It’s All About the Benefits – Tallow Soaps & Balms

When it comes to skincare, every ingredient should have a purpose. That’s why we decided to start The Healthy Porcupine, to create natural products our customers understand and trust. Our soaps and balms are made with carefully chosen natural ingredients that go beyond cleansing—they nourish, soothe, and protect your skin. From tallow’s deep hydration to the powerful benefits of essential oils, each element in our products is designed to support your skin’s overall look and feel. Let’s explore why our soaps and balms are packed with benefits you’ll love.

Benefits start with the base

Tallow delivers deep, long-lasting hydration while supporting overall skin vitality. It’s similar to our skin’s natural oils, which help it cleanse and soothe deeper.

• Rich in Vitamins A, D, E, and K – These essential nutrients promote skin regeneration, boost elasticity, and protect against environmental stress.

• Deeply Moisturizing – Unlike water-based lotions that evaporate quickly, tallow provides hydration that lasts all day.

• Strengthens the Skin Barrier – Helps protect against dryness, irritation, and pollutants.

• Naturally Anti-Inflammatory – Soothes sensitive skin, making it an excellent choice for eczema, psoriasis, and dry patches.

Essential oils provide additional benefits

Our soaps and balms feature a blend of essential oils and specialty ingredients, each chosen for their ability to improve your skin’s health. Here are a few of the benefits highlighted: 

Antioxidants

Antioxidants help protect the skin from premature aging and environmental damage while promoting a natural glow. Here are a few of the essential oils in our soaps and balms known for their antioxidant properties:

• Lavender – Not only is lavender essential oil calming but it’s also packed with antioxidants that fight free radicals and reduce irritation.

• Rosemary – A natural skin toner that helps protect against oxidative stress and keeps skin firm.

• Lemon & Lime – Naturally high in vitamin C, these citrus oils brighten skin and even tone while providing strong antioxidant protection.

Anti-Inflammatory

Inflammation is often the root cause of redness, irritation, and discomfort. These essential oils soothe and calm troubled skin:

• Eucalyptus – With its cooling properties, eucalyptus reduces inflammation and provides a refreshing sensation.

• Pine Tar – Traditionally used to relieve eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin, pine tar is a powerful anti-inflammatory and skin soother.

• Peppermint – Naturally cooling and soothing, peppermint helps reduce redness and irritation while offering an invigorating, refreshing sensation.

Antibacterial & Antimicrobial

For your skin to remain at its best, it requires protection from bacteria, fungi, and environmental pollutants. These ingredients help keep your skin clean and clear:

• Tea Tree – A natural antibacterial and antifungal that helps prevent breakouts and supports clear, healthy skin.

• Clove – Offers antimicrobial properties while helping to fight acne and skin infections.

• Lemongrass – Fights bacteria and fungi while toning and balancing oily or acne-prone skin.

• Peppermint – Not only refreshing but also antimicrobial, helping to keep skin fresh and clean.

Regenerative Benefits

For those looking to repair, rejuvenate, and improve skin texture, these ingredients provide natural support:

• Orange – Brightens skin while providing a fresh, uplifting aroma.

• Cedarwood – Supports skin cell regeneration, improves elasticity, and helps maintain a healthy, balanced complexion.

• Lavender – The antioxidants in this essential oil protect you against damage, promote skin regeneration, reduce scarring, and soothe irritation.

Sustainability

Beyond the skincare benefits, choosing our tallow-based soaps and balms is also a more sustainable choice. Tallow is a natural byproduct of the farming industry that would otherwise go to waste. By using it in our skincare products, we’re reducing waste and making use of an ingredient that is both incredibly nourishing and eco-friendly.

Unlike commercial skincare products that rely on synthetic chemicals and palm oil, our soaps and balms are made using natural ingredients in a way that supports your skin and the environment. With minimal processing and no unnecessary fillers, our formulations are as kind to the planet as they are to your skin. 

When you choose our tallow-based skincare, you’re making a choice that benefits your skin, reduces waste, and supports a more sustainable future. Because at the end of the day, it’s all about the benefits.

How Tallow Can Strengthen Your Skin Barrier This Fall

As the air cools and the days get shorter, many of us notice changes in our skin. It becomes drier, tighter, and more prone to redness or irritation. The most common culprit is a compromised skin barrier. Tallow has been known to be one of the most effective, natural solutions for nurturing and maintaining a healthy skin barrier. In this blog, we’ll explore the skin barrier, why it matters, and how tallow can play a powerful role in restoring and protecting it.

Understanding the Skin Barrier

Your skin barrier, also known as the lipid or moisture barrier, is the outermost layer of your skin. It’s made up of a complex mixture of skin cells and lipids (fats) that work together to protect your body. Think of it as your skin’s bodyguard—its primary job is to keep the good stuff in (like moisture) and the bad stuff out (like environmental pollutants and irritants).

