Whipped Tallow Balm

Creating your own skincare products at home not only allows you to know exactly what's going into your formulations but also offers the benefit of customizing the recipe to suit your skin's unique needs. Tallow is a fantastic base for a moisturizer, and when combined with a lightweight oil it creates a luxurious whipped face & body cream that nourishes, soothes, and hydrates the skin.

In this detailed step-by-step guide, I will walk you through how to make 250g of whipped tallow face cream with organic jojoba oil. I chose jojoba oil in this formula as it is readily available to most people, but you can substitute it with any single liquid oil or combination of liquid oils you prefer. A liquid oil is added to the tallow to maintain a spreadable, whipped consistency. You can omit the liquid oil if you prefer and whip pure tallow, but keep it mind the the texture will be a lot firmer. Some of my personal favorite oils to use are emu oil, ostrich oil, camellia oil, and sea buckthorn berry oil!

I also am going to include an antioxidant (Rosemary C02 or Mixed Tocopherols) in the formula to prolong the shelf life of the oils and help reduce the chances of rancidity. This is optional, not required, and if you choose to not add it, simply increase the jojoba oil by 1g. 

Please note, this is just a starting guide. The ratio of tallow & oils, cooling time, whipping method, etc. can all vary from person to person.  Experiment with your ratios until you find a formula that you personally love. 

 

What You’ll Need

Equipment: 

  • Double Boiler, or a Heatproof Bowl and Pot
    A double boiler is the best tool for gently melting your tallow and oils without direct heat, but if you don’t have one, you can use a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water.
  • Immersion Blender
    Used to create a uniform texture
  • Electric Mixer
    To achieve the whipped texture, you’ll need an electric hand or stand mixer.
  • Small Mixing Bowls
    For weighing & combining the ingredients.
  • Measuring Utensils, Spatulas, and Weighing Scale (that measures in grams)
  • Storage Container (glass jar or other container)
    Clean, sterilized jar(s) or container to store your finished whipped tallow cream.

Ingredients:

  • 185g (74%) Grass-fed & Finished Tallow (buy)
  • 64g (25.6%) Jojoba Oil (buy)
  • 1g (0.40%) Rosemary C02 Extract (buy) or Mixed Tocopherols (buy)


Instructions

Step 1 - Weight & Melt

  • Weigh the Tallow: Place a small mixing bowl onto your scale, and press the 'tare' button to zero out the weight. Scoop or cut the tallow into small chunks and weigh out 185g.
  • Jojoba Oil: In the same mixing bowl as your tallow, press 'tare' on your scale again to return to 0. Add 64g of jojoba oil.
  • Weigh the Rosemary C02 Extract or Mixed Tocopherols into a separate small bowl (if using) and set aside.
  • Melt & Blend: Place the bowl of tallow and jojoba oil into the double boiler over medium-low heat. Allow the mixture to gently melt together. Stir slowly to help blend the oils, being careful not to overheat the mixture.

Step 2 - Let the Oil Mixture Cool

  • Remove from Heat and allow the mixture to cool down in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes. Every 5 minutes or so, take a spatula and stir the mixture, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Keep an eye on the viscosity - Once the mixture is thickened to a pudding-like consistency, it's time to move onto the next step.

Step 2 - Blend

  • Pull the tallow mixture out of the fridge and use an immersion blender to fully incorporate the ingredients. Using an immersion blender also helps prevent graininess in the finished product. Blend for 1-2 minutes, until the consistency is completely smooth and the tallow has noticeably thickened up.

Step 3 - Whip

  • Add your Rosemary C02 Extract or Mixed Tocopherols (if using). Begin whipping the mixture by using either an electric hand or stand mixer. The goal is to incorporate enough air into the mixture to turn it into a light, fluffy texture.
  • Continue mixing for 5-10 minutes, until it look airy, light, and fluffy. If it still isn't taking on a fluffy appearance, place it back in the fridge for a few more minutes, and then continue to whip it. If you notice it starting to set up too much, you can place it back over the double boiler for a few seconds to re-melt it slightly, then continue mixing.

Step 4: Store Your Whipped Tallow Cream

  • Transfer to Storage Container:  Once you’ve achieved the desired whipped texture, spoon the whipped tallow face cream into a sanitized glass jar or airtight container. The cream should be stored at room temperature.

    How to Use Your Whipped Tallow Cream

    To use your homemade whipped tallow face cream, simply:

    • Cleanse Your Skin: Make sure your skin is clean before applying the cream.
    • Apply: Using your fingers, scoop a small amount of the cream and apply it to your face. Gently massage it into your skin in upward, circular motions. You’ll notice that a little goes a long way as tallow is quite rich. For your body, you will need to apply more than your face (about a quarter-sized for both legs, nickel-size for both arms, etc.). Tallow also works wonderfully as a night cream, as it is deeply nourishing and will leave your skin hydrated and soft by morning.