In the ever-evolving world of skincare, one ingredient after another rises to fame—often leaving us wondering what’s truly worth the hype. Right now, tallow is in the spotlight. But how does it really compare to long-loved tropical fats like coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and palm oil?
As a formulator and skincare maker with nearly two decades of hands-on experience, I’ve worked extensively with both tropical and cold-climate fats. The truth is: both categories have value—but they’re not interchangeable. Choosing the right fat depends on climate, skin type, season, sustainability, and tradition.
Let’s break it down.
🧴 Understanding the Role of Fats in Skincare
Fats and oils in skincare serve three main purposes:
- Occlusion – sealing in moisture by forming a protective barrier
- Emollience – softening and nourishing skin
- Delivery – helping deliver herbal infusions or active ingredients
Different oils bring different strengths to these roles. Some are light and absorbent, while others are thick, heavy, and deeply protective. That’s why most well-formulated creams are a blend, not a single-fat base.
🌴 Tropical Fats: Softer, Absorbent, and Botanically Friendly
🌿 Coconut Oil
Often used in soaps and balms, coconut oil is cleansing thanks to its high lauric acid content. Depending on how much you use, it can be hydrating (in small percentages) or drying (in high concentrations). It’s perfect for making bar soap—but in harsh winter climates, it needs to be balanced with more emollient oils.
🧈 Shea Butter
Rich in vitamins A and E, shea butter is deeply nourishing, soft, and melts easily into the skin. It’s especially loved for sensitive or inflamed skin. In whipped body butters, it adds a soft, rich texture—but can feel greasy on its own.
🍫 Cocoa Butter
Very firm and high in stearic acid, cocoa butter is often used to stiffen formulations or provide long-lasting moisture. Used on its own, however, it’s prone to crystallizing and forming grainy textures. A little goes a long way.
🌴 Palm Oil
Traditionally used to add creaminess and hardness to soap, palm oil is effective—but controversial due to deforestation concerns. Always seek sustainably sourced, RSPO-certified palm if you choose to use it.
Tropical oils are great for botanical infusions, quick absorption, and warmer climates—but they don’t offer long-lasting protection against the dry, cold air of northern winters.
❄️ Cold-Climate Animal Fats: Deeply Protective and Ancestrally Grounded
🐄 Tallow (Beef or Lamb)
Tallow contains a fatty acid profile very similar to our own skin sebum—especially rich in stearic acid and saturated fats. That means it absorbs well, supports the skin barrier, and provides an occlusive shield without clogging pores. Tallow is ideal for cold, dry environments, where the skin needs extra protection.
🐖 Lard
Lard is softer than tallow and works beautifully in both soap and skincare. Like coconut oil, it’s a base fat—but in colder climates. It has a mild scent, is highly absorbent, and is traditionally used for healing salves and lotions.
What makes tallow and lard special?
They’re not crops. They’re byproducts of regenerative, pasture-based farming. That means using them is actually more sustainable in cold climates than importing tropical oils. These fats are incredibly zero-waste and nutrient-rich.
🌦️ Seasonality & Climate: When to Use What
This is where most people go wrong: they choose their skincare based on trends, not on what their skin actually needs.
- In the summer, skin may produce more sebum. Lighter oils (like coconut, jojoba, and rosehip) and fast-absorbing botanical creams make more sense.
- In the winter, dry air, wind, and indoor heating strip skin of its natural oils. That’s when heavier, protective fats like tallow, lard, or cocoa butter shine.
Your skin doesn’t need the same care in July as it does in January. Treat it like a living organ that shifts with the seasons.
💡 Formulation Strategy: It’s About Balance
A cream should be more than just one fat. That’s where good formulation comes in.
You don’t want a 100% cocoa butter or 100% tallow cream—it would be far too hard, heavy, or greasy. The best results come from layering complementary oils:
- Winter Creams: Tallow or lard + jojoba or avocado + beeswax + essential oils like frankincense or rose
- Summer Creams: Rosehip + coconut + shea + herbal infusions like calendula, lavender, or green tea
And don’t forget the actives: peptides like Matrixyl, botanical extracts, and hydrosols that elevate a simple cream into a real skin therapy product.
🙋♀️ What I Use in My Practice (and Why)
As a skincare maker with nearly two decades of experience, I’ve worked with thousands of clients and skin types. Here’s what I’ve learned:
- I do make a Tallow Hydration Therapy Balm, but only in the winter. It’s a healing, dense balm that supports the skin’s lipid mantle in dry, cold air.
- In warmer months, I don’t use tallow in my creams—it’s too heavy and unnecessary for most skin types in spring/summer.
Instead, I use and recommend my Age Defy Cream, a potent, hydrating formula that works beautifully year-round—especially for mature skin.
✨ Age Defy Cream with Matrixyl Includes:
- Rosehip oil (regenerative and high in vitamin A)
- Rosewater (soothing and pH balancing)
- Beeswax (natural occlusive)
- Frankincense, sandalwood, and rose essential oils (for tone, repair, and vibrational beauty)
- Matrixyl peptide (to reduce fine lines and support collagen)
This cream isn’t just for your face—it’s also a gentle, effective personal lubricant. Many of my clients have used it for vaginal atrophy, especially post-menopause, with incredible results. If you want skin that’s soft, healthy, and strong—apply what you’d use on your face, down there, too. It’s all connected.
🌱 Final Thoughts: Tradition, Terrain & Trust Your Skin
Skincare isn’t one-size-fits-all. The land, the season, your ancestry, and your skin’s current needs should all guide what you put on your body.
- Coconut isn’t king for everyone.
- Tallow isn’t just a fad—it’s ancient, effective, and rooted in place.
- Botanicals and actives enhance what fats can’t do alone.
Choose fats like you choose your food: seasonally, mindfully, and with gratitude for what’s available around you.
And above all—trust your skin. It’s wiser than you think.