TikTok is a great place to discover trends and get tips, especially skin care. The latest trend is applying all-natural beef tallow, or rendered beef fat, to your face to keep it hydrated, prevent blemishes and more. This is led by influencers who are encouraging chemical-free products.
Beef tallow is traditionally used as a kitchen staple -- most commonly as an oil for frying. It's been a household product for years, but social media has brought it front and center.
It hasn't been studied closely as a skin-care ingredient so as with any new product that you want to try, do so with caution and consult your dermatologist before jumping on the bandwagon.
We spoke with a dermatologist to learn more about beef tallow, including its potential benefits and drawbacks if you include it in your skin-care regimen.
Read more: Easy Ways to Improve Your Skin's Glow
What is beef tallow?
Beef tallow is the product of clarifying fatty tissue from around the organs of a cow. At room temperature, it's solid and often used in cooking. It also can be used in things like soap, candles and other skin-care products because of its creamy texture and oiliness.
According to the Mayo Clinic, beef tallow is primarily made up of saturated fats because of its solid nature. It also has saturated and polyunsaturated fats. Beyond fats, beef tallow contains fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids, which has made it an attractive cooking ingredient.
Beef tallow rave on TikTok
Beef tallow has recently surged in popularity, thanks in large part to social media. Content creators on TikTok have been touting its claims, saying the natural product is giving them incredible skin. One user posted a video in January saying beef tallow "healed my skin barrier."
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