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.

How can tallow help your skin?

We get this question all too often. People who have used traditional big brand soaps, usually made with palm oil, may find soaps made from tallow to seem strange. Why would anyone want to use animal fat, beef suet, as a base for a soap? The answer to this question is quite simple. It is beneficial for your skin. However, answering exactly how tallow is beneficial takes a bit more explaining.

Since the beginning of our commitment to a chemical-free (or limited) lifestyle, we have tried to share our knowledge with our customers to ensure you know why this is important to us and how opting out of the chemical lifestyle benefit you. In this case, we use quality tallow produced from grass-fed cattle, which contains vitamins and nutrients that can help us in various ways. In fact, tallow is an incredible ingredient for a variety of products such as soaps, balms, hair products, laundry soap, and more. In this blog, we will highlight the specific ways tallow can help your skin as a soap or a balm. 

1.     Tallow contains antioxidants.

Tallow contains Vitamins A, D, K, and E, all antioxidants. Antioxidants fight free radical damage. Free radicals are molecules in our bodies that become unstable and damage skin cells. Free radicals are caused by environmental stressors like pollution, sun exposure, and other toxins. Damage from free radicals causes our collagen to break down, which results in wrinkles, fine lines, dark spots, and loose skin. Antioxidants help protect your skin from free radical damage, which helps reduce the signs of aging. By combating free radical damage before it happens, you can help your skin look younger and healthier for longer.

2.     Tallow has anti-inflammatory properties.

Tallow contains vitamins E, D, and K, known to possess anti-inflammatory properties. We have all dealt with inflammation and/or irritation on our skin at one point or another. Typical breakouts, sun exposure, certain foods, and redness can cause inflammation. It is crucial to combat inflammation early on because prolonged inflammation and irritation causes damage to your skin. Anti-inflammatory skincare products, such as tallow, help reduce inflammation by blocking enzymes that cause disruption in the skin, helping it maintain a fresh, smooth look by protecting and reinforcing your skin barrier.

3.     Tallow doesn’t clog pores and works with your sebaceous glands.

Vitamin A in tallow helps our sebaceous glands and skin operate at their optimal capacity when used correctly. Vitamin A is known for helping our cells turnover faster, which reduces acne and skin irritation. Given the molecular structure of our skin and the suet used to make tallow, it is naturally more compatible with our skin, allowing it to act as natural sebum, locking in moisture and nutrients without clogging pores. This is a significant factor in what makes tallow ideal for a skincare base.

4.     Tallow has antimicrobial properties.

Antimicrobial products stop the spread of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Our skin is exposed to a ton of surfaces each day, and as our largest organ, it can be an ideal place for microorganisms to accumulate and grow. Antimicrobial skincare is a great way to protect our skin from these microorganisms, and it will help the product itself remain free of bacteria.

5.     Vitamins in tallow can help produce collagen. 

Vitamin E is known for its anti-aging properties. It helps stimulates blood flow to our skin, which increases collagen production, and helps prevent signs of aging. By increasing collagen production, you can keep your skin looking smooth and firm for longer.

6.     Tallow helps soothe skin injuries and helps repair damage faster.

Vitamin E is often associated with soothing the skin, reducing redness and irritation, and helping skin aliments subside. This is likely due to Vitamin E’s anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to increase collagen production and stimulate blood flow to our skin. This is great for people who may be suffering from skin irritations, scars, or dry, cracked skin.

All of the vitamins and nutrients in tallow and its compatibility with our skin create a unique skincare base that helps your skin retain moisture, restore and protect itself, and stay firm and moisturized. Our tallow soaps and balms are a sustainable skincare option that is all-natural and beneficial for your skin. Try one today!

What vitamins and nutrients are in tallow soap, and why are they beneficial to you?

We chose tallow for our soaps and balms because it is a natural, sustainable, and nutrient-dense base for skincare. In our earlier blogs, we discuss why tallow is a sustainable and natural choice, and today we want to hone in on the nutrient-dense properties of tallow. Tallow is packed with vitamins and nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, and K. All of these vitamins have different properties beneficial to your skin. We wanted to highlight each one to showcase the fantastic benefits of tallow soap for your skin.

Vitamin A: A powerhouse for your skin and a soft and soothing vitamin, vitamin A is an excellent addition to any skincare product. Vitamin A already exists in our bodies, and we typically get a regular supply of it through food like eggs, cheese, oily fish, or milk. While getting a healthy source of vitamin A through your food is essential, adding vitamin A to your skincare can be equally beneficial. When used topically, your skin can directly absorb vitamin A to retain the benefits.

Vitamin A is commonly known to smooth wrinkles, lighten sunspots, calm acne, balance oil, and more. When vitamin A is used on the skin, it promotes the production of collagen, which helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin A also supports the healthy function of your sebaceous glands. It helps your sebaceous glands and skin operate at their optimal capacity when used correctly. This is also why it is great for reducing acne. With quick cell turnover and optimal skin conditions, vitamin A helps prevent acne. Finally, as a known antioxidant, vitamin A can help protect your skin against pollution and sun damage. You see similar properties in other antioxidants like vitamin C and A.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is common in tallow, and it exists in our bodies naturally. We typically get vitamin D from sunlight and in our diet through foods like red meat, fish, and eggs. People often have common vitamin D deficiencies, especially in the winter months when there is less natural sunlight. As a topical skincare product, vitamin D has been known to restore vibrancy in the skin due to its many benefits.

It may or may not surprise you to know that vitamin D is an antioxidant. Therefore, it can help stop damage to your skin created by free radicals. Vitamin D has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties, which help improve your skin’s natural defenses, help repair cells, and rebuild your skin’s barrier. This allows your skin to retain moisture and prevent damage from the environment. Vitamin D is also a known anti-inflammatory that has been used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis. Think of vitamin D as a great protector for your skin, making it stronger for longer.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E is another common vitamin in tallow and many skincare regimens. As a very commonly known antioxidant, vitamin E is known for promoting skin rejuvenation through protection against free radicals. Free radicals like pollution, chemicals, and others have been shown to cause wrinkles and damage our skin. 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.

Like many of the other vitamins on this list, Vitamin E is fat-soluble and can easily penetrate the layers of your dermis to deeply protect and repair your skin. Vitamin E is also extremely moisturizing as a fat-soluble and will help your skin retain the moisture it needs to look and feel its best.

Vitamin K: Vitamin K is another fat-soluble vitamin; however, this one is much less common than the others we’ve mentioned. Even though it is less common, vitamin K is still a great addition to your skincare routine. In fact, vitamin K is known as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It will help protect your skin and keep it looking its best. Vitamin K is also ideal for soothing skin ailments because it helps speed up the recovery time of certain skin injuries, such as cracks in the skin.

These vitamins work together to repair, protect, and soothe your skin. When used regularly as a soap or balm, you will see how these vitamins work to make your skin look and feel better for longer. You can also use products paired with other ingredients like essential oils for added benefits. We can’t always control our health or our skin’s reactions to the elements; however, we can use products that help make our skin stronger and more protected when the time comes.