Why Tallow from Suet is What You Should Be Using (and Not Seed Oils)
In the world of natural skincare, few ingredients have stood the test of time quite like tallow. For generations, traditional cultures knew exactly what they were doing - nourishing their bodies and skin with every part of the animal, not just the meat. One of the most prized sources of nourishment? Suet - the firm, nutrient-rich fat that surrounds the loins and kidneys of a cow.
When carefully rendered, suet becomes tallow: a creamy, skin-loving balm packed with the very nutrients our skin craves. If you’ve been lathering yourself in seed oil-based products or modern moisturisers filled with synthetic additives, it might be time for a rethink. Your skin doesn’t need more trends. It needs ancestral wisdom - and that starts with tallow.
What is Suet, and Why Is It So Special?
Suet is the dense, white fat found around a cow’s kidneys and loins. Compared to the softer fat from other parts of the animal, suet is:
- Cleaner and purer
- Higher in nutrients
- More stable when heated and rendered
Once slowly purified, suet becomes tallow - a deeply nourishing substance used for thousands of years to hydrate, protect, and restore the skin.
But here’s the thing: not all tallow is equal. Tallow made from suet is the highest quality - rich in essential nutrients, free from impurities, and naturally odour-neutral when rendered correctly.
A True Nutritional Powerhouse for the Skin
Tallow from suet contains:
- Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E & K - crucial for skin healing, immune health and collagen production
- Stearic and palmitic acids - essential for a healthy skin barrier and lasting hydration
- Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) - known for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties
- Cholesterol - yes, your skin needs it to maintain structure and moisture
Unlike synthetic skincare or seed oils, tallow provides bioavailable nourishment - your skin recognises it and knows exactly how to use it.
Why Our Ancestors Got It Right
Long before labs and lotions, people relied on animal fats for nourishment, sun protection, and wound care:
- Indigenous Australians used animal fat for hydration and protection from the elements
- European grandmothers made cold-weather balms from rendered beef fat to protect their families' skin
- Traditional diets across the globe revered suet for its strength-giving, healing properties
They didn’t have marketing, influencers or shelf-stable preservatives - just instinct, experience, and time-tested results.
The Problem With Seed Oils
Seed oils like sunflower, canola, and soybean might sound “natural”, but they’re highly processed, unstable, and prone to oxidation - which can lead to inflammation, premature ageing, and breakouts.
Many modern skincare brands use seed oils as cheap filler ingredients, but they’re often the hidden culprit behind skin sensitivity, clogged pores, and disrupted skin microbiomes.
Let’s be blunt: your skin isn’t designed to absorb industrial seed oils. It is, however, designed to absorb the nourishing, balanced fats found in grass-fed, suet-based tallow - because their structure closely mimics our own skin’s sebum.
From Soil to Skin: Why We Use Suet Tallow
At Should Just Be Normal, we honour the ancestral way - rendering our tallow slowly and carefully from ethically sourced, grass-fed suet from Australian farms. No shortcuts, no fillers, and definitely no seed oils.
Our tallow is:
- Silky smooth
- Easily absorbed
- Naturally balanced
- Packed with vitamins and healing fatty acids
It’s skincare as nature intended - simple, potent, and time-tested.
Forget the fads and seed oil serums. Tallow from suet is what your skin has been waiting for.
It’s not new. It’s just normal - and sometimes, going back to basics is the most powerful thing you can do.
