn’t be further from the truth! In fact, many people are pleasantly surprised by the campfire scent of this soap. While some may describe it as a burning wood scent, others feel it has a pleasant earthy aroma that they find quite enjoyable! It is definitely worth a try for the amazing benefits this soap has to offer.

Fact: Pine tar’s uses for skin go back thousands of years 

The use of pine tar for skin care goes back thousands of years, and it still remains popular today due to its effective cleansing properties and refreshing scent. Not only does it help clear up acne and reduce inflammation, but it also helps soothe irritation caused by eczema or psoriasis. And thanks to its antibacterial properties, it can help keep bacteria at bay while soothing dry skin patches simultaneously! That said, using pine tar soaps can really make a difference in your overall skincare routine!

Myth: Pine tar soap and black soap are the same

Another myth is that pine tar soap and black tar soap are the same — this is false, as they are two different products with different benefits and uses. It’s important to note that while pine tar soap and black tar soap may appear similar, they are actually quite different. Pine tar soap is made with natural ingredients like pine resin, while black tar soap contains coal tar, which is used to treat dandruff, kill lice, and aid skin conditions similar to pine tar. Black soap also has a more intense and unpleasant smell that some cover up with essential oils. While both soaps have their own unique benefits, neither should be considered a substitute for one another.

Fact: Pine Tar soap Has a ton of benefits for your skin

Pine tar oil is a true triple threat when it comes to skincare: its antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antipruritic qualities make this natural ingredient an excellent choice for providing soothing relief from common skin conditions like dryness, eczema, dermatitis, and hives. Its antibacterial properties also help protect against potential bacterial growth or spread. Combined with the nutrient-packed tallow in our soaps, pine tar’s benefits become even greater as they work together in synergy to nourish your complexion while relieving any itching and irritation. So why not enjoy all these amazing advantages – try pine tar soaps today! 

Fact: Pine Tar can absorb other odors

With its special ability to absorb unwanted odors, pine tar soap is a must-have for anyone looking for unstoppable freshness. It prevents bacteria growth that causes body odor and can also trap unpleasant smells such as smoke and food scents - meaning you won’t have to worry about smelly feet or hands! Get ready: Unstoppable freshness awaits with the natural power of pine tar soap.

Whether you have skin issues you are concerned about or want something new, give pine tar soap a chance! With its long history as a beneficial cleanser as well as its earthy aroma, there’s no doubt why so many people are turning towards this soap for their everyday skincare needs. Not only does it smell great, but it also provides numerous health benefits for your skin! So why wait? Give it a try today!

Happy holidays from the Healthy Porcupine

Change and flexibility have become constants in 2020 and 2021. We have learned to adapt and find joy in the everyday. While we usually share soap-related content with you each month, this month, we want to reflect on 2021 and share our plans for the holidays and beyond. 

This past year has had a little bit of everything for us. We experienced loss with the passing of our two oldest cats, Boo (17) and Anya (15), and some setbacks like when Jen slipped on ice and ended up in bed for a month with a back injury. Still, we also have had some incredible personal and professional growth. 

We adopted a new kitten, Wyatt, in May. This will be his first Christmas, so we hope everything will go well with the tree (so far…eh, it could be worse?). Here is a photo of Elliot and Wyatt. They have become fast friends since Wyatt arrived. We adopted both of them from the Upper Valley Humane Society in Enfield, NH (Elliot was adopted in 2013.)

This year, from the business side of things, we transitioned from vending at markets and other events to focusing entirely on our online and wholesale orders. While we miss seeing our customers in person and catching up with them, it gives us the necessary time to make soap and fulfill orders, allowing us to grow and serve more customers all over the country.

Thanksgiving was busy for us this year with our exciting Small Business Saturday sale and family visits. We want to take it a bit easier with a staycation for Christmas. We plan to catch up on a couple of our favorite Christmas movies like Christmas Vacation, Trading Places, and Scrooged and we’re also hoping to check out a few local breweries in New Hampshire. At home, we are currently loving our Lavender and Spearmint Tallow Soap. It has given us the bright, calming boost we needed this holiday season.

