Beef Tallow: Miracle Oil or Wellness Fad?

May 12, 2025

A woman applies moisturizing cream to her skin

From mouth taping to snail mucin, every week seems to bring a new wellness “trend” powered by TikTok or other media sources. Beef tallow has recently emerged as both an alternative to cooking oil and a skincare hero.

Proponents of beef tallow say it works wonders in the body and on the skin – but does the hype stand up to the science? “The bottom line is, we have very little research supporting the use of beef tallow over the long term,” explains registered dietician Elizabeth Traxler, RD, LD.

What Is Beef Tallow?

Beef tallow is a form of lard that is derived from cows, made by melting down animal fat. It can be found everywhere from local natural grocery stores to Amazon, and comes in a variety of shelf-stable forms including oil, balms, cubes and whipped formulations.

Beef tallow was first used in food and as fuel for lighting in ancient times. It was commonly used in fast food until the late 20th century, when concerns over the heart health impact of saturated fats shifted chains like McDonald’s toward vegetable oils to make their famous French fries.

Today, beef tallow is back in the public eye due to an increased scrutiny over our food sources. “It’s common for public figures and the media to look for certain foods to ‘villainize’ and blame for our country’s problems with metabolic health and obesity,” says Traxler. “So people are pivoting away from seed oils back to beef tallow, but it’s important to remember that this fat source carries its own health risks.”

Is It Better to Cook With?

Proponents of beef tallow point to its anti-inflammatory properties and high doses of fat-soluble vitamins including A, D, E and K, which benefit bone and skin health. It has a high smoke point, making it a safe choice for high-heat cooking methods like frying, roasting and searing.

Beef tallow contains monounsaturated fats such as oleic acid, which offer some heart health benefits. However, it’s high in saturated fats that increase levels of LDL cholesterol (known as “bad” cholesterol), which leads to artery plaque deposits and heart disease.

Recent skepticism around seed oils, driven by their overuse in processed foods and convenience foods, has made alternatives like beef tallow more popular. “It’s true that we should take a close look at our consumption of highly processed foods,” says Traxler. “But you don’t need to eliminate seed oils from cooking –rather, just make sure you’re not buying foods that are doused in them on a regular basis.”

Is Beef Tallow Good for Skincare?

“People are including beef tallow in their skincare regimens for the same reasons as their diets – it contains animal fats, acids and vitamins that seem like they’d be good for you,” says Nicole Bort, NP, a certified nurse practitioner in dermatology. “But we don’t have good data supporting that theory.”

Bort also points to potential complications of putting beef tallow on the skin. She cautions against it in people with acne or oily skin, broken skin or allergic conditions such as eczema, where it could cause clogged pores or allergic reactions.

In addition, without the presence of preservatives – which can appeal to people in search of natural skincare – using a container of beef tallow over a period of time could introduce bacteria or fungi that could be harmful to health. “Certainly, if you’re going to try it, I recommend washing your hands before and after using it,” Bort advises.

Some Proven Alternatives to Try

Considering giving beef tallow a try in your cooking or skincare? Traxler says you may want to reconsider your intake of oils instead. “When we point the finger at one food source it leaves out the other factors at play with our health,” she explains. “You don’t want to just focus on one fat – instead, try to include a good variety of all the different polyunsaturated fats out there.”

Olive oil remains the best choice based on long-term research into the Mediterranean diet. But a mix of some seed oils from time to time can also introduce helpful inflammation-reducing omega-3 fatty acids into the diet.

As for the skin, if applying a beef by-product to your face seems unappealing, Bort suggests her favorite product, for everything from eczema to dry skin, wounds and scars: petroleum jelly. “It’s one of the most safety-tested products when it comes to protecting the skin barrier,” she says. “Plus, it’s hypoallergenic, accessible and affordable.”