When your skin barrier functions properly, your skin looks healthy, hydrated, and smooth. When it’s compromised, you may notice dryness, irritation, redness, or even breakouts. This is particularly common during seasonal transitions, like in the fall, when lower humidity and colder temperatures take a toll on the skin.

Why is maintaining your skin barrier important?

Maintaining a healthy skin barrier is crucial because it serves as the foundation for overall skin health. Here’s why:

• Retaining hydration: A healthy skin barrier keeps moisture locked in, preventing dehydration. Dehydrated skin not only feels uncomfortable but can also exacerbate other skin conditions, such as eczema and rosacea.

• Protection against irritants: A strong barrier acts like a shield, protecting your skin from external irritants, allergens, and pollutants. When your barrier is weakened, these aggressors can easily attack your skin, leading to irritation and inflammation.

• Reduced sensitivity: A compromised skin barrier is more susceptible to sensitivity, redness, and irritation. By maintaining this barrier, you’re ensuring your skin is more resilient and less reactive.

How Tallow Supports the Skin Barrier

Tallow is made from rendered animal fat and has made waves for its incredible barrier-supporting properties. Here’s how tallow can help improve and maintain your skin barrier:

• Mimics Skin’s Natural Lipids: Tallow closely resembles the natural lipids in human skin. This means tallow can integrate seamlessly into your skin barrier, providing natural nourishment to your body.

• Rich in Fat-Soluble Vitamins: Tallow contains vitamins A, D, E, and K, which support skin regeneration, protect against oxidative stress, and promote renewal and elasticity for a healthy barrier.

• Deep Moisture Without Clogging: Unlike many synthetic moisturizers that sit on top of the skin, tallow provides deep, long-lasting hydration. It helps seal in moisture, but because it has a similar composition to human sebum, it’s unlikely to clog pores.

• Anti-Inflammatory Benefits: Tallow’s naturally occurring fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, which help calm and soothe irritated skin. This makes tallow particularly beneficial for those with sensitive or inflamed skin.

So, how do you incorporate tallow into your routine?

During fall, when skin is prone to dehydration and barrier damage. Here are some simple ways to incorporate tallow balms and soaps into your routine:

Tallow soap: Cleansing with a tallow-based soap is the perfect way to start your skincare routine without stripping your skin. Unlike harsh soaps that can deplete your natural oils, tallow soap gently cleanses while replenishing your skin’s barrier, leaving it clean yet moisturized.

Tallow balm: After cleansing, apply a rich, nourishing layer of tallow balm to help seal in moisture and restore your skin barrier. Use tallow balm on areas like elbows, knees, and hands, which are particularly prone to dryness in colder weather. The balm helps strengthen your skin’s natural defenses, keeping your skin smooth, hydrated, and comfortable as temperatures drop.

Maintaining a healthy skin barrier is essential for glowing, resilient skin—and fall is the perfect time to double down on barrier support. By incorporating tallow soaps and balms into your routine, you’re choosing a natural, effective way to nourish and protect your skin, keeping it hydrated, smooth, and healthy. Whether you’re struggling with seasonal dryness and sensitivity or want to prevent damage before it starts, tallow can be your skin’s best ally in weathering the cold months ahead.

What are the top tips for choosing the right tallow soap for your skin type?

Tallow soap has been cherished for centuries for its cleansing, moisturizing, and nourishing properties. Made from rendered animal fat, tallow soap is an all-natural soap and balm option that is safe for all skin types—including babies and children. But with so many options available, how do you choose the right tallow soap for your specific skin needs? Here are some top tips to help you make the best choice.  

What is your skin type? 

Before selecting any skincare product, it's crucial to understand your skin type. The common categories are: 

Oily Skin: Characterized by excess sebum production, leading to a shiny appearance and potential breakouts. 

Dry Skin: Lacks sufficient moisture, often leading to flakiness and a tight feeling. 

Combination Skin: Features both oily and dry areas, typically with an oily T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) and drier cheeks. 

Sensitive Skin: Prone to irritation and redness, often reacting negatively to harsh chemicals or fragrances. 

Knowing your skin type is the first step in choosing a tallow soap, or any skincare, that will work harmoniously with your skin’s natural needs. 

Pure Tallow Soap is a Good Option for All Skin Types 

Pure tallow soap is a versatile choice can be beneficial for every skin type. Because it is made from natural ingredients and free from synthetic additives, it’s gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin, including that of babies and children. Tallow is rich in fatty acids like stearic and oleic acid, which help to nourish and protect the skin’s natural barrier. 

For parents looking for a safe soap for their little ones, pure tallow soap is an excellent option. Its simplicity and purity mean it’s less likely to cause irritation, making bath time a soothing experience for delicate skin. 

