If you’ve been hearing about beef tallow skincare but feel confused by all the versions on the market, you’re not alone. Not all tallow is the same, and the difference matters — especially when it comes to how your skin responds.
At Rivas Ranch, we use suet tallow, not just any beef fat. Suet is the clean, dense fat that surrounds the kidneys and loins of cattle. It’s naturally firmer, purer, and higher in beneficial fatty acids than general trim fat.
That’s why suet has been valued for centuries in both cooking and skincare.
Why Suet Tallow Is Different
Suet contains higher levels of stearic acid and palmitic acid, two fatty acids that closely resemble the structure of healthy human skin. This similarity allows tallow to absorb easily, support the skin barrier, and deliver long lasting moisture without clogging pores.
Trim fat, on the other hand, varies widely in quality and composition. When fat is blended from multiple sources or stored for long periods, it can lose potency and consistency.
Suet gives us control, purity, and performance.
Why Fresh Rendering Matters
Many tallow skincare products are made using fat sourced elsewhere and stored before being rendered or blended into products. At Rivas Ranch, we render our suet fresh, by hand, on the farm.
Fresh rendering helps preserve the natural fatty acid profile and skin supportive nutrients that make tallow so effective. It also means we know exactly where our ingredients come from and how they’re handled every step of the way.
Nothing sits in a warehouse. Nothing is outsourced.
Why Grass Fed and Pasture Raised Matters for Skin
The quality of tallow starts with the animal. Our cattle are raised on pasture and grass fed, which influences the nutrient makeup of the fat itself. Grass fed tallow tends to have a more favorable fatty acid balance, making it especially supportive for dry, sensitive, or compromised skin.
This isn’t about trends. It’s about inputs and outcomes.
Why Traditional Skincare Still Works
Long before modern skincare aisles, people relied on animal fats like tallow to protect their skin from harsh weather, physical labor, and daily exposure. The simplicity wasn’t a limitation — it was the advantage.
We honor that tradition by keeping our formulas simple, functional, and intentional. No fillers. No unnecessary ingredients. Just tallow based skincare made the way it was meant to be.
From Pasture to Skin
When you choose Rivas Ranch tallow skincare, you’re choosing transparency and traceability. We raise the cattle. We render the suet. We make the products fresh on the farm.
That’s why our skincare feels different. Because it is.
Check out our Whipped Tallow Balms Collection.