Our Signature Ingredient
Tallow is far more compatible with your skin than vegetable oils because its lipid profile more closely matches the natural lipid profile of healthy human sebum (the natural oily secretion of the sebaceous glands of your skin).
Why is Tallow our Signature Ingredient?
Tallow is far more compatible with your skin than vegetable oils because its lipid profile more closely matches the natural lipid profile of healthy human sebum (the natural oily secretion of the sebaceous glands of your skin). Tallow includes predominantly stearic acid as well as trace amounts of cholesterol whereas vegetable oils found in most other skin care preparations are predominantly Omega 6 polyunsaturated fats, and monounsaturated fats. These ingredients are significantly less stable to oxidation and not naturally found in skin sebum.
For more information on our moisturisers, click here to go to individual product descriptions and compositions.
What exactly is Tallow?
Tallow is rendered beef or mutton (sheep) fat. Rendering is the process of heating and melting the fat to remove liquid and membranes, resulting in a highly saturated oil that is solid at room temperature. It is also extremely stable and can be kept in air-tight containers without refrigeration for long periods of time.
In our products we use the highest grade edible quality tallow from grass-fed cattle. This very clean, saturated fat is called suet and is sourced from the abdominal cavity that protects the organs. We consider that the grass-fed status of the source cattle is very important both for fat composition, environmental impact and to minimise chemical residue in the fat.
What does this mean for you?
You can find the scientific information below but what does all this mean for our products?
Grass-fed beef tallow is a fully natural product and doesn’t contain some of the pesticide and herbicide chemical residues that may be present in oils of vegetable origin. Use of tallow makes use of a product that is often discarded, and hence increases our gratitude and respect for the animal from which the tallow is sourced, by making use of more of the products that come from the animal.
Tallow use in soap making is following the oldest and most traditional method of creating soaps. Tallow makes a hard and long lasting soap, with a good lather and cleansing ability, without stripping too many natural oils from the skin. See the range of Tallow Soaps here.
Use of tallow in our creams and moisturisers is innovative and unique. The tallow used in these products is the best quality available, sourced from grass-fed suet tallow. This is the cleanest and most saturated tallow that is available. The natural fatty acid profile of tallow complements the natural composition of healthy skin sebum and provides a powerful stable and moisturising effect without leaving a sticky residue. Being completely natural, and more chemically stable means that we need to use less preservatives and less of other additives. As a result, your skin is less likely to have a reaction to our moisturisers, and the safe ingredients support and restore the natural ecosystem of your skin.
The Chemistry – Very Technical Talk!
The typical fatty acid composition of tallow varies according to the grade of tallow and the way that the source animals are fed. Tallow is also an important source of cholesterol, containing on average 0.1%. The following information gives an indication of some of the lipids that can be found in Tallow, and although much of the data refers to the effects of ingestion, it is also applicable to topical application (1);
- Saturated fats (49%): These highly stable lipids form the basis of tallow composition, and contribute to many of the benefits of tallow in both soap and cream manufacture. Being very stable contributes to the non-reactivity of the products on the skin, while also improving keeping qualities and minimising the amount of preservatives required.
- Palmitic acid (C16) (26%): This is classified as a saturated fat, and is the same fatty acid found in palm oil. Studies indicate that this fatty acid has no negative effects if it is consumed in combination with linoleic acid (which it is always naturally found in combination with.) Palmitic Acid is one of the major lipid components found in healthy human sebum.
- Stearic acid (C18) (19%): This is classified as a saturated fat, and is a common component of animal fats, but also found in some vegetable fats, notably cocoa butter and shea butter. Studies indicate that consumption of this fatty acid has no effect on cholesterol levels or composition. Along with Palmitic acid, stearic acid is a major component of healthy human sebum.
- Myristic acid (C14) (3%): This saturated fatty acid appears to have antioxidant properties, and is widely found in plant and animal products, including human breast milk.
- Lauric acid (C12) (1%): This saturated fatty acid has significant antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial functions. It is also found in coconut oils and human breast milk.
- Monounsaturated fats (42%): These stable lipids are a major component of tallow.
- Oleic Acid (C18-1) (36%): This fatty acid is also commonly found in olive oil. It is moisturising and relatively stable.
- Palmitoleic Acid (C16-1) (4):- Also known as Omega 7, this has the skin protective properties of helping to moisturize and prevent oxidative damage.
- Polyunsaturated fats: The ratio of Omega 6/Omega 3 is highly reliant on the dietary composition of the source animal. Natural diets high in grasses and forage give higher levels of Omega 3 fatty acids. Diets high in grains and concentrates give higher levels of Omega 6 fatty acids. Polyunsaturated lipids are the most unstable component of tallow, but also a very minor component of the total lipids.
- Linolenic Acid (C18-3) (1%): This fatty acid is commonly known as Omega 3, and is considered essential because the body cannot synthesise it. This fatty acid has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
- Linoleic Acid (C18-2) (3%): This fatty acid is commonly known as Omega 6, and is considered essential because the body cannot synthesise it and it must therefore be sourced from food.
- Conjugated Linoleic Acid (C9/C12) (1%): This is the natural trans fat and is found in useful quantities in grass-fed meats and fats. Research by the University of Wisconsin shows that the best sources of CLA are dairy and meat products from pastured cows, because they produce up to 500% more CLA than cows fed typical confinement rations.
- Unlike manufactured trans fats, CLA has significant health benefits, including antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. Some studies also link intake of CLA with increased weight loss.
Tallow in skincare really is the perfect ingredient for your products.
It truely is the perfect match.
References:
(1) (sourced from Nutritiondata.self.com, ajcn.nutrition.org)