Consider Essential Oils for Targeted Benefits 

One of the advantages of tallow soap is that it can be infused with essential oils, each offering unique benefits that cater to specific skin types: 

Lavender: Known for its calming properties, lavender essential oil is perfect for sensitive or irritated skin. It has natural anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, making it a great choice for soothing redness and preventing breakouts. 

Tea Tree: If you have oily or acne-prone skin, look for tallow soap with tea tree oil. Tea tree oil has powerful antibacterial and antiseptic qualities, helping to control oil production and clear up blemishes. 

Rosemary: This essential oil is great for combination skin as it helps to balance oil production while also providing antiseptic properties to keep skin clear and healthy. 

Eucalyptus: Known for its refreshing and invigorating scent, eucalyptus oil is beneficial for oily skin due to its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. 

Cedarwood: This essential oil is excellent for oily or acne-prone skin, as it helps to regulate sebum production and has natural astringent properties. It can also be calming for irritated skin, making it a good choice for those prone to breakouts or redness. 

Pine Tar: This oil has been used for centuries for its ability to soothe and heal problematic skin. It’s particularly beneficial for those with eczema, psoriasis, or severely dry skin due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Tallow soap with pine tar can be a powerful option for individuals with these specific skin conditions. 

Check the Ingredient List 

When choosing a tallow soap, always check the ingredient list. High-quality tallow soap should have a short list of ingredients—ideally, just tallow, necessary oils, water, and essential oils. Avoid soaps with synthetic fragrances, colorants, or preservatives, as these can be harsh on the skin and may trigger irritation, especially for those with sensitive skin. 

Opt for Handmade or Artisanal Soaps 

Handmade or artisanal tallow soaps are often crafted in small batches with greater attention to ingredient quality. These soaps are less likely to contain harmful chemicals or additives and are more likely to use high-quality, natural essential oils. Supporting small businesses also means you’re likely to find unique blends tailored to specific skin concerns. 

Test Before Committing 

Finally, before committing to a particular tallow soap, consider testing it on a small patch of skin first. This is especially important if you have sensitive skin or are prone to allergies. Apply a small amount of soap to a patch of skin, wash it off, and observe how your skin reacts over 24 hours. 

Choosing the right tallow soap for your skin type doesn’t have to be complicated. By understanding your skin’s needs, opting for pure and natural ingredients, and selecting essential oils that cater to your specific concerns, you can find a tallow soap that not only cleanses but also nurtures your skin. Whether you’re caring for your own skin or the delicate skin of a child, pure tallow soap can be a safe and effective choice for everyone in the family. 

Unlock the Key to Radiant Skin: Tallow Soap and its Vitamins, a Series

We’re back with the second edition of the vitamin series. Before we jump into the exciting stuff, i.e., the vitamins and their properties, we wanted to quickly refresh what tallow is and what vitamins it contains. 

What is tallow? 

Tallow is a substance derived from suet or fat that comes from a variety of animals; however, our tallow comes from grass-fed, pasture-raised cattle. Tallow is made by rendering suet, which involves melting and purifying the fat. Tallow has been used for various purposes throughout history, ranging from making candles and soap to lubricating machinery. Its high melting point and solid texture at room temperature make it versatile for different applications, including as a base for soaps and balms like ours. 

What vitamins does tallow contain? 

Tallow contains vitamins A, D, E, K, and B12, contributing to skin health and appearance. In our last edition of the vitamin series, we focused on vitamins A, D, and E. Today we are going to dive in deeper and discuss vitamins K and B12 in addition to a bonus benefit of tallow that you may not know. 

How is vitamin B12 good for your skin? 

Vitamin B12: The Skin Energizer

Vitamin B12, often called the “energy vitamin,” is vital in promoting healthy skin. It aids in the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the skin cells, resulting in a vibrant and radiant complexion. Additionally, vitamin B12 supports the metabolism of skin cells, helping them regenerate and renew more efficiently. This rejuvenating effect can help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots, promoting a more youthful appearance. Vitamin B12 gives your skin a natural boost of energy and vitality, making it a valuable addition to your beauty routine.

How is vitamin K good for your skin? 

Vitamin K: The Skin Healer

Vitamin K is a powerful nutrient that offers remarkable benefits for the skin. Vitamin K plays a crucial role in the healing process, helping to reduce the appearance of scars, bruises, and discoloration. It aids in improving blood circulation, ensuring that essential nutrients and oxygen reach the skin cells, resulting in a healthier complexion. Moreover, vitamin K possesses antioxidant properties that protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals and harmful UV rays. Incorporating vitamin K into your skincare routine supports your skin’s natural defenses and maintains a smooth and radiant complexion.

