"Wait! Tallow Doesn't Moisturize?!" (And why I still call it a moisturizer anyway)
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If you’ve spent any time around The Homemaker’s Hustle or tried my whipped tallow balm, you’ve probably heard me (and lots of happy customers) refer to it as a moisturizer.
But here’s a little skincare truth bomb:
👉 Tallow — or any fat, butter, or oil — doesn’t technically “moisturize” your skin.
Say what?!
I know. It sounds shocking at first — but once you understand how skincare really works, it actually makes perfect sense. And it can help you get better results from your tallow balm.
So... What Is Moisture?
When we talk about “moisture” in skincare, we’re really talking about water — the water content in your skin.
A true moisturizer (scientifically speaking) is a product that either:
1️⃣ Adds water to the skin — these are humectants (like glycerin or hyaluronic acid)
2️⃣ Helps the skin hold onto water — by supporting and strengthening your skin barrier
What Does Tallow Actually Do?
Tallow is a beautiful, natural fat — full of vitamins A, D, E, and K, and similar in composition to your skin’s own oils.
Here’s what it does beautifully:
- Protects the skin barrier
- Softens and nourishes dry skin
- Seals in moisture that’s already in the skin
- Provides essential fatty acids and nutrients
But what it doesn’t do is add water to the skin. In other words, if your skin is already dry and dehydrated, tallow alone can’t “put the moisture back.”
It needs water to work with — which is why how you apply it makes a difference.
How I Use It — And Why It Works
Here’s my personal tip (and what I recommend to all my customers):
💧 I keep a small mister bottle filled with distilled water in my bathroom.
Before applying my whipped tallow balm, I lightly mist my skin so it’s damp — not dripping wet, just slightly moist.
Then I apply the tallow balm over that. The balm locks in that hydration and leaves my skin feeling soft, glowing, and nourished — without introducing water directly into the jar, which helps keep the product shelf-stable.
So Why Do I Still Call It a Moisturizer?
Let’s be real:
When most of us say we want a “moisturizer,” what we mean is:
👉 “I want my skin to feel softer, more hydrated, and less dry.”
And that’s exactly what tallow balm does — when you use it the right way. So while it might not meet the strict scientific definition of a moisturizer, it sure feels like one. And that’s why I still (happily) call it that.
Final Tip — Hustle Hint:
Apply your tallow balm on damp skin.
A little distilled water mist before application goes a long way — helping your skin feel hydrated, soft, and happy.
And there you have it — the simple truth behind how tallow works!
Because here at The Homemaker’s Hustle, we like to keep skincare simple, natural, and honest — and help you get the very best out of every jar. 💛