Rendered fat of cattle, it can be the internal fat surrounding the organs or the external fat surrounding the muscles. 

The quality and nutritional properties of the resulting tallow vary greatly depending on the individual genetics of the animal, the diet of the animal, location on the carcass of the fat and the rendering process itself. 

Beef tallow is a biological compound with lots of fatty acids. It's relatively compatible with our skin.

Beef tallow also contains stearic acid and oleic acid which have skin softening, hydration and repair characteristics. This means it could be suitable for skin experiencing eczema or psoriasis.

It also contains Vitamin A (retinol), Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K, which are all used in skin products.

These fatty acids and vitamins are beneficial for maintaining healthy skin, promoting healing, and improving skin elasticity.

It's a natural emollient, meaning it helps to lock in moisture, and can be especially helpful for dry and cracked skin.

Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-21/beef-tallow-skincare

This is a common complaint of people who want to use tallow products due to the nutritional value to the skin but are put off by the smell. 

When I first started out, the resulting tallow did have a strong beef scent and as a result it was retained in the final product despite the addition of essential oils. 

Those products ended up being used as leather conditioner on our boots and saddlery! And the tallow itself, we used for cooking. 

I have since experimented with several rendering methods that remove the smell almost completely whilst hopefully retaining as much nutrient density as possible and removing all the water. 

Water is the enemy of tallow as it will encourage bacterial growth and mould, causing the product to go rancid. I also infuse the tallow used in some of my products with responsibly sourced organic vanilla beans and my own home grown rose petals. That way I know I’m not introducing pesticides and other harmful chemicals to my natural products. That would defeat the purpose of using a natural product!

There is still a very faint “buttery” scent that may be noticed by people who are very sensitive to smell however not a meaty or beefy smell.  

The beeswax and honey used in some of the products comes from our own apiary and when I don't have enough, I source it from a local beekeeper whom I have known for years. 

I want people to support my small farm business and other primary producers, so, in turn I do the same by sourcing my raw materials from farmers local to me when we can’t produce enough ourselves. This also keeps the production miles down which is good for the planet. 

The essential oils, carrier oils and other ingredients I can’t obtain locally are sourced from Australian companies who are open with where and how they source their products and their supply chain.