How Tallow Soaps and Balms Can Support Anti-Aging

When it comes to skincare, prevention, and resilience are the name of the game. Over time, environmental factors, stress, and aging can take a toll on your skin, leading to dryness, fine lines, and a loss of elasticity. However, tallow-based soaps and balms are becoming increasingly popular because of their ability to support skin resiliency and combat the signs of aging. Let’s explore how they can become your go-to for bright, youthful skin.

What is tallow, and why does it matter?

Tallow, rendered from animal fat, is rich in nutrients that closely mimic the natural composition of oils produced by our skin. It’s packed with vitamins A, D, E, and K and essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6. These nutrients are key to repairing the skin barrier, promoting elasticity, and encouraging natural regeneration, making tallow an excellent choice to supporting anti-aging.

Here is a deeper look into how tallow can provide the resiliency your skin needs to withstand the test of time: 

1. Deep Moisture That Lasts

One of the key aspects of resilient, youthful skin is its ability to retain moisture. Tallow is an occlusive agent that locks in hydration by creating a protective barrier. Unlike synthetic moisturizers that often sit on the surface, tallow penetrates deeply, nourishing skin from deep within. This long-lasting hydration softens fine lines and plumps the skin, giving it a fresh, smooth appearance.

2. Enhancing Skin Elasticity

As we age, our skin loses collagen and elastin, the proteins responsible for its firmness and elasticity. Tallow contains essential fatty acids that help rebuild the skin’s structure and maintain its elasticity. Regular use of tallow-based soaps and balms can improve skin texture, making it appear smoother and more supple over time.

3. Supporting Natural Skin Regeneration

Vitamin A, a natural component of tallow, is known for its skin-renewing properties. It stimulates cell turnover, which helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and dark spots while promoting a more even complexion. This makes tallow an excellent alternative to harsher anti-aging treatments that can irritate sensitive skin.

4. Protecting Against Environmental Stressors

Free radicals from pollution, UV rays, and other environmental factors can accelerate skin aging. Tallow is rich in antioxidants like vitamins E and D, which neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress. Incorporating tallow soaps and balms into your routine can fortify your skin against daily aggressors, keeping it resilient and youthful.

5. Soothing for Sensitive or Mature Skin

As skin ages, it often becomes more sensitive and prone to irritation. The gentle, non-comedogenic properties of tallow make it ideal for soothing redness and inflammation. Whether used as a cleansing soap or a soothing balm, tallow calms the skin while strengthening its natural defenses.

How can you incorporate tallow into your routine?

• Cleanse Naturally: Start your day with a tallow-based soap. Its nourishing properties cleanse without stripping the skin of its natural oils, leaving it balanced and refreshed.

• Hydrate and Protect: Apply a thin layer of tallow balm to your face and neck as part of your morning and evening routine. Focus on areas prone to fine lines, like the eyes and forehead.

• Multi-Tasking Balm: Use tallow balm on hands, elbows, and other dry areas for a full-body boost of hydration.

Why Choose Tallow-Based Skincare?

Unlike commercial products loaded with synthetic fillers and harsh chemicals, tallow is all-natural, sustainable, and time-tested. Its compatibility with human skin ensures that it delivers real results, whether you’re aiming to enhance your skin’s resilience or address the visible signs of aging.

When you incorporate tallow-based soaps and balms into your skincare regimen, you’re embracing a natural approach to beauty that supports your skin’s strength, vitality, and glow. The journey to resilient, age-defying skin begins with simple, nourishing ingredients—and tallow is leading the way.

Ready to give your skin the love it deserves? Explore our range of tallow soaps and balms today!

The Nourishing Choice: Why it is Better to Use Grass-Fed Tallow Soap

In the past year or so, tallow has begun to have its moment on social media. With more people exploring all the variations of skincare available to them and the internet making skincare information more accessible, it is no surprise that tallow was brought into the conversation. Tallow is a great natural skincare option known for its moisturizing and cleansing properties. However, with more people trying tallow, it is important to mention that not all tallow soaps are created equal.

The source of the tallow used in soaps and balms can significantly impact the quality and benefits. Even if you are making your own tallow soaps rather than purchasing them, it’s important to know the variations of tallow available to you. In this blog, we will explore the advantages of using grass-fed tallow soap over tallow derived from conventionally fed cattle.

What Is Tallow?