While vitamin K and B12 may not always be top of mind when it comes to skincare, their impact on skin health should not be underestimated. Vitamin K’s ability to promote healing and protect against environmental damage, along with vitamin B12’s role in cell metabolism and moisture retention, make them a dynamic duo for maintaining radiant and healthy skin. Whether through dietary choices or skincare products, harnessing the benefits of these vitamins can provide you with a glowing complexion that radiates beauty from within.

Bonus Benefit: Tallow’s Skin-Friendly Molecular Structure

One of the remarkable benefits of tallow for the skin is its similar molecular structure to our own skin cells. This similarity allows for easy absorption and compatibility with our body’s natural processes. Tallow contains a high concentration of fatty acids, such as stearic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid, which are similar to the lipids found in our skin. This similarity allows tallow to penetrate deeply into the skin, nourishing and moisturizing it from within without clogging your pores.

Due to its affinity with our skin, tallow can help restore and maintain the skin’s natural barrier function. It forms a protective layer on the skin’s surface, preventing moisture loss and shielding it from external pollutants. This barrier not only helps to lock in hydration but also promotes a smoother and more supple complexion.

By harnessing the skin-friendly properties of tallow, you can experience improved skin hydration, increased elasticity, and a more youthful appearance. So, if you’re looking for a natural and easily absorbed ingredient to incorporate into your skincare routine, tallow may be the perfect choice.

Frequently Asked Questions about Lye

We have discussed this in previous blogs, but if you’re familiar with soapmaking, you know lye is an essential ingredient. Lye, also known as sodium hydroxide, is a strong alkaline substance that helps create the chemical reaction necessary for saponification, the process that turns oils and fats into soap. Despite its popularity in soap making, lye can be intimidating for beginners and may raise some questions. In this blog, we’ll cover frequently asked questions about lye and why it’s safe and beneficial to use in soaps.

What is lye, and how is it used in soap making?

As we mentioned, lye is a strong alkaline substance used in soapmaking to create the chemical reaction necessary for saponification. When lye is mixed with water and oils/fats, lye causes a chemical reaction called saponification, which makes soap. During this reaction, lye breaks down the oils and fats into their component parts, which then react with the lye to create soap.

Is lye dangerous?

Lye is a caustic substance and can be dangerous if not handled properly. When working with lye, wearing protective gear such as gloves, goggles, and a mask to avoid direct contact with the skin or eyes is essential. Always keep lye out of reach of children and pets, and avoid inhaling fumes when working with it. However, when used correctly, lye is safe to use in soap making.

Soaps made with lye are safe to use on the skin once they have been properly cured. During the soapmaking process, all of the lye is used up, ensuring no leftover chemicals or harmful substances are in the finished product.

Is there a substitute for lye in soap making?

There are alternatives to lye in soap making, such as melt-and-pour soap bases, but they don’t offer the same level of customization and control as using lye to create soap from scratch. When making soap from scratch, lye is necessary to complete the chemical reaction that turns oils and fats into soap.

Is lye used in other types of products?

Yes, lye is used in many other products besides soaps. It is used in the production of paper, textiles, and detergents. It is also used in the food industry to make olives, cocoa, and pretzels. In addition, lye is used in biodiesel manufacturing, as a pH regulator in water treatment plants, and as a cleaning agent for household drains and ovens. While lye can be dangerous if not handled properly, it is vital in many industries and products.

Why is lye great to use in soaps?

Lye is great to use in soaps because it’s a powerful and effective ingredient that creates a chemical reaction necessary for saponification. It allows soap makers to customize their recipes and create unique blends of oils and fats to make a soap that meets their specific needs. Lye also helps create a hard and long-lasting bar of soap, making it a cost-effective ingredient in soap making.

We use lye in our soaps because it is necessary for saponification, but it also helps create hard, long-lasting bars of soap. Using lye in our soaps gives us the flexibility to make our soaps custom to fit our needs. That means using our choice of all-natural, grass-fed, or finished tallow and olive oil to make high-quality bars of tallow soap. While lye can be intimidating for beginners, with proper safety precautions, it is safe to use and is an essential ingredient in creating high-quality, handmade soap.

What are the benefits of pine tar soap?

Our Pine Tar 20% Tallow Soap is one of our top-selling soaps, with four stars and over 900 reviews on Amazon. It is known for its deep campfire scent and wonderful benefits for your skin. In this blog post, we want to highlight some of the great benefits of pine tar soap and share what makes it so great!

First, where does pine tar oil come from? 

The traditional way to source pine tar is by burning a pine tree stump in a kiln. This results in “genuine peasant-made tar” that we can use for soaps and other skin care and topical products. When pine tar is created in a kiln, it maintains a dark golden color and contains a high resin content while maintaining a low pitch and high purity content. It is an extremely pure form of pine tar, and it is perfect to use for soaps, especially when mixed with our all-natural tallow.