We will also be trying something new in the kitchen this Christmas. We’ll be making homemade pear and gorgonzola ravioli. We’ve made homemade pasta several times before, and it’s a lot of fun and delicious! You can check out the recipe here: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/255519/homemade-pear-and-gorgonzola-ravioli/

We are incredibly grateful and thankful for our customers and their support because we could not be doing this without all of you. We have some exciting things in store for the coming year, some of which are new soap varieties in the works. Stay tuned for our 2022 updates, and if you haven’t already, follow us on social for the latest news. 

We hope you all have a happy and healthy holiday season with the ones you love! 

Are tallow soaps and balms a sustainable option?

Sustainability is a crucial topic these days. With the effects of climate change ever-present, we want to make sure the products we use and create are made with sustainability in mind. When considering how to opt-out of the chemical lifestyle, we knew we wanted to make soaps that were good for our bodies and better for the environment. That is why we chose tallow for our soaps and stopped using palm oil products. Palm oil is the most common tallow soap alternative because it is cheap; however, it is typically not harvested sustainably or ethically. Unfair labor practices, animal cruelty, and rapid deforestation are common in the palm oil industry, making it far less sustainable long term.

On the other hand, tallow soap utilizes an animal by-product that would typically go to waste. Pasture-based tallow is made by rendering suet. Beef suet is the fat found around the loins and kidneys of cows. To render the tallow, the suet is chopped up, melted over low heat, the liquid fat is strained to separate solid pieces, and the liquid fat is allowed to cool, resulting in rendered tallow. The suet used to make tallow is typically considered waste in the farming industry. After the meat that most people eat is harvested, the suet is leftover with other non-traditional parts.

Rendering tallow from suet when making soaps and balms helps reduce waste by using something otherwise discarded. As for the type of suet we use, we use grass-fed, pasture-raised suet to make our tallow. We want to ensure our soaps are made using humanely sourced ingredients that are high quality. While tallow may seem like an odd choice for soap, the added vitamins and nutrients and the sustainable benefits actually make tallow a better choice for soap than palm oil.

Ultimately, Tallow soaps help alleviate waste from the farming industry by utilizing suet (beef fat) and turning it into a vitamin-rich skincare product. Using suet from grass-finished and pasture-raised cattle can ensure humane treatment of the cattle. In addition to these great ethical and sustainable qualities of tallow soap, we also make sure to use recyclable packaging to limit delivery waste.

We believe that tallow soap is the perfect choice for sustainable soap. It is compatible with our skin and filled with the vitamins and nutrients our skin craves. Try out one of our soaps and balms and see for yourself how beneficial tallow soap is for you and the environment.

What does it mean to opt-out of the chemical lifestyle?

Over eight years ago, we decided it was time to opt-out of the chemical lifestyle. To us, opting out of the chemical lifestyle is a decision to use natural products with straightforward ingredients whenever possible. We use chemicals in our homes, our bodies, and at work. While we know some chemicals are necessary, and it would be difficult to cut them out 100%, limiting our exposure to unnecessary chemicals can benefit our health and the world around us. Specifically, we want to limit our exposure to synthetics—artificial chemical compounds that are usually cheap and easy to make. These synthetic chemicals are typically not environmentally conscious and can be bad for our health/skin. 

When it comes to soap and skin specifically, we began making soap because we realized how damaging these synthetic chemicals could be to our skin. They have little to no health benefits, and they can actually work against us. Opting out of the chemical lifestyle was a way for us to take control of our skin health by making and using products that give us added health benefits. That is why we only use pasture-based beef suet in our soaps and all-natural essential oils in our products. By using pasture-based beef suet, we can ensure our tallow is nutrient-rich without unnecessary chemicals and hormones.

Similarly, using all-natural essential oils help keep our products safe for most skin types with less risk of irritation than synthetic fragrance oils. Making our products healthy for our customers and us is our top priority, but sustainable production is equally important. We make sure we support sustainable farming practices that value and nourish the soil, and we use reusable packing whenever possible to help keep our oceans clean. When it comes to our soaps, opting out of the chemical lifestyle is more than a motto, it's a lifestyle. We want to make sure we embrace it while also making it easy for our customers to opt-out of this lifestyle along with us. 

