I Put Beef Fat on My Face for 7 Days—Here’s What Happened
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We’ve all tried something in the name of beauty, and in the age of social media, there are endless to try—“Botox in a bottle,” slugging, and anti-wrinkle straws are just a few recent fads. The latest beauty TikTok trend to go viral? Beef tallow for skin. And in the name of science, I slathered beef fat on my face for seven days (yes, you read that right) to see if it’s worth the hype.
While the idea of using beef tallow as skincare might sound bizarre, social media’s fascination with the alleged natural remedy intrigued me. Once a staple in traditional beauty regimens, this (definitely not vegan) rendered animal fat is now being hailed as a miracle ingredient, praised for its deep moisturizing properties, anti-aging benefits, potential to reduce inflammation, and even its ability to cure acne. It almost sounds too good to be true, and the more videos I watched on the topic, the more skeptical I became of these alleged benefits.
Meet the experts: Corey L. Hartman, M.D., F.A.A.D., board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, AL; and Omer Ibrahim, M.D., F.A.A.D., board-certified dermatologist at Chicago Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology
That’s why I decided to see firsthand if beef tallow is really as miraculous as some claim it to be by testing it for an entire week. I also tapped dermatologists to explain the ins and outs of the trend, including potential beef tallow for skin benefits, side effects, and more. Here’s everything you need to know about the not-so-vegetarian skincare trend.
What is the beef tallow TikTok trend?
First things first, “Beef tallow is a fat produced from cooking down, or rendering, the fat that surrounds the organs of a cow,” explains Corey L. Hartman, M.D., F.A.A.D., board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, AL.
The “beeftallow” hashtag on TikTok has over 50,000 posts, including viral videos boasting hundreds of thousands of likes touting the benefits of using rendered beef fat as skincare. Many of these videos promote specific beef tallow products shoppable through the TikTok Shop, while some claim the miracle product is a “secret” that dermatologists don’t want people to know about. Some of the alleged benefits the top-liked videos promote include clearing acne, evening out discoloration, moisturizing skin, brightening the complexion, and even reducing inflammation. While most creators on social media are touting specific beef tallow creams (often from small brands offering “handmade” products), there is a small subset of people showing off DIY iterations. Experts caution against making your own beef tallow as improper sourcing and storage may lead to the growth of bacteria.
“Like the craze of using plain coconut oil for skincare in the late 2010s, this is a hype that will pass as the benefits touted–anti-aging, acne-clearing, skin brightening, etc.—aren’t backed with clear evidence,” explains Omer Ibrahim, M.D., F.A.A.D., board-certified dermatologist at Chicago Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology. “While beef tallow is rich in fatty acids, is very occlusive, and offers emollient benefits, there are better-studied plant-based fats with fewer variables in terms of quality and safety.” Plus, the fatty acid composition of beef tallow can vary depending on the sex, age, breed, and diet of the animal it’s sourced from. If not sourced or stored correctly, it can go rancid as it is an animal byproduct.
I tried it—here’s what I think
I love to try a new skincare trend. I’ve used everything from natural remedies like tea tree oil to pharmaceuticals like Isotretinoin, a.k.a Accutane (a prescription-only oral adult acne treatment). I will admit that using beef tallow on my face did have me feeling a bit squeamish, but I persevered to find out if it could be the answer to my acne-prone, combination normal/dry skin woes.
For one week, I used a beef tallow product every morning and night, foregoing makeup in the name of science (except for a few days when I wanted to see how my products worked together). For the most part, I used no other products except for a cleanser at night and sunscreen in the morning—though I did need to apply some additional moisturizing products for comfort some days. The product I used had only two ingredients: 100% grass-fed beef tallow and jojoba oil.
I opted to wear some makeup to see how it applied on top of the beef tallow.
Here’s what happened.
Day one
The first morning I used beef tallow on my skin, I splashed my face with lukewarm water and patted it dry as I normally do. Then, instead of using my usual lineup of serums and moisturizers, I applied the beef tallow. I was pleasantly surprised the product had no odor (which I was afraid of) but I wasn’t so sure how I felt about the greasy texture. I waited about 10 minutes before applying sunscreen, hoping the tallow would sink into my skin a bit, but it left a greasy film.
That evening, I washed my face with my usual cleanser before applying the tallow again. I swiped it on about two hours before bed, again hopeful it would absorb before laying my head on my pillow. It did not. I felt very greasy.
Day two
I almost quit the whole experience the morning I woke up on day two with three new, large pimples on my face. But I told myself that maybe these were pimples I would have woken up with regardless—after all, it’s not out of the ordinary, and it had only been a day. I applied the beef tallow morning and night just like the day before.
