How to Apply Tallow to Your Face

If you're transitioning to a tallow-based moisturizer from a commercial lotion, you may need to adjust your regimen a little bit to get the most out of it.

Lotion requires a larger amount of product applied more frequently to keep skin feeling supple. After lotion is applied, it sits on top of the skin, making the skin feel slightly oily. This is not how tallow works.

Tallow is incredibly compatible with the skin, and should absorb completely into the surface. If you're applying a generous amount of tallow frequently to try to achieve the same greasy feeling as applying lotion, you're probably using too much!

Just a pea sized amount of tallow or less applied at most 2-3 times a day is more than enough for most people. If it disappears after you rub it in, it's doing its job!

If you have oily skin, half a pea sized amount of tallow applied after showering at night may be all you need to get you through a whole day!

To help tallow absorb more fully, we recommend applying it once your skin is wet. The perfect time is after showering or oil cleansing when your pores are clean and open. However, simply adding a spritz of hydrosol or another toner before applying works as well. 

Tallow can be applied all over the face, concentrating on dry areas and areas prone to lines and wrinkles. This will help bring hydration. 

Encouraging circulation in your skin will also improve the tallow's effectiveness, delivering the nutrients deep into the skin. You can use invigorating herbs like rosemary hydrosol to increase circulation and also massaging the skin - using gua sha or other massage tools - can also help. 

If your tallow is cold, you may find it's rather firm and harder to apply. Simply warm the tallow between your hands before applying to your face to help soften it. Also, if it's too hot, it may be slightly melted or liquid. If this is the case, applying less will help keep you from over-applying the tallow. You can always pop it in the fridge to help solidify it. Try not to let the temperature of your tallow fluctuate too much, we don't recommend keeping it in the car, by a warm window or too near the shower. 

When it comes to moisturizing your whole body, tallow can be used as a sort of spot treatment for dry patches, problem skin, healing skin and more. I use it as an aftershave by rubbing it between my hands and massaging onto areas that are nicked or are burning rather than applying to my entire leg. This helps your tallow to go further and keeps you from over-applying.

Here are some tips to take with you:

1. Using the proper amount of tallow is important. Too much can leave your skin feeling greasy, but the right amount should absorb completely into your skin. Oily skin types may want to use less, while dry skin requires more.
2. To prep your face for maximum absorption, we recommend using a facial toner, such as a herbal hydrosol (or flower water).
3. Using a massage tool, such as a gua sha, helps improve circulation in your face and increase the tallow's benefits. 
4. Tallow's texture depends on the temperature, so it may be more firm in cold weather. Warm the tallow between your hands before application if it's more solid. 
5. Tallow serves as a great follow-up to the oil cleansing method. 
6. Apply tallow to areas prone to fine lines and wrinkles.