The pine tar we use specifically comes from a Swedish company called Tjärfärg från Auson. They extract the pine tar from the pine tree stumps and sell it for a variety of uses. Pine Tar has been used for centuries for medicinal and topical use, but it is also used for livestock and home restoration. 

What are the benefits of pine tar oil in soaps?

Given the high quality of “genuine peasant-made tar,” it contains a vast array of benefits. Pine Tar is known to have the following qualities: 

Antifungal – helps provide relief from fungal infections

Anti-inflammatory – helps reduce inflammation

Antipruritic – soothes itchy and irritated skin

Antibacterial – helps prevent the growth or spread of bacteria

These qualities are what make pine tar so beneficial for your skin. Combined with all-natural tallow, the vitamins and nutrients work together to soothe a range of skin ailments.  

What conditions does pine tar soap help soothe?

With these benefits, it is no surprise that pine tar can help soothe many skin conditions. In fact, it is excellent for relief from long and short-term skin conditions. It can help soothe skin conditions such as dry skin, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, hives, and other dry, flaky, or itchy skin conditions.

If you read the reviews of pine tar soap, you will see that the results are tried and true. While the deep campfire scent isn’t for everyone, it is worth a try for a soap that is known as an absolute powerhouse against a variety of skin conditions.  

What is lye, and why is it used in soap?

You may have heard that lye is used in soap to create a soft, smooth, and natural bar of soap. However, you might wonder how it works and why we use it in our soaps. In this blog post, we'll answer those questions so you can learn more about the ingredients found in your favorite product. Even if you're unfamiliar with lye, there is a very high chance you've used it in soap at one point or another without realizing it. All natural soap is made with lye. It is the most traditional and natural way to make soap.

What is lye?

Lye is a very-alkaline product that has been used to make soap for decades. It also has uses in other industries, such as food and cleaning. Lye is a general term for two different alkaline compounds known as Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) and Potassium Hydroxide (KOH). They are both metal hydroxides and basic alkaline, so they have a very high pH. The high pH makes this mixture very caustic, which means that if you don't protect your skin when you touch it at this stage, it can cause a chemical burn. These two compounds are highly water-soluble and are sometimes referred to as caustic soda.

Though this may sound odd to put in soap, the chemical reactions that occur later in the soapmaking process, called saponification, neutralize the lye in the soap while activating its cleaning power.

How is lye produced?

The traditional way of making lye was by allowing wood ashes to seep into the water, resulting in a lye solution. This process is also known as "potash," which comes from the method of soaking ashes in a pot. Modern lye, which is normally used for making bar soap, is now made by breaking down a saltwater solution with the chemicals we mentioned above. Salt is an alkaline earth metal, and water is neutral; the reaction between these two creates lyes that vary widely depending on what kind you use: baking soda produces up to 7% NaOH while Epsom salts cause only 10%.

How long has lye been used?

Lye has been used for thousands of years to make many important products like soap, food, and paper. It's also a key ingredient in producing many other things, such as glass cleaner and fertilizer. 

You can't make real soap without lye. All natural soaps have lye as an ingredient in them; synthetic chemicals can now be used instead of lye (like phthalate-free glycerin), but we wouldn't consider that natural soap because it contains no botanical ingredients or essential oils from plants or flowers.

How is lye added to soaps?

The process typically involves mixing lye with oils or butters, which contribute to the soap's scents and other natural properties, such as vitamins and minerals.

After we ground, render, and filter our suet (beef fat), we add lye to our completed tallow product. The reaction between oil and lye leaves no residue in the finished product. At the end of the soapmaking process, there's no lye left in your soap—it forms a bond with oil and becomes soap!

Is soap made with lye safe to use on the skin?

Yes, soaps made with lye are safe to use on the skin once they have been properly cured. During saponification, the reaction between the fats and lye produces a product that is safe for use on the skin after all curing has been completed. During the soapmaking process, all of the lye is used up, making sure that there are no leftover chemicals or harmful substances in your finished product!

Why do we use lye in our soaps?

There are a few reasons we use lye in our soap:

1. It's the most natural way to make soap, allowing us to stick with the most traditional methods possible.

2. Using lye avoids the use of unnecessary synthetic chemicals larger companies may use that can cause skin irritation or allergies.

3. Because lye creates soap with powerful natural cleansing properties, it makes for an amazing bar of handmade soap!

Finally, since handcrafted artisans traditionally use lye throughout history, it makes sense that we would choose this method as well when making our own handmade products."