I was surprised at how parched my skin still felt despite applying the greasy-feeling product. I don’t have particularly dry skin, it mostly flares up in the winter and is fairly easy to manage. I was looking forward to not dealing with any dry patches while using beef tallow, at the very least, but that wasn’t my experience. While my face felt greasy with the tallow on, it also still felt dry and tight underneath. Perhaps this was because the product contained only occlusives (fats and oils), but no humectants, which help hydrate the skin.
Day three
Fortunately, I did not wake up with any new acne on day three—but I did wake up with some closed comedones (whiteheads) and milia on my cheeks, as well as some visible dry patches around my nose and mouth. I remained steadfast and applied it morning and night as usual.
Day four
The fourth morning of this experience tested me. I began to break out along my jawline, cheeks, and even my forehead—an area my body usually spares me from on the acne front. The ones along my jaw were cystic, and they were quite uncomfortable. I also still had some discomfort from dryness that at this point, I just needed to do something about. I started to apply the hyaluronic acid serum I usually include in my routine with a tiny bit of my regular moisturizer beneath the beef tallow. I also slept with a humidifier running overnight.
Day five
The added measures I took to combat the dryness on day four definitely helped, and my skin felt much better on day five. I still struggled to face the mirror with all the acne on my skin. I continued the application of hyaluronic acid serum, moisturizer, and beef tallow both in the morning and evening.
Day six
There was not much news to report on day six. For the sake of the experiment, I decided to forgo my serum and moisturizer and see how my skin behaved with just the beef tallow again. Spoiler alert: Not great. I was very happy that tomorrow marked the end of the test.
Day seven
Only one new pimple popped up on my face the morning of my final day using beef tallow, but the rest lingered. I hadn’t worn makeup at all the entirety of the experiment so I could be certain any breakouts were indeed caused by the beef tallow and not something else. On this day I decided to see how the beef tallow affected my makeup application.
I did my normal daily routine (tinted sunscreen, primer, concealer, powder, blush, and bronzer) and it surprisingly worked well on top of the slick beef tallow base. However, I noticed (despite using a primer) that my makeup quickly separated after swiping it on and did not last nearly as long as normal.
I was happy to remove everything at the end of the day and looked forward to returning to my normal skincare routine the next morning.
If you still want to try it for yourself (everyone’s skin is different after all), browse some of the best-selling beef tallow skincare products below.
100% Grass Fed Beef Tallow
Handmade Whipped Tallow Balm
Whipped Tallow Balm
Benefits of beef tallow for skin
Social media touts loads of beef tallow benefits for skin, but the biggest one has to do with its ability to moisturize and nourish. Though it was not my experience, experts tend to agree with this benefit—to an extent.
“Beef tallow is occlusive and can help moisturize the skin and help protect the skin barrier,” says Dr. Hartman. It is rich in fatty acids, including oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and myristic acid, adds Dr. Ibrahim, noting that it may help support the skin barrier due to its occlusive nature. “Those with dry skin may see a benefit, but it’s not any better than a basic, rich moisturizer that is produced in a sterile environment,” Dr. Ibrahim explains.
Another appealing argument for using beef tallow for skin is that it includes an array of vitamins, including vitamin A. For this reason, some even claim that beef tallow has “retinol-like properties,” says Dr. Ibrahim, however, these vitamins are present only in trace amounts and vary from batch to batch. “Unfortunately, while there is some vitamin A in beef tallow, it’s not a large, measurable quantity,” Dr. Ibrahim continues.
Side effects of beef tallow for skin
The main side effect of using beef tallow on the skin—and one that I experienced—is acne. “Beef tallow is comedogenic, which means it can clog pores. I recommend that patients with oily, acne-prone skin stay away from beef tallow to avoid increasing breakouts,” explains Dr. Hartman.
Dr. Ibrahim adds that there is a potential contamination risk to using beef tallow too. “The main issue is sourcing of beef tallow,” he explains. “If it’s not properly stored, it can grow bacteria.”
There are also some small studies that suggest that using beef tallow on the skin may lead to irritation and increased sensitivity to the sun. However, more research is needed on the subject.
The bottom line
Unfortunately, my own experience with beef tallow did not mirror the myriad benefits touted on social media. While I am not as acne-prone as I used to be, slathering beef tallow on my face caused increased breakouts which I’m still struggling to get rid of. I would recommend against those with oily or acne-prone skin giving this trend a try—but everybody’s skin is different and what works for one person may not work for the next.
“Anything beef tallow can do, plant oils and butters like coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, and so much more can also do with even more evidence,” says Dr. Ibrahim. However, Dr. Hartman notes that those with dry skin may benefit from using beef tallow—though he cautions that “anyone with sensitive skin, oily skin, and acne-prone skin should stay away from beef tallow.”
Anyone with a medical condition, like eczema or psoriasis should speak with a board-certified dermatologist before adding beef tallow into their routine, adds Dr. Hartman.
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