Tallow is a versatile and traditional fat obtained from the rendered fat of animals, typically cattle. It has been used for centuries in various applications, including soap making. Tallow is rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, making it a valuable ingredient for skincare products.

What are the benefits of grass-fed tallow soap?

Nutrient-Rich Composition: Grass-fed cattle have a diet that primarily consists of nutrient-dense grasses and plants. As a result, the tallow derived from these animals is richer in essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, D, and E, and antioxidants. When used in soap, these nutrients can nourish and support the health of your skin.

Enhanced Moisturization: Grass-fed tallow is particularly high in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that is highly compatible with human skin. This composition allows grass-fed tallow soap to provide superior moisturization and hydration, helping to soothe dry and sensitive skin.

Reduced Risk of Allergies: Conventionally raised cattle are often exposed to antibiotics and growth hormones, which can potentially transfer into their fat. Grass-fed cattle, on the other hand, are less likely to be exposed to such substances. Using grass-fed tallow soap reduces the risk of skin allergies or irritations caused by residues from conventional farming practices.

Sustainable Farming Practices: Supporting the production of grass-fed tallow soap encourages sustainable and ethical farming practices. Grass-fed cattle are typically raised in more humane and environmentally friendly conditions.

Improved Skin Barrier Function: The natural fats and lipids found in grass-fed tallow closely resemble the lipids present in our skin’s barrier. This similarity allows grass-fed tallow soap to support and strengthen the skin’s natural barrier function. A healthier skin barrier can help prevent moisture loss, reduce inflammation, and protect against environmental stressors.

Gentle Cleansing: Grass-fed tallow soap is known for its mild and gentle cleansing properties. It effectively removes dirt and impurities from the skin without stripping away its natural oils. This makes it suitable for all skin types, including sensitive and dry skin.

Don’t some of these benefits apply to tallow from traditionally fed cattle?

Some of the benefits listed above apply to tallow derived from traditionally fed cattle. Tallow, in general, is a valuable skincare ingredient due to its rich composition of fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Conventionally fed cattle may still provide tallow with moisturizing and cleansing properties, making it useful for skincare products. However, the key difference lies in the quality of the tallow. Grass-fed tallow tends to be superior in nutrient content, particularly in essential fatty acids and antioxidants, which can offer enhanced benefits for the skin. While both types of tallow have their merits, grass-fed tallow stands out as a premium option for those seeking the highest quality and added environmental and ethical considerations.

By opting for grass-fed tallow soap, you not only provide your skin with a nourishing and wholesome product but also support sustainable farming practices and the well-being of animals. It’s a win-win for your skin and the planet. So, the next time you shop for skincare products, consider making the nourishing choice of grass-fed tallow soap. Your skin will thank you for it! 

Embracing the Sustainable Soap Choice: Why Tallow Soap is a More Sustainable Option

If you are new here, you may have yet to read why we are so passionate about tallow soap as a more natural, nutrient-rich, and sustainable soap. When we created The Healthy Porcupine, we aimed to provide a natural soap option that was great for sensitive skin and contributed to skin health. On our path to the brand we are today, we have analyzed and adjusted how we package our products, where we get our tallow, and the essential oils we use to ensure we create a natural, nutrient-dense soap that is safe and beneficial for most skin types.

When creating a soap or balm or even choosing one, there are numerous options available. In all our research, we found tallow soap to be a more sustainable alternative, especially in the face of environmental issues surrounding palm oil soap. In this blog, we will explore the sustainability of tallow soap and explain how it is a better choice for the environment.

Why is tallow a sustainable soap option?

1. Eco-friendly Sourcing: Tallow, a byproduct of the meat industry, is rendered animal fat usually derived from cows. Choosing tallow soap supports the idea of utilizing the entire animal and reducing waste. This promotes a circular economy, making it a more sustainable option compared to soap derived from single-use crops like palm oil.

2. Low Environmental Impact: The production of tallow soap typically has a smaller environmental footprint compared to many plant-based alternatives. The farming and processing of crops for oils, like palm oil, require large areas of land, leading to deforestation, habitat loss, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, tallow is a byproduct that would otherwise be discarded, making it a more responsible choice.

3. Biodegradable: Tallow soap is biodegradable, which means it breaks down naturally and won't contribute to long-term pollution. The same cannot always be said for certain synthetic ingredients found in other soaps. 

