Over the past decade, the beauty industry has heavily leaned into plant-based ethics. Labels like “vegan,” “cruelty-free,” “paraben-free,” and “sulfate-free” have become staples in cosmetic marketing — especially as consumer demand for transparency, sustainability, and animal welfare has grown. According to Statista, over 40% of beauty shoppers in the U.S. in 2023 preferred products labeled as vegan or cruelty-free.
However, a small but growing countercurrent is emerging: the return of animal-derived ingredients — particularly tallow, or rendered animal fat — in skincare.
What Is Tallow and Why Is It Making a Comeback?
Tallow is a purified form of animal fat, usually from cows or sheep, composed primarily of triglycerides of fatty acids such as oleic, palmitic, and stearic acid. Historically, it was widely used in soap-making and skincare before being largely replaced by plant-based oils and synthetic alternatives.
Today, tallow is reappearing in niche skincare brands, particularly in North America, often positioned as a “ancestral,” “holistic,” or “zero-waste” alternative to conventional creams. Its appeal lies in its biocompatibility with human skin lipids, making it deeply moisturizing and potentially beneficial for people with eczema or severely dry skin.
One example is the California-based brand Summer Solace, which has marketed tallow-based skincare since 2014. The brand sources suet from pasture-raised cattle on local regenerative farms, rendering it into a balm that’s blended with olive oil and calendula. They promote a “nose-to-tail” sustainability philosophy — aiming to reduce waste by utilizing every part of the animal already raised for food.
What the Data Says
According to data analytics firm Spate, Google searches for “tallow” increased significantly between June 2021 and June 2022 in the U.S., with an average of 123,000 searches per month — a 32% increase year-over-year. While some of these searches may be motivated by curiosity or avoidance, interest in tallow-based products appears to be growing:
Searches for “tallow soap” rose by 44.1%
Searches for “tallow candles” grew by 12.7%
Though these numbers are still small compared to searches for plant-based or hyaluronic acid products, they indicate a niche movement with momentum.
Is This Trend Ethical or Problematic?
This resurgence has sparked debate in online forums and among ethical beauty advocates. Proponents argue that using tallow supports regenerative farming, reduces cosmetic reliance on industrial seed oils, and aligns with ancestral wellness practices. Critics, however, challenge its alignment with modern sustainability values, especially when vegan alternatives exist.
In a 2023 Mintel survey, 61% of global consumers said they consider environmental and ethical concerns when buying beauty products. However, younger consumers (Gen Z in particular) are also showing interest in functional and “natural origin” ingredients — even if they come from animal sources — as long as the sourcing is ethical and transparent.
Final Thoughts
While tallow-based skincare is far from mainstream, its reappearance highlights a broader shift in the beauty world — from strict ideology toward personalized, function-focused, and nuanced consumption.
Whether it’s a momentary curiosity or the beginning of a more widespread microtrend remains to be seen. But its existence challenges a long-held assumption in beauty branding: that vegan is always the default future.
Would you try a tallow-based balm if it worked better than your usual moisturizer? Or is this a step too far from what clean beauty means to you?