Beef tallow for acne—Does it help or make it worse?

One week, one 100% beef tallow moisturizer, and a face full of surprises.

From slugging to salmon sperm facials to anti-wrinkle straws, internet beauty culture has never shied away from the unconventional. But few trends have sparked as much divided reaction as the recent rush to slather rendered beef fat directly onto the face.

Beef tallow’s skincare moment isn’t entirely new — traditional beauty routines have used animal fat for generations. What’s changed is the scale of enthusiasm online, where creators now credit the greasy substance with clearing acne, fading discoloration, and delivering an overall glow. Skeptical but curious, I decided to test the trend on my own combination, acne-prone skin for a full week to see whether the hype held up.

What Is the Tallow Trend, Exactly?

Beef tallow is fat rendered down from the tissue surrounding a cow’s organs, according to Corey L. Hartman, a board-certified dermatologist in Birmingham, Alabama. On TikTok, the hashtag has amassed tens of thousands of posts, many promoting small-batch tallow balms sold through TikTok Shop, with some creators framing the ingredient as a dermatologist-hidden secret. A smaller contingent shows followers how to render tallow at home, though experts warn that improper sourcing or storage can invite bacterial growth.

My Week of Tallow, Day by Day

For seven days, I applied a two-ingredient tallow-and-jojoba-oil balm morning and night, skipping makeup and my usual product lineup except for cleanser and sunscreen.

The first day brought no odor, which was a relief, but also a heavy, greasy film that never fully absorbed. By day two, I’d developed three new blemishes and noticed my skin felt paradoxically dry underneath all that grease — likely because the balm offered…