Tallow is a special kind of fat sourced from around the kidney of a cow and is also called “leaf fat.” When it comes from a 100% grass-fed cow, it has the same vitamin spectrum as our own skin and can be used on a variety of skin ailments. Humans have used tallow for various skin needs for over 20,000 years and we are proud to continue this ancient tradition and make it accessible to you.

We source our products from a small family maker in Indiana, USA. They are prepared in small batches and packaged by hand. We use 100% grass-fed beef tallow from local farms that meet our sourcing standards, and meticulously source all of the plant matter and essential oils that we add in the process of making our balms. This is our assurance to you that there are no denatured, industrialized ingredients being used, and that you are receiving the highest quality and most nutritious skincare possible.

The suet which is rendered into tallow comes from three different farms: Schacht Farm in Bloomington, Indiana; Simpson Family Farm in Martinsville, Indiana; and Endless Knot Community Farm in Fairmont, Indiana. These farms are dedicated to the welfare of the animals they raise, conscientious of the impact that their farm practices have on the environment, and committed to providing their consumers with the highest quality and most nutrient-dense foods. We pass that commitment onto you. We are proud of the final tallow product rendered from this 100% grass-fed “leaf fat,” and are committed to maintaining a consistency and quality that our customers can depend on.

In addition to our quality-sourced ingredients, our infusions are one of the many things that distinguish our skincare products from other tallow-based options. We start with the best oils for use on the skin: Non-GMO avocado oil, organic coconut oil, organic jojoba oil, and organic olive oil.  We avoid using any type of nut oil, in case there are sensitivities and allergies for our more sensitive customers.

We add plant matter to our high quality carrier oils that are known for their medicinal constituents. These herbal infusions rest in a cool, dark area for at least months (and in some cases we infuse for over a year), allowing the release of the many vitamins, nutrients, and medicinal constituents (phytochemicals) of the plant matter. Like food for the skin, our herbal infused tallow balms offer a wide range of nutritional benefits that are difficult to obtain in any other way.

The beeswax we use for our lip balms and glide-ons comes from Wildflower Ridge Honey, LLC in Anderson, Indiana, owned by David Barrickman, a local beekeeper with many years of experience.

Since tallow is sourced from 100% grass-fed cows and we follow a dry rendering process, occasionally depending on the diet, age, and breed of the cow, some of our products may have a slight grass-fed beef scent to them. As we always say, we can take the tallow out of the cow, but we can’t take the cow out of the tallow. This is a normal and natural occurrence from using 100% grass-fed cows in our products and many of our customers do not notice any scent.

Tallow varies in color and consistency due to breed and age of the cow, the farm’s region which can impact the cow’s diet, and more. Additionally, as we infuse plant matter into our oils, that can change the color of our products. Some balms might be smoother, firmer, creamier, silkier, or grainier depending on the type of tallow used. Occasionally, you may even find it’s a bit runny if left in a warmer room. These are all normal variations that happen and there is nothing wrong with your tallow-based product. You can always resolidify tallow by placing it in a refrigerator until solid.

Our skin balms have a shelf life of a year and soaps have an 18-month shelf life. Glide-ons and lip balms are good to use for up to two years, as beeswax is a natural preservative.

While we recommend keeping our products at an ambient room temperature (68-72℉), should your product be exposed to heat, you can put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes until it sets up to a solid form. In fact, some of our customers keep their balms in the fridge year-round to preserve peak freshness.

Many of our products contain high quality, organic or non-GMO oils that are infused with various medicinal plants, chosen for the healing benefits they contain. Many of the medicinal herbs that we use in our skincare line are grown on our maker’s homestead, like calendula, comfrey, lemon balm, and
yarrow. We know their exact conditions; the rich soil they grow in, the honey bees that pollinate them, and that they are free of harmful chemicals and sprays. While our farm is not USDA Certified Organic, we use organic-based soil, organic worm castings, and do not use chemical sprays. When plants are purchased that are not yet established in our gardens, or that are difficult to grow in our region, we most often source them from Frontier Coop, Pacific Botanicals, and Starwest Botanicals, companies with a like-minded philosophy.

While many of our products do contain high quality, primarily organic essential oils, we do leave some products unscented for those who can’t tolerate scent, have essential oil allergies, or prefer unscented products.

The dilution of essential oils in tallow balms is 1-3%, an amount suitable for daily use, depending on the essential oil or synergy, the product, and its suggested use.

We follow safe and recommended guidelines when it comes to the amount of essential oil into our products. Using essential oils at a higher-than-necessary dilution rate can lead to unnecessary skin irritations or reactions. Additionally, we are not trying to compete with the fragrance industry. Many
fragrances are known to be endocrine disrupting and harmful to human health. We adhere to “safety first” practices when creating our products so you don’t have to worry about what you’re putting on your skin.

Breakouts are highly unlikely with these natural skin care products. More likely, new tallow users can have a healing reaction where the skin breaks out in response to a change in their skincare routine. If your skin is sensitive to plants, essential oils, or coconut oil, be wary of how much or where you apply tallow skin balms. We recommend testing an area of your body first before applying to the face. We do carry balms without essential oil that are suitable for sensitive skin.

We recommend balms without essential oils for use on children.
These include comfrey and unscented tallow balms. Essential oil can be too harsh on some children’s skin and organs, which may cause a rash or inflammation.

While many tallow products are safe to use during pregnancy, we recommend consulting your physician with any questions you may have.

Tallow products are free from all major allergens including wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts. Many tallow products do include coconut and other plant-based oils, and/or botanicals and essential oils. If you have any concerns with your allergens, contact your physician.

Tallow skin balms have a tallow and oil base, are creamy at room temperature, and rub into the skin almost like a lotion. Glide-ons have the same tallow and oil base, but beeswax is added to transform it into a solid form at room temperature. These glide-ons melt into skin when used and can easily be applied on-the-go and to large areas of skin. Because of the added beeswax, glide-ons may have a slightly lower concentration of infused oils than the skin balms. These products may have a light beeswax scent.

Recommended application depends largely on the ailment of the user. All tallow balms are suitable for daily use and can be applied multiple times daily. To treat severely dry skin, burns, rashes, and abrasions, frequent application of at least three to four times a day is recommended. For treating
fine lines, wrinkles, or mildly dry skin, applying once or twice daily is sufficient.

Our Magnesium Glide-On is to be used as needed when muscles are sore or cramping. Do not apply this product to broken skin as the magnesium content may cause a burning sensation.

This visual illusion has to do with how the product cures in the jar and not at all with there being any air in the tallow balm. Also, imperfections in the glass jar can create this optical illusion as well.

Tallow-based soap is moisturizing, gentle, and sudsy, but not overly sudsy. These are not detergent based soaps with added chemicals created to make lots of bubbles like many western soaps. Our customers say our soap is a luxurious, spa-like experience and they feel moisturized when getting out of the shower.

Our soaps are so nourishing primarily because they are made with tallow, which offers a wide array of vitamins and minerals for moisturizing the skin. Also, the oils added to our soaps that have been infused with medicinal plant matter like calendula, comfrey, and lemon balm. The addition of pure essential oils like cedarwood, lavender, spearmint, and clove not only boost the benefits to the skin, but also provide a pleasant bathing experience. 

Since our Unscented Calendula Soap is made with oils infused with calendula, some organic calendula plant matter may be missed in our straining process and appear in the finished product. There is nothing harmful or impure in this visible plant matter; it just means your soap is bursting with plant goodness.

Due to the high mineral content of the Pink Salt in our chickweed soap, it has a different appearance from the other soaps once it cures, almost shiny and sparkly.