Opting out of the chemical lifestyle may look different for everyone, but ultimately, it is choosing to use natural ingredients and products. It may not always be possible, but making that choice and working towards it is enough. When you start to consider opting out of the chemical lifestyle, there are several ways to do it and how you begin is also up to you. Here are some great suggestions to get you started: 

• Shopping at local businesses with locally sourced ingredients.

• Utilize reusable packaging through package-free wholesale stores or alternative uses.

• Research ingredients and learn what natural, sustainable products work best for you.

• Using companion gardening to deal with pests and diseases instead of pesticides. This hugely aides the bee community.

We want to emphasize that we are not perfect; no one is. But, we should always strive to be better a little bit at a time. Keep educating ourselves, and apply one thing at a time. We hope this blog makes opting out of the chemical lifestyle a little easier for you. 

Palm Oil Soap vs. Pasture-Based Tallow Soap

When choosing a soap, it can go far beyond simple smells, costs, and brands. The quality and source of the ingredients are equally important.

So, what is the main difference between pasture-based tallow and palm oil?

Palm oil and tallow are used as the base in the soap making process. The hard oils and fats in the palm oil and tallow allow the soap to stay firm when it gets wet. The most apparent difference between them is that one is a plant-based oil and one is a pasture-based fat, but the differences don’t stop there. The way palm oil and tallow are sourced is different, and their nutrients, cost, sustainability, and texture are different as well. We know it is practically impossible to know everything about the ingredients in every product we use, but when it comes to soaps we think it is possible to make an informed decision.

How are palm oil and pasture-based tallow sourced?

Pasture-based tallow is made by rendering suet. Beef suet is the fat found around the loins and kidneys of cows. To render the suet, it is chopped up, melted over low heat, the liquid fat is strained to separate solid pieces, and the liquid fat is then allowed to cool resulting in rendered tallow. While to some tallow may seem strange or gross, the added vitamins and nutrients along with the sustainable benefits, actually made tallow a better choice for soap than palm oil.

Palm oil comes from the fruit of oil palm trees, the scientific name is Elaeis guineensis. The majority of palm oil harvested today comes from South Asia; although, it was originally native to Africa. There are different types of palm oil, but the oil that is typically used in soap making comes from squeezing the fruit of the oil palm tree. It is squeezed to get all of the palm oil out and this crude oil is then used to make soaps and many other household products. Palm oil is very common in household products because it is cheap and easy to work with, however, the conditions of its sourcing often call for ethical concerns. The ethical concerns in palm oil production stems from unfair labor practices and massive deforestation that further risks endangered species.

While tallow comes from animals, it is not the primary reason the animal is harvested. In fact, suet is typically considered waste in the farming industry. After the meat that most people eat is harvested, the suet is leftover with other non-traditional parts. Rendering tallow from suet to make soaps and balms is a sustainable way to use something that would be otherwise discarded. As for our soaps and balms, we also ensure the use of grass-fed cattle for any of our suet. We want to ensure our soaps are made using humanely sourced ingredients that are high quality.

What are the benefits of tallow vs. palm oil?

In addition to palm oil creating a long-lasting soap, its benefits also include high vitamin E and vitamin A content and refatting agents that allow your body to restore its natural oils. While these are amazing benefits, the benefits of beef tallow are even better. Tallow contains vitamins A, D, E, K, and B12, which contribute to skin health and appearance. Given that the fat saturation of tallow is close to human fat, the vitamins within it can be absorbed into the body easier and it locks in moisture and nutrients without clogging your pores.

Why choose beef tallow over palm oil?

We made the choice ourselves when we began making soaps, with skin conditions and health concerns we were looking for natural remedies that help our bodies and don’t break the bank. Tallow is known for its nutrient-rich properties that naturally heal and nourish our skin, so for us, it seemed like the perfect base. We make sure our tallow is ethically sourced and ensure it comes from a high-quality source. By doing so we can create soaps that are good for us and don’t come with the moral dilemmas of palm oil. Why not use a soap that is good for your health, your skin, the orangutans, and the elephants too!

Source: wwf.org