What is the beef tallow trend, is it good for your skin and does it really work as skin expert warns of risks

• Beef tallow is a new skincare trend taking off on social media.
• Influencers have claimed that using the animal fat on your skin can help hydrate and combat acne.
• Lesley Reynolds, skincare expert and co-founder of the Harley Street Skin Clinic, explains the risks of this viral hack.

Beef tallow is the latest skincare hack trending on social media. The concept sees influencers abandon their everyday skincare for animal fat, with supporters claiming it hydrates your skin and can combat acne.

Beef tallow is a form of rendered animal fat that is normally used in cooking, for making candles or in soaps and cosmetics. There are already nearly 27,000 videos about the trend on TikTok, however skincare experts are warning it could cause more issues than it prevents.

Skincare expert and co-founder of the Harley Street Skin Clinic, Lesley Reynolds explains the risks of beef tallow and why this might not be the trend for you, if you have sensitive skin and are prone to acne.

Beef tallow is the latest skincare trend to take off on social media. | Pexels, Andrea Piacquadio

What is the beef tallow skincare trend?

Tallow is rendered beef or mutton suet, to put it simply, it’s an animal fat that is normally used in cooking or making candles or soaps, however it’s been taking off on social media as a natural alternative to moisturiser.

The beef tallow trend involves people applying the animal fat directly to their face, with fans of the trend claiming that it can help hydrate the skin and combat acne.

Are there any benefits of beef tallow?

There may be some potential benefits to beef tallow, however, many of the same fatty acids you find in beef tallow can be found in regulated skincare products.

Reynolds explains: “Beef tallow is loaded with fatty acids such as stearic and oleic acid. These work by nourishing and moisturising your skin and quite often, you’ll find these ingredients on the back of some of your skin care products. So some would argue that there are benefits to this method.”

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What are the risks of beef tallow?

Whilst beef tallow does contain moisturising factors, there are many downsides to using it as an everyday skincare product. Beef tallow is a rendered animal fat, meaning it is heavier than your regular moisturiser and can block pores by trapping moisture, bacteria and dirt, leading to blackheads and sebaceous filaments.

Reynolds explains that if you have sensitive skin, using beef tallow can cause “breakouts and irritation”, this is because beef tallow hasn’t gone through the necessary processes to remove ingredients that may damage your skin.

The skincare expert does not recommend using beef tallow “as a means to combat acne.” Advising that if you want to incorporate more natural products into your skincare regime to look for “ingredients such as shea butter, jojoba oil or ceramides,” which are scientifically approved ingredients “designed to give your skin the moisture it needs without triggering a breakout,” making them “a much safer and more reliable alternative to beef tallow.”

Have you heard of the beef tallow skincare trend, what do you think about it? Share your thoughts in the comment section.