Women are putting beef fat on their face as skincare. But does it actually work?

A few weeks ago, I let TikTok influence me.

Yup, that's right. I officially became a fully-fledged shopper on the app I swore I'd never sell my soul to.

Except I didn't give in and buy some brutally made fast fashion blouse or go to someone's Amazon shopfront to peruse their checkout basket.

Nope, I purchased tallow beauty products.

Which, if you don't know what that is, fair. It's rendered beef fat.

Watch: Things I've Learnt about Beauty & Skincare. Post continues after video. 

I'm not a stupid woman — I know a scam when I see one.

But after tallow beauty popped up on the Netflix hit The Perfect Couple (I won't tell you why, in case you haven't watched it yet), the beauty ingredient has been trending all over my For You page and… well, I fell into a beef tallow hole. And I couldn't get out of it.

Below is the innocuous 10-second-long clip that convinced me I was missing out on magic by not owning the creamy lard moisturiser.

@thebookofimmortality #skincare #tallow ♬ original sound - ♡

Tallow itself is just beef fat that has been rendered (meaning cooked down) to remove all of its impurities.

It's been used as a traditional medicine and oil for centuries and according to studies, it is rich in vitamins A, D, E and K. As such, it's apparently incredible for your skin.

And while you can use beef tallow for cooking french fries or making some soap and mason jar candles, it's also able to be used on the skin as a moisturiser.

That little claim alone was enough to draw me in and pull out my debit card details. A little over a week later, a jar full of the yellowy, creamy stuff and a big chunk of soap made its way to my doorstep.

@selfcareessential Replying to @islandgirl96_ what else does it do besides clear skin?! #beeftallow #beeftallowskincare #antiinflammatory #jointhealth ♬ original sound - Meagan | Selfcare + wellness

Those who use beef tallow say it works even better than expensive skincare, and also pedestal it as being a completely natural ingredient.

However, Dermatologist Dr Cara McDonald told Mamamia the problem with "natural" skincare is that it is often just a fluffy marketing term.

"I have nothing against a preference for 'natural' skincare — in most cases, the word natural is simply a marketing term and does not mean a product is more pure nor safe than other skincare," she explained.

"What’s most important to know is that many natural and organic ingredients can cause significant skin issues including irritation, sensitive skin and allergic rashes. Even beef tallow goes through a number of chemical processes to purify and make it pleasant enough to use as a moisturiser."

In terms of using beef tallow as a moisturiser, Dr McDonald says it's certainly a good option. However, she believes it's not comparable to the new skincare that is available to the market nowadays.

"Beef tallow can be a good moisturiser, especially for those with extra dry skin. It has a thick, oily consistency but absorbs quickly into the skin. Beef tallow contains vitamins A, D, E and K, antioxidants and essential fatty acids which can be helpful for inflammation and skin repair," Dr McDonald explained.

"Having said that, the science behind modern-day skincare is nothing short of extraordinary. Moisturisers available these days are generally manufactured to be more effective and pleasant to use."

After three weeks of using beef tallow, I was impressed with how soft my skin felt. However, I'd be lying if I didn't say I have plenty of other moisturisers that do the job just as well — if not better.

And Dr McDonald believes there are plenty of "better and easier options" available that are scientifically proven to work or are actually approved by dermatologists.

"There are many alternatives! If you’ve got very dry skin and you’re looking for a hydrating barrier moisturiser, then I'd suggest fragrance-free, good quality moisturisers designed for very dry skin," she said.

Here are some of her recommendations:

La Roche Posay Lipikar, from $30.95.

La Roche PosayLipikar. Image: Supplied.

La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume, from $24.95.

La Roche PosayCicaplast Baume. Image: Supplied.

CeraVe Moisturising Cream, from $7.49.

CeraVe Moisturising Cream. Image: Supplied.

Her advice for people wanting "natural" ingredients is to remember that science-based skincare is a powerful tool.

"Most people do not realise that all 'natural' ingredients (which are generally defined as those extracted from nature rather than made in a laboratory) are also chemicals and moreover can be harsh or allergenic themselves," Dr McDonald explained. "Skincare has come a long way and we are all benefiting from the science behind it.

"I always welcome people to make their own choices but my preference is to use products that have been researched and developed to be the best and most effective for my skin concerns, not to mention pleasant to use, rather than go back to what they were using in the dark ages."

For more from Dr Cara McDonald, follow her on Instagram here.

This article was originally published in April 2023 and has since been updated.

Feature Image: TikTok @thebookofimmortality/selfcaressential.