I was late to the tallow train, I will fully admit I thought it was just trendy and hyped up. But then I made a whipped tallow balm and used it, my skin felt great and cleared some dryness and white heads I had delt with for years. I thought maybe it's a coincidence so when that jar ran out I stopped using it and again I could tell the difference, my skin wasn’t as deeply moisturized. So again I made another tallow cream, this time a whipped calendula tallow (click that link for the recipe), and again I saw the same improvements in my skin’s hydration, fine lines lessened, dry areas disappeared, that glowy plump feeling lasted longer.
Maybe tallow is not for everyone but it's certainly great for many, it's not just hype. It's packed with skin loving vitamins like vitamin A, D, E and K. It also has a fatty acid make up that is similar to that of the human skin, making absorption easy. It blocks moisture loss from skin and its anti inflammatory properties make it soothing for all skin, but especially for troubled skin (like dry flaky, psoriasis, eczema prone skin).
The recipe for the vanilla tallow lotion is a creamy thick lotion, almost like a liquid body butter. I use it all over my body, including my face. The chamomile hydrosol makes this creamy lotion incredibly soothing for skin and helps the tallow soak in quickly while also calming and hydrating the skin barrier.
I’ve included affiliate links to all the ingredients I use and love.
Creamy Vanilla Tallow Lotion
Step One Ingredients
⅔ cup Apricot Oil
½ cup Tallow
0.5 oz Emulsifying Wax
2-3 Paste from 2-3 Vanilla Beans
½ tsp Glycerin
½ tsp Vitamin E
Step Two Ingredients
½ cup Chamomile Hydrosol
0.25oz to 0.5oz Leucidal SF Complete
Step One
1.Combine the apricot oil, tallow, emulsifying wax and vanilla bean paste into a bowl and melt gently over a double boiler. For the vanilla bean paste, slice each vanilla bean lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop the paste out of the vanilla pod.
2. Once melted and slightly cooled add the Glycerin, Vitamin E.
Step Two
This is where you combine oils and water (chamomile hydrosol) to make creamy lotion. Make sure your oils and your waters are cooled down and are roughly the same temperature. You are going to slowly add the waters to your oils as you mix. Use a hand mixer or a blender.
1. Slowly start mixing the oils, then very slowly add the chamomile hydrosol as you continue mixing. Watch this step carefully. Don’t go too fast. There may also be a point where your cream does not want to accept or incorporate any more water into it. Stop here.
2. Once whipped, add in the Leucidal Liquid and stir gently but thoroughly to combine.
3. Pour your creamy lotion into clean and sterilized pump bottles. This lotion will thicken up as it sits.
Some Tips & Notes
If you have not used an emulsifying wax before, I think you are in for a treat. It makes combining the oils and waters a breeze. And unlike lotion and cream recipes that use beeswax (not a true emulsifier) it combines the two really well and they stay combined over time.
*The following steps will help ensure a longer shelf life for your cream.
Use clean equipment. Wipe down your tools with rubbing alcohol before using. Use clean new jars with clean new lids. Make sure your tools are clean and dry. For your water use a hydrosol or use distilled water. If you use water in place of chamomile hydrosol, don’t use tap water or spring water, they both are sources of bacteria.
Don’t use wooden spoons or spatulas to mix, combine, or scoop.
Some sources out there say to add grapefruit seed extract or rosemary extract. These are not preservatives, they do help your oils stay fresh, but they do not inhibit mold growth.
Enjoy!