So, why do we use lye in soap? Well, it's actually a great question! Lye comes from natural sources like clay and limestone. It is 100% pure sodium hydroxide, which can make all sorts of things like detergent, laundry detergent, or deodorant products. The main reason soapmakers use lye in their soaps is that it has many benefits over other ingredients, such as salt or synthetic chemicals found in many non-natural soaps today.

What is Pine Tar, and why do we use it in our soaps?

If you’ve been following us for some time, then you know we have been making pine tar soap since 2013. It is one of the staples in our tallow balm and soap collection. We often talk about it on our social media and thought it was time for our Pine Tar 20% soap to get the respect it deserves with an entire blog on its creation, benefits, and properties. Pine Tar has been around for thousands of years and can be found across a wide range of skincare products such as soap, lotions, and gels. It is also used in other industries such as woodworking, maritime, veterinary, and medicine. 

How do we make our Pine Tar 20% Tallow Soap? 

In order to make pine tar tallow soap, we begin by purchasing genuine pine tar. We source our pine tar from a Swedish company called Tjärfärg från Auson. They provide high-quality pine tar that we use for our soaps and balms. Pine tar is the end product of pine wood carbonization following distillation using extreme heat. The pine tar we use in our soaps is made the old-fashioned way. The old-fashioned way to create pine tar is by burning a pine tree stump in a kiln, and the result is known as “genuine peasant-made tar.” Kiln-burned pine tar is usually a dark golden color and contains a high resin content while maintaining a low pitch and high purity content. It is an extremely pure form of pine tar that we mix with other all-natural ingredients to make our soothing soaps.

The process of making our Pine Tar 20% tallow soap isn’t different from any of our other soaps. Once the tallow is almost formed and ready to be set, we mix in the pine tar with our tallow mixture then it is ready to be placed into the mold that shapes the soaps. After we pour our mixture into the mold, we allow the soap to set for one day. Then we cut the soaps into individual bars and let them cure for four weeks. Curing time for the tallow is four weeks is standard practice. 

What are the benefits of pine tar oil in soaps?

Even though pine tar is not an essential oil, it still has a long and impressive list of benefits that should be recognized. The “genuine peasant-made tar” that we use in our soaps is high-quality pine tar that contains benefits such as antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, and antibacterial properties. 

It is excellent for relief from long and short-term skin conditions alike. In fact, pine tar has been an extremely valuable resource in the skincare and medicine industry as it can help soothe skin conditions such as dry skin, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, hives, and other dry, flaky, or itchy skin conditions. 

How do pine tar soaps smell and feel?

While we can’t speak for all pine tar products, our Pine Tar 20% tallow soap has a strong and bold scent that is often referred to as a woodsy, campfire scent. It may be intense for some, especially if you are unfamiliar with pine tar soaps, but most people really enjoy the smell. We have some customers who may not favor the scent but choose to use the soap for its incredible benefits. It is a very personal decision based on personal preferences, but we know it is in the rotation for us.  

Like all of our other soaps, minus the Coffee! and Pumice soaps which are exfoliators, this soap provides a silky-smooth lather. It is excellent for moisturizing your skin and locking in essential nutrients that help your skin stay moisturized and smooth all day. The pine tar mixed with the tallow is as soothing as a combination you can get. While the tallow is known for keeping your skin smooth, moisturized, and tight, pine tar is also known for similar uses, and both can help soothe common ailments that other soaps simply can’t. 

If you haven’t tried our Pine Tar 20% tallow soap, we recommend picking up a bar today. It is a soap that will have your body’s largest organ, your skin, feeling and looking its best.  

What is white labeling? Our latest partnership with Walden Local Meat.

We have been working with Walden Local Meat for quite some time, and we have exclusively purchased our suet from their farms for about a year. Walden Local is an incredible company that focuses on connecting farmers and their quality agricultural products to consumers. They found farmers in the New England and New York area doing everything right to feed and raise animals. They work with these local farmers to get their products packaged and delivered to the community. With nearly ten years of experience in the tallow industry, we really related to their mission and commitment to using and distributing sustainable, local, and nutrient-rich products. In our latest partnership with Walden Local, we are using their tallow to white label soaps and balms for them. Specifically, they will carry Unscented Soap (Healthy Porcupine Pure Tallow Soap) and Unscented Balm. 

What is white labeling? 

White label products are sold by retailers with their own branding and logo, but a third party manufactures them. The labeling will include the retailer's name prominently on the label and not the actual manufacturer, so the end product appears as though it has been produced by the retailer. A perfect example of this is Trader Joe's or Costco. It is no secret that these two grocery chains offer Trader Joe's or Kirkland brand products that other known retailers produce. In fact, according to MoneyWise, the Kirkland Brand coffee is actually made by Starbucks and simply white-labeled to be branded as Kirkland coffee. This is a very common occurrence for big-box retailers. You have likely seen this at your favorite grocery chain. 

What are the benefits of white labeling?

