“Tallow skincare” tells you one ingredient.

It does not tell you what kind of product you're buying.

A tallow balm, tallow cream and tallow lotion can all contain beef tallow and behave completely differently on your skin.

The biggest difference is simple:

water.

What is a tallow balm?

A balm is generally an anhydrous product, meaning it contains no added water.

It might contain:

• tallow
• plant oils
• waxes
• botanical extracts
• essential oils or fragrance

Because there is no water phase, a balm tends to feel rich and protective.

It is excellent at coating the skin and slowing moisture loss.

That can make balms particularly satisfying on hands, feet, elbows, lips and very dry areas.

The trade-off?

They can feel heavier.

What is a tallow cream?

A true cream contains both water and oil.

Since oil and water naturally separate, the formula needs to be emulsified so the two phases remain together.

This changes the experience considerably.

Instead of putting only fat onto the skin, you're applying water and lipids together.

A cream can therefore feel lighter and more immediately moisturizing while still leaving behind the richer fats that help reduce water loss.

This is one reason I don't believe that “water-free” automatically means better.

Different formulations solve different problems.

What is a lotion?

Lotion is generally another oil-and-water emulsion, but it usually contains more water and less oil than a heavier cream.

That makes lotion:

• thinner
• easier to spread over large areas
• quicker-feeling
• often less occlusive

Which sounds wonderful until it's February in Alberta and your shins are eating lotion for breakfast.

Sometimes you need more.

Which one should you use?

Start with what your skin is actually asking for.

If your skin is:

Very dry, exposed or cracked-feeling:

A balm or rich cream may feel best.

Dry but you dislike greasy products:

A well-formulated cream may give you the best balance.

Normal and you want something easy for the entire body:

A lotion can make sense.

Hands, feet, elbows or lips:

An anhydrous balm often shines here.

And then adjust by season.

The moisturizer you love in August may not be enough in January.

That isn't failure.

Your environment changed.

The important part

Don't buy skincare based solely on the hero ingredient printed largest on the front.

“Contains tallow” doesn't tell you:

• how much tallow
• what else is in it
• whether it contains water
• how it has been preserved
• how it will feel
• whether it suits your particular skin

Formulation matters.

It always has.

What we make

Most of what FATSKN makes is anhydrous — no added water.

• Purist Whipped Body Butter — whipped tallow, unscented, three ingredients. For the whole body.
• Purist Face — tallow, olive squalane, mango butter and cacao butter. Lighter, and made for faces.
• The FATSTK — a balm in stick form, for hands, elbows, lips and anywhere else on the go.

The exception is our Magnesium Body Lotion. The magnesium is dissolved in water, so it's a true lotion — the same tallow, lighter, and easy to spread over large areas.