Does Beef Tallow Have Beauty Benefits?

When it comes to achieving clear and glowy skin, it seems like most ideas are worth trying out at least once. For some, that includes rendered beef fat.

That’s right, content creators began touting beef tallow—which is the fat that separates from the meat while it cooks slowly over low heat—as the answer to clear skin. In their words, just swap out your moisturizer for the tallow and say “hello” to perfect skin.

TikTokers swear by it, experts have some beef with the saturated fat on the skin. 

“Beef tallow will have a similar feeling on your skin as Vaseline and its fatty properties will help create a moisturizing barrier,” board-certified dermatologist at SINY Dermatology Dr. Rebeca Teplitz told E! News. “It will help with dryness. However, the side effects may not be worth it.”

She noted that beef tallow—which is considered comedogenic since it can clog pores—can actually do the opposite of its intended goal and cause breakouts.