Why tallow is your best friend in winter

As soon as winter comes, our balms fly off the shelves. Makes sense, because tallow is amazing in winter. It’s simply the season when your skin has the hardest time.

What winter does to your skin

Outside: cold, dry air and wind. Inside: the heating at 21 degrees. Your skin gets thrown back and forth, and you notice it:

• your cheeks get red and chapped
• dry patches and rough knuckles
• little cracks around your mouth and on your lips
• that tight, pulling feeling after a shower

That’s because your skin barrier, the protective layer of your skin, is under pressure in winter. Cold and dry air pull moisture and fat out of your skin faster than it can top them up.

Why tallow and winter go so well together

Tallow closely resembles the oils your skin makes itself. So it doesn’t feel like a layer on your skin, but like something that simply belongs there.

On top of that, tallow is occlusive. A fancy word for something simple: it leaves a soft, breathable layer on your skin that holds in moisture. Sitting next to the radiator all day, cycling through biting wind or standing in the rain at the football pitch? The moisture in your skin evaporates more slowly. Your skin stays supple and soft, even when it’s freezing outside.

There’s also no water in it. Sounds like a detail, but in winter it really makes a difference. Many creams are largely water. That evaporates, and in cold, dry air your skin can actually feel drier afterwards. A balm without water doesn’t have that problem.

And you only need a little. A pea-sized amount for your whole face.

Nothing new under the (winter) sun

Suet is one of the oldest forms of skincare there is. Long before jars of cream existed, farmers, hunters and travellers in cold regions rubbed animal fat on their faces and hands before heading out. Not because it was trendy, but because it worked.

Our skin hasn’t changed since then. Our products have. We’re just going back to what was always good.

How to use tallow in winter

This is how we do it ourselves in the cold months:

• in the morning, a thin layer on your face before you head out
• in the evening, a little more, as a rich night balm
• on your hands after washing up or washing your hands
• on your lips and the chapped bits around your mouth
• on knees, elbows and heels that get rough

Tip: warm the balm between your fingertips until it melts, then gently press it onto your skin. In winter the balm is a little firmer, that’s normal. Warm it for a moment and it melts right away.

Which Beasty suits your winter skin?

• Face the Beast: for your daily face routine
• Save Our Skins: for dry, rough and chapped patches, with calendula and zinc
• Bless the Baby: for little cheeks and bottoms, which have a tough time in winter too

Never tried tallow? Start with a tester. You’ll know right away if your skin loves it as much as ours does.