There are many benefits to white labeling and a variety of reasons brands choose to go this route. Having quality products manufactured and labeled can save money on production costs and time. As an established soap brand with the necessary equipment and expertise, it is much easier for us to white label soaps for a brand instead of the brand starting to make soap from scratch. We also maintain quality control standards, so the brand can ensure the products they provide to their customers are of the highest quality. White labeling is also a great tool that allows brands to broaden the range of products they offer and provide more of what their customers need, increasing brand loyalty.

White Labeling vs. Private Labeling

White labeling is the process of selling an existing product through a different channel, usually with a tweak or two in terms of packaging, marketing, and pricing. This can be done so that you can increase your reach, gain exposure to new customers or move from one retailer to another. However, private labeling sells products to one specific brand to allow them sole access to use their branding. In other words, the manufacturer will produce an item specifically for a retailer like Target or Amazon, and the manufacturer is limited to selling that product to that brand exclusively. 

White and private labeling are very common in many industries for goods and services. You can find white labeling and private labeling in clothing, food, electronics, technology, home goods, and more. It allows businesses of any size to diversify their income and product offerings and remain competitive in their industry and with their customers.  

We white label our products for Walden Local and a few other wholesale clients. Whether our soaps are white-labeled or come with your favorite Healthy Porcupine logo, they are still quality, sustainable soaps that we are thrilled to share with the world. #OptOutOfTheChemicalLifestyle

4 Reasons to Use Tallow Soaps and Balms

Promotes Youthful Looking Skin

The vitamins in tallow make it a great skincare product to help reduce the appearance of aging. Specifically, tallow from grass-fed cattle is loaded with vitamins A, D, E, and K, and antioxidants. 

Vitamin E, a common antioxidant, promotes rejuvenation of the skin by fighting free radicals that can cause wrinkles. Vitamin E is also prevalent in tallow and has been shown to prevent collagen breakdown. Sun exposure tends to deplete our body's antioxidants. Using skincare products with these antioxidants can help replenish what the body loses. Antioxidant skincare acts as the first line of defense from things like sunlight and pollution.

Vitamin D is another common vitamin in tallow, and it has been known to restore vibrancy in the skin. In its active form, Vitamin D can help repair cells. It can also help stop damage to free radicals. 

In addition to these vitamins, all the vitamins and nutrients in tallow play a part in keeping your skin looking smooth, moisturized, and youthful. 

Ethically Sourced, Sustainable Soap Option

Although tallow comes from animal byproducts, it is a sustainable base for soap. Unlike palm oil, which benefits from massive deforestation, tallow utilizes an animal byproduct that typically goes to waste. Pasture-based tallow is made by rendering suet. The suet used to make tallow is generally considered waste in the farming industry. The primary harvest for most meat-based farms is the meat that people commonly eat. Once the parts people eat are harvested, the suet and other non-traditional parts are wasted. Tallow soap making helps eliminate this waste by utilizing the remaining tallow for nutrient-dense soaps and balms.

Buying tallow soaps from a small business is another way to make purchasing tallow soap a more sustainable option. One of the benefits of buying handmade tallow soap is supporting local economies. It is also a great way to support your community. Small businesses actually have been found to support local communities the most, making it a more circular shopping model. 

Supporting local businesses is also a good way to help the environment and reduce your carbon footprint. Small businesses have the freedom to choose more sustainable packaging and can use it while still being cost-effective. Due to the size of larger mass-produced soap, they often don't choose sustainable packaging because profit is the purpose. Overall, small businesses have a smaller carbon footprint than larger companies, and supporting them means you are shrinking your carbon footprint too! 

Tallow makes quality soap

Tallow makes long-lasting soap with a light creamy lather. The superfat amount in a finished bar of tallow soap means that some unconverted tallow stays on the skin after you use the soap. This is great because the tallow will continue to work, protecting your skin and keeping it soft, moisturized, and smooth. Tallow soap is an incredibly long-lasting product with lasting results. 

Tallow Soap is more Moisturizing than Traditional Soaps

Natural soaps are typically free of harsh and unnecessary chemicals. In our case, we only use all-natural tallow that comes from grass-finished beef. Given the similar fat saturation levels of the tallow to human skin, it is easily absorbed by the skin. Tallow's organic compatibility with our skin allows it to work as natural sebum, locking in moisture and nutrients without clogging your pores. 

Typical mass-produced soaps may try to include the same vitamins, but they struggle to match the quality of handmade soaps. The mass-produced soaps don't have the same properties to facilitate healthy skin because they use easily mass-produced ingredients and chemicals. On the other hand, Tallow soaps give the skin the nutrients it needs to soothe itself and the natural oil to keep the moisture and nutrients in.

What are masking fragrances, and why don’t we use them?