4. Beneficial for Sensitive Skin: Tallow soap often contains a simple, natural ingredient list that can be gentler on sensitive skin. It lacks the harsh chemicals that can cause irritation and adverse reactions.

Why is it important to make an informed choice about your soap?

Choosing tallow soap over palm oil soap can be a conscious step toward reducing our environmental impact. By opting for products made from sustainable and responsibly-sourced ingredients, we can contribute to a more eco-friendly future.

Of course, being sustainable goes beyond just the choice of soap. Consumers can further enhance their impact by supporting companies that prioritize sustainable practices and packaging, reduce water usage, and minimize waste. All of The Healthy Porcupine packaging is recyclable, and we have reduced our packaging over the years to minimize waste.

In the quest for a sustainable soap option, tallow soap emerges as an eco-friendly choice with minimal environmental impact, biodegradability, and support for a circular economy. The environmental issues surrounding palm oil production emphasize the urgency to reconsider our choices and prioritize sustainable alternatives. As conscious consumers, we hold the power to drive positive change by making informed decisions that protect our planet's precious resources and preserve its natural beauty for generations to come.

Make the right choice for your skin and the environment, and #optoutofthechemicallifestyle with The Healthy Porcupine.

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.

Tips for Using Essential Oils Safely

As you can tell from our previous blog posts, we are big fans of all-natural essential oils. We use them in our soaps and balms, and we can use them for so much more.  As long as we are using them safely, the possibilities are endless. It can be tricky to understand just what to do with essential oils and how to do it safely. Just because a product is natural doesn’t mean we can always use it in its natural form or excess. That is why we wanted to share some information on how to use essential oils properly. We want to try and help spread information that can keep our customers safe.

Essential oils are made from various plants, barks, rinds, leaves, herbs, and flowers. The oil is extracted using different methods depending on the type of material, and each oil is different with unique benefits, scents, and potencies. All of the essential oils we use in our products are diluted with sunflower oil and tallow when we put them into the product. Diluting the oil in the product makes the essential oil softer and less likely to irritate the skin. Some essential oils are not made to be directly placed on the skin because their potency is too high, and they may cause irritation. When starting your essential oil journey, here are some important tips to keep in mind.  

Use essential oils for aromatherapy safely. Put the oil in a diffuser, humidifier, in soaps or lotions.

Never put essential oils in your eyes, nose, mouth, or sensitive areas. Unless they can be ingested, it can be extremely dangerous to ingest or absorb some of these oils. Lemongrass, peppermint, and cinnamon bark are examples of oils you shouldn’t consume.

Essential oils that are safe for you may not be safe for your pets.  Always check with your veterinarian before introducing a diffuser to your home and never use essential oils topically on your pets unless your veterinarian says it's okay. 

Always check the quality of the oils you are using. Especially if you are putting them on your skin, we use natural essential oils instead of fragrance oils. Fragrance oils can irritate the skin, and you don’t want to get a rash unnecessarily. You can avoid this by researching the company you are purchasing your oils from and checking quality standards.

Throw out older oils. After three years, oils may be spoiled due to oxygen exposure and can irritate your skin. 

Research all the oils you use. You shouldn’t ingest some skin-safe oils, and you shouldn’t put some ingestible oils on your skin. It is important to know the difference, so you don’t end up sick or with a rash.

Speak to a medical professional about the oils you use. If you’re ever worried about using or ingesting an oil, speak to your doctor and make sure it is safe for you. Each person is different, and you never know how your body will react to things specifically. Just because it works for a friend or family member doesn’t mean it will work for you.

Dilute your oils.  Undiluted oils are too potent to use right out of the bottle. Diluting them helps keep them at a level that is less likely to cause a reaction. You can dilute them with water, vegetable oils, creams, or bath gels, to make them softer for your body. A lower percentage of essential oil is less likely to cause a reaction.

Be mindful of the condition of your skin. Some essential oils may be safe to use on skin conditions, but some are not. Putting the wrong essential oils on damaged skin can worsen irritation.

Be careful with the amount of oil you use. Undiluted oil is powerful, and even diluted oil can cause a reaction if you put on too much at one time.

Most importantly, listen to your body and do your research. Doing the research is the best way to ensure that the oil is of good quality and correctly used. Once you have done your research, you can test it to make sure it works for your body. Essential oils are safe to use and contain vast health benefits; that is why we use them in our soaps. They are more than just scents; they are filled with antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, antiseptics, and other amazing qualities. We encourage you to embrace the world of essential oils but always do it carefully.

