In skincare, there are AHAs, BHAs, and then there are EFAs – and you’re missing out on everything your skin essentially needs when you leave the latter fatty acids out of your skincare routine.

Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs), such as glycolic and lactic acids, act as exfoliants to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. But you can easily overdo it. According to dermatologists, over-exfoliation with harsh acids is all too common. In high concentrations, which widely varies based on individual tolerance, they may disrupt the skin barrier function and cause irritation.

On the other hand, fatty acids restore your skin barrier to its healthiest state. As they are naturally found in the skin, fatty acids are gentle, skin-identical and biocompatible with your skin. Soft, but strong, they repair your skin barrier gently.

Want bouncy skin, naturally? You need fatty acids. What about a beautiful, balmy glow? There’s no better source than TUTTOFARE, thanks to our sustainably sourced Australian grass fed and grass finished tallow, rich in total fatty acids.

But wait, is tallow an animal fat?

Tallow is an animal fat, most commonly referred to as the suet derived from beef. Beef fat, particularly from grass-fed cattle, is known for its beneficial fatty acid composition, including omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

Tallow is a centuries-old foundational skincare ingredient, in fact, the original skincare ingredient. Dating back to Roman times, tallow is the original non-toxic moisturiser. It was standard practice to respectfully use the whole animal and take a nose-to-tail approach in respecting the animal’s life. The make up of tallow is the blueprint for any moisturiser today except it is natural, bioavailable and toxin free.

Why tallow is skin-identical skincare 

Tallow is an occlusive and emollient. It’s unique in this way. It’s what we call a complete skincare 'product' or natural resource, rich in saturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins and micronutrients. It’s close to a molecular match of the moisture in our own skin.

The fatty acid composition varies, with mutton tallow having a higher proportion of trans fatty acids compared to beef tallow, and grass-fed beef tallow containing fewer trans fatty acids than grain-fed beef tallow.

Beef tallow is a nutrient-dense animal fat derived from the cow. While it is an animal fat, when sourced responsibly and sustainably, tallow is a sustainable by-product of the agricultural industry.

As an animal fat, tallow mimics the skin’s natural lipid barrier, matching our skin’s own healthy fats with its rich fatty acid content. That’s why it suits the vast range of different skin types, from very dry to oily, and sensitive to sensitised. Grass fed tallow offers protection from the environment and elements, while helping dry skin to retain essential moisture.

Is tallow good for skin care?

Compared to other occlusives, such as silicons, sterols and petrolatum, grass fed and grass finished tallow is better for your skin.

Total fatty acids in beef tallow provide essential nutrients that help maintain skin health and hydration.

There are similar ingredients that are recommended to help with other people’s skin conditions such as cupiacu butter, shea butter and mango butter, which are also high in saturated fat. However, beef tallow is superior based on its specific fatty acid composition which is balanced in a way that better benefits the skin, in terms of polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acid and saturated fatty acid.

What about plants?

Unlike vegetable and plant oils, which are often highly processed, tallow’s animal fat origins mean that it naturally contains the same lipids found in healthy human skin. This makes it capable of absorbing easily and penetrating deeply, providing intense skin restoration at the cellular level, even compared to plant oils.

In fact, tallow resembles our natural sebum so much, that in Latin, tallow essentially translates to sebum. By mimicking the skin, tallow helps maintain the skin’s structural integrity and supports the natural production of collagen.

Beef tallow fatty acid composition

The specific structural and nutritional makeup of tallow makes it one of nature’s most bioavailable moisturisers. It helps protect skin and absorbs deeply. That’s largely because of fatty acids are found abundantly within tallow, retaining their benefits when tallow is formulated correctly into skincare. Packed full of actives, there’s simply no need to add any synthetic additives when using tallow skincare.

Beef fat, particularly from grass-fed cattle, contains beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which contribute to its health benefits.

Grass fed beef tallow is uniquely low in unsaturated fatty acids. It contains a very minimal amount of monounsaturated fatty acids, and an even lower amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Most of the carrier oils used in skincare are high in unsaturated fatty acids, which means they are already oxidised when you put them on your skin. They are much more sensitive to heat, light and air degradation. This means the skin benefits are immediately compromised.

