A SKINCARE fan shared a DIY face mask that nourishes her dry skin.
They said the anti-aging recipe is the “best” thing they've ever done for their skin.
Redditor Realex3 shared the skincare advice in a viral post.
They explained that the cost-effective, albeit controversial, technique was a game changer for their dry skin.
“Slubbing with homemade sebum is the best thing I've ever done for my skin,” they wrote.
Slugging involves applying a moisturizing, occlusive product over other skin care steps as the final step in a nighttime routine.
They chose a homemade bovine tallow mask to intensely hydrate their dry skin.
“[I] “I bought 5 pounds of tallow from my local butcher, and I made it in my kitchen in a pot following a YouTube video over the course of a week,” they said.
Beef tallow is beef fat that has been boiled down to remove all impurities.
Their naturally dry skin, they added, was even more dehydrated thanks to a topical prescription they were using.
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“I use Retin-A every morning and at night I hit the sebum,” they said.
Their results shocked them, especially considering how affordable the mask was.
“My skin is glowing. No acne; it's amazing and it only cost me $2.30 for two months,” they said.
An expert commentator explained why beef tallow is having a moment.
“[It’s] packed with fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K that are easily utilized by your skin and penetrate deeper, allowing for faster recovery,” they explained.
“Sebum induces the production of collagen and elastin, which reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.”
Benefits of Beef Fat
Beauty fans have flocked to social media to share their homemade beef tallow recipes.
TikTok alone has more than 1,500 posts under the hashtag #beftallowskincare.
Skin care enthusiasts have boiled beef tallow to remove all impurities and moisture and use it as a moisturizer.
Dermatologists explained the potential benefits of the all-natural ingredient Everyday health.
Joshua Zeichner, associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, explained that beef tallow can provide the same fats that our skin naturally produces.
“Applying beef tallow to the skin does little harm, although there are certainly more cosmetically elegant, well-formulated moisturizers out there to get the job done,” he said.
“When applied to the skin, it provides soothing benefits to soften rough cells on the skin's surface [as well as] hydration benefits.”
Benjamin Knight Fuchs, a skin care chemist, added that beef tallow may provide some benefits due to its cholesterol content.
Despite being vitamin-rich, Fuchs explained that its actual benefits are questionable at best, as the skin may not be able to absorb it all.
“In terms of cellular activity and overall skin health benefits, there is little reason to recommend this [beef tallow],” he said.
“Sebum is PERFECT to prevent premature aging of the skin.”
Others shared similar skincare experiences with beef tallow.
“I started using beef tallow after doing some research and hearing good things,” said one commenter.
“I bought 7 pounds on Amazon, [and] So far so good.”
Lumbering with homemade sebum is the best thing I've ever done for my skin.
RedditorRealex3
One fan testified to the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the ingredient.
“I got an 8-ounce jar of ready-made rendered beef tallow on Etsy, and it has been whipped and made to be odorless!” they said.
“I would absolutely recommend it. You need so little, so the jar lasts forever.”
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