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. 

Pasture-Raised, Grass-fed, Feedlot, Grain-Finished Cattle - What's the difference?

Most of us have heard of grass-fed cattle and understand it to be a healthier option, but does it actually mean, and how do we know it is the best choice? Having so many options can be confusing especially when we don’t know the differences and technicalities in each. For example, grass-fed, and pasture-raised may seem like the same thing, but there are small differences that can make a huge impact when it comes to the products you use or the food you eat.

What are feedlot cattle or conventionally raised cattle?  

All cattle in the United States begin on the pasture. Calves are pasture-raised for six months to a year, and once they are weaned (separated from their mothers) and vaccinated, they are auctioned and moved to a feedlot.

When cattle are grown on a feedlot the primary focuses are efficiency and growth of the animal, but nutrition and health are also important. The main purpose of feedlots is to help the animal reach a certain weight as efficiently as possible. This happens through providing a steady, high-energy diet and managing the cattle to minimize health problems and stress. One major part of this equation is to lower the amount of energy the animal spends trying to find food and direct that to growth. 

Once the cattle are in the feedlot they are vaccinated, ear-tagged, and started on a high forage diet. The longer they are in the feedlot, the more their diets become concentrated with grains and high-energy products. This diet along with cortisol from stress, allows the cattle to gain weight exponentially in the feedlot. This makes the overall harvesting process fast and cost-effective.

This fast and cost-effective method still comes with a high moral price tag. The cattle in feedlots are often shoved by the thousands into small, dirty spaces, fed poor quality food, and offered little to no exercise. These cattle aren’t even provided the sight of the outdoors in most cases and mistreatment is common as well.  

It is no wonder that these harsh conditions and poor dietary options result in cattle with significantly less nutrients than the other methods. In fact, grain-fed cattle have four times less vitamin E and unhealthy ratios of omega-6 to omega-3. This unhealthy balance can lead to serious health conditions.

Feedlot cattle are raised efficiently for mass production, but the ethics, nutrition, and quality are lacking. With that being said, it is a cheaper meat option, but it isn’t the healthiest option for your body or the most ethical choice for consumption.

What are grass-fed cattle? 

Grass-fed cattle spend the majority of their lives eating grass and foraging in pastures, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the cow was fed a grass diet their entire lives. If the cattle have spent the majority of their life eating grass, no matter how it is finished, means it can be labeled grass-fed. 

In other words, as long as the cow was fed greenery at one point in its life, it can be labeled as grass-fed beef. However, grass-finished beef means the cow was fed grass — and nothing but grass and plants — for the duration of its life.

So when choosing a grass-fed beef product, it is important to note whether it was grass-finished or grain-finished because each yields a different outcome.

What are grain-finished cattle?

Grain-finished cattle, like grass-finished, spend the majority of their lives eating grass and foraging in pastures. However, these cattle are “finished” with grain and corn before they are harvested. When beef is grain-finished, cattle are free to eat a balanced diet of grain, local feed ingredients, and hay.

So in this case, the cattle were started and spent the majority of their lives on a grass-fed diet and may have been fed grains for the remainder of their lives. The term for this is actually grass-fed, grain-finished beef. 

These cattle still end up in the feedlot for the remainder of their life, producing cortisol and eating grain to produce more fat. While this is a slightly better option than conventionally raised cattle, it is still ethically questionable and leaves the cattle with less nutrients and a higher fat content. Ultimately, this leads to lower quality meat with more fat, more chemicals, and fewer nutrients.

What are pasture-raised cattle?  

Pasture-raised cattle refers to cattle that live and feed on a pasture their entire life. Not all pasture-raised cattle are grass-fed. Some pasture-raised cattle are still fed grains while on the pasture. This typically happens in colder climates when there isn’t enough grass or hay available on the pasture.

While there are pasture-raised cattle that are 100% grass-fed, it is not always the case. We need to be mindful of what the cattle eat and where. The benefit of pasture-raised cattle is that it gives the cows a chance to be cows. They have the freedom to wander, lots of space to graze, and are treated well by the farmers who raise them. 