Oleic acid

Around 47% of the fatty acid composition of tallow is oleic acid. Oleic acid, with its high levels of monounsaturated fatty acid (MOFA), is among the more stable fatty acids in skin care. It has a unique ability to preserve the effectiveness of more delicate ingredients such as antioxidants by helping to protect them from light and oxygen degradation.

Oleic acid has everything you need to see amazing results when applied topically. With high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids, it's more shelf stable than other ingredients that are higher in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Oleic acid has the ability to penetrate the skin's surface easily and deeply. Inside the skin dermis, oleic acid works to replenish lost moisture and stop additional transepidermal water loss. 

Concerned about clogged pores? Oleic acid can bring natural oil production back into balance to prevent future breakouts. Most importantly, it doesn't really clog pores but instead forms a protective layer on the skin's surface that prevents environmental damage.

In our opinion, oleic acid is so nice that we essentially wanted it twice. In addition to tallow, it's most commonly found in olive oil, another ancient ingredient found in high concentrations in TUTTOFARE Holy Grail Tallow Balm. 

Palmitic acid

Breaking down the fatty acids further, around 26% of the fatty acid composition contained in tallow is palmitic acid. This saturated fatty acid is widely used in skincare, often added after the fact. It's best when found in moisturisers and balms because it has a skin softening effect.

Palmitic acid retains moisture by forming an occlusive layer. As a saturated fatty acid, it helps improve and protect your skin's barrier. In doing so, palmitic acid prevents unwanted microbes and pollutants from entering. In nature, palmitic acid is present in butter, cheese, milk, and meat, as well as cocoa butter, olive oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil.

Other saturated fatty acids in tallow

Another standout saturated fatty acid in tallow is stearic acid. Found across cosmetics and other skincare products, stearic acid has a double function, as a surfactant and emulsifier. It’s essentially a clever binding agent, where it helps stabilise and thicken formulas.

In addition to stearic acid, the fatty acid composition of tallow varies, including the presence of trans fatty acids. Mutton tallow, for instance, has a higher proportion of trans fatty acids compared to beef tallow, and the content of trans fatty acids differs significantly between grass-fed and grain-fed beef tallow.

Stearic acid has top-shelf emollient properties to keep the skin soft and moist while locking in hydration. Stearic acid also helps to repair damaged skin, as well as improve skin’s flexibility and suppleness.

Tallow also contains conjugated linoleic acid at levels between 2-5%, which is often referred to as one of the essential fatty acids. While this is an unsaturated fatty acid, conjugated linoleic acid is an omega-5 fatty acid with a growing body of research pointing to its stability and positive impact on skin. Unlike other unsaturated fatty acids, the evidence points to plenty of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties, ferried in a ‘safe’ environment where the ingredient remains stable.

In a 2021 study, it was determined that conjugated linoleic acid could dramatically relieve eczema-like skin lesions, dermatitis and skin inflammation as evidenced by a reduction in inflammatory blood cells. Plus, topical application with conjugated linoleic acid modulated skin barrier repair, helping maintain a balanced skin pH and increasing skin hydration.

Outside of tallow, conjugated linoleic acid is otherwise one of those essential fatty acids that is difficult to find in nature, at least not in stable ingredients. By stable, we mean shelf-stable, where the ingredient isn’t as prone to oxidation when exposed to light, heat or oxygen.

Conjugated linoleic acid is sometimes taken as a supplement in the form of safflower oil marketed for its essential fatty acids. It’s also found in hempseed, rosehip and black cumin seed oils. However, these ingredients tend to oxidise more easily as a result of their higher polyunsaturated fatty acid composition.

With a perfectly balanced fatty acid profile, TUTTOFARE Holy Grail Tallow Balm is formulated to be biocompatible, or skin-identical. Our formula contains an abundance of ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids contained in the extracellular skin matrix. 

At TUTTOFARE, we're all about getting the extra out of skincare without putting in anything extra. You get all the essentials – especially the essential fatty acids in skin care – without anything being added after the fact. You're using acids, without risking overdosing on acids. 

We choose to work with ingredients such as regenerative tallow and olive oil because they are natural born multitaskers. What better representation of TUTTOFARE, in both name and spirit – and what better way to regenerate our skin by helping our Earth? Experience TUTTOFARE today.