We have gotten a lot of questions lately about masking fragrances, so we thought we would go over what they are and why we don’t use them. Essentially, masking fragrances and fragrances are the same thing, but their purpose differentiates them. Fragrances are designed to create a perceivable pleasant smell, while masking fragrances are designed to conceal a bad smell and create a neutral smell. Some commonly used raw materials have an unpleasant odor that is covered to allow regular everyday use. 

Masking fragrances are no stranger in the skincare world. In fact, many brands find certain ingredients worth it despite their scent. For example, urea, sulfur/sulfa, and hydrolyzed collagen may have a foul odor to some, but a masking fragrance is used to make these ingredients pleasant to apply and wear.

As some may think, masking fragrances do not simply add scent on top of a foul odor. It is often a chemical combination that allows the foul odor to subside or appear neutral. The unpleasant smell may reappear, as is the case with many self-tanners. The longer you wear it, the more you may notice the scent. The goal of a masking fragrance is for a product to appear unscented. Thus, unscented does not always mean fragrance-free, but rather smell-free. 

With this information in mind, it’s important to understand that products labeled fragrance-free aren’t necessarily free of fragrance. They may contain a very small percentage of masking fragrances to make the use of the product much more enjoyable. Unscented products definitely won’t contain added scents like essential oils or fragrance oils. However, most products deliberately add scents to offer additional benefits and make the product more appealing. 

Why don’t we use masking oils? 

 The simple answer is that we don’t need it. Often people are worried that tallow soap will smell like meat, but it doesn’t! The soap will not smell like meat if you render the tallow and strain it correctly. It will smell like tallow, which has a very mild scent if any at all. We use essential oils in our soaps for their benefits and soothing qualities for sensitive skin; however, they aren’t necessary. Our unscented soaps are, in fact, fragrance-free. 

 If you are sensitive to fragrances and essential oils, we recommend you research to ensure that your products don’t include any masking agents. You can find a list of masking agents online. All of our products are gentle on your skin, but we also have options for people that need or choose to go fragrance-free. Our fragrance-free products are our Unscented Tallow Soap and Unscented Tallow Balm, perfect for sensitive skin.

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! 

How do you make tallow soap?

Soapmaking is our passion, and we want to share it with all of our customers. That is why we have decided to give you a look into our soapmaking process. As always, we want our customers to choose our products based on the facts. We want to ensure you know just what goes into our products, and we believe they are the best choice for your skin.

If you ever choose to make soap on your own, please be careful, wear protective gear, and look up full instructions with safety requirements.

Our soapmaking process begins with us rendering suet into tallow we can use for our products. This isn’t necessary because you can buy the tallow already rendered, but we do it ourselves because we want to support local businesses and utilize local resources.

How We Turn Suet into Tallow

Step 1 - We pick up our suet from Walden Local Meat.  We always choose grass-finished cattle that are pasture-raised.

Step 2 – We begin the rendering process. The suet is ground, rendered and filtered.

Step 3 – Let the freshly rendered tallow cool. Once cooled, it’s ready to be used for soapmaking.

Now we are ready to begin the soapmaking process.

How We Make Tallow Soap

Step 1 – First, we heat all of the oils. While they are heating, we start putting together our lye solution.

What is lye? Lye is a general term for two different alkaline compounds known as Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) and Potassium Hydroxide (KOH). They are highly water-soluble and are sometimes referred to as caustic soda.

Soap is the result of a reaction that occurs when you mix lye with liquid oils. Lye, which has a scientific name of sodium hydroxide, reacts when it is properly mixed; the process of mixing and causing this reaction is called saponification.

The process typically involves mixing lye with oils or butters, which contribute to soap's scents and other natural properties, such as vitamins and minerals. The oils and butters also react with the lye, resulting in a product that is safe for use on the skin. At the end of the soapmaking process, there's no lye left in the soap. It forms a bond with oil and becomes soap! All soap is made with lye at some point in the process.

Step 2 - Once the oils reach the proper temperature, the lye solution is poured into the oils.

Step 3 – Mix the oils and lye solution using a hand mixer. We do this very carefully to limit mess and ensure lye isn’t exposed to our skin.

Step 4 - After several minutes, you will notice a light trace. At this point, you would add any essential oils, color, or coffee grounds, pumice, etc. Continue to mix until you are at a heavy trace.

Trace is the point at which the soap has thickened and blended enough to have formed a stable emulsion.

Step 5 – Once you have a heavy trace, the soap batter is ready to be poured into the molds.

Step 6 – Let the soap sit in the molds overnight so it can saponify.

Step 7 – The next day, when the soap is set in the molds, we remove it from the molds and cut it. Then the soap is put onto curing racks where it says to cure for four weeks.

Done! Now the soap is all ready to be used.