If raised properly pasture-raised cattle will typically have less cortisol and can be nutrient-dense if they’re grass-finished. Pasture-raised cattle that are grass-finished are an ideal choice for beef products.

What cattle does The Healthy Porcupine use? What cattle should you choose? 

All of our suet comes from grass-finished cattle. We choose grass-finished cattle that are pasture-raised. We get our suet sourced locally in the Northeast, courtesy of Walden Local Meat. They are located in Billerica, Massachusetts, and provide beef and dairy products to businesses throughout the Northeast. By obtaining our suet locally, we can ensure that the cows are treated humanely, graze freely, and live happily. It is important to us that we make high-quality soaps in the most humane way possible. We choose to use Walden Local Meat’s suet in our soaps because it is sourced from several local farms that provide 100% grass-fed, pasture-raised beef suet rich in nutrients, perfect for our all-natural tallow soaps.

The tallow we make from this suet contains healthy amounts of vitamins A, D, E, K, and B12, which can all be beneficial to your skin health and appearance. Choosing a soap or a product with grass-finished cattle is a great way to ensure you get a nutrient-rich product that is good for your body. No matter what you choose, always try and make the right choice for you. We want to make sure you have the knowledge you need to opt-out of the chemical lifestyle and move on to better you.

Fragrance Oil vs. Essential Oil

When we began our handmade soap journey over eight years ago, we had so many choices to make when it comes to what we put in our soaps. We know that our customers have to make the same choices when it comes to choosing a soap. Should I use a palm oil or tallow based soap? Should I get a fragrance-free or scented soap? Essential oils or fragrance oils? The questions could go on and on. In today’s blog, we will discuss the difference between fragrance oils and essential oils, and why we choose to use essential oils in our soaps. If you want to learn more about tallow vs. palm oil, check out last month’s blog.

What are fragrance oils?

Fragrance oils are made with a mixture of synthetic and natural ingredients. Some are made with as many as sixty different ingredients in one small bottle. Due to the synthetic nature of the ingredients in fragrance oils, they typically last longer than essential oils. Resins, preservatives, and other synthetic ingredients allow the fragrance oils to withstand the soap-making process better and remain stronger once the process is completed. Fragrance oils also come in a much larger variety of smells than essential oils because they aren’t limited to natural scents. This means they are typically cheaper than essential oils and can be found in many commercial products. 

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are extracted from different parts of a plant, such as flowers, herbs, or roots. The extraction processes, steam distillation or cold extraction, are what creates 100% natural essential oils. Essential oils are not mixed or diluted with any other substances making them very neat compounds of a plant’s essence. It is difficult to recreate the scent of an essential oil in a fragrance oil and when it is attempted it contains an abundant mixture of synthetic compounds. The purity of essential oils allows them to retain the health benefits of the plants they are sourced from. The same purity makes it difficult for the scent of essential oils to remain stable during the soap making process, especially when it is done on a large-scale, like commercial soap making. However, for smaller retailers like us, we take the time and care to ensure the scent and beneficial qualities of the essential oils remain in our soaps.

Where do you get your essential oils for your soaps?

We get our essential oils from New Directions Aromatics. They offer a wide variety of products at a reasonable cost so we can keep our soaps reasonably priced for our customers. Aside from the cost, we choose their essential oils because they are certified 100% pure essential oils and Certified Fair Trade. We want to make sure we are using quality essential oils for our soaps, so we can help our customer’s skin look and feel its best while using natural products.  

Why should I choose essential oils over fragrance oils?

As we mentioned before, essential oils are 100% natural oils made from plant extract. The reason we use essential oils in our soap, and the reason you should choose them, is for their health benefits and gentle qualities for sensitive skin. Synthetic ingredients used in fragrance oils are more likely to cause skin irritation than essential oils. Typically, unless you are allergic to the plant itself, essential oils are safe to use on the skin and can actually help the skin. Depending on the type of essential oil, the health benefits may differ along with the scent and shelf life. Many essential oils are used for their anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antimicrobial, and pain relief properties. However, each essential oil has specific health benefits and should be chosen based on each person’s health and skincare needs.

Much like the essential oils put into our soaps, each soap has unique health benefits based on the oils that are used. When choosing a soap, we encourage you to read up on the essential oils and the grass-finished tallow, so you can make an informed decision that aligns with your health and skincare goals. We want to make sure our soaps allow you to opt-out of the chemical lifestyle to create the healthiest version of 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