There’s something satisfying about crafting your own skincare products—especially when they’re made with simple, wholesome ingredients straight from the homestead. One of my favourites is tallow lip balm. It’s rich, nourishing, and the perfect remedy for dry, chapped lips.
If you’ve never used tallow in skincare before, it might sound a bit unusual. But trust me—once you experience how soft and hydrated your lips feel, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner. Tallow is loaded with skin-loving vitamins and healthy fats that make it a perfect choice for natural, effective lip care.
In this post, I’m sharing my go-to recipe for homemade tallow lip balm. Let’s get started!
Why Use Tallow in Lip Balm?
Tallow is a traditional fat that comes from ruminates. The most common tallow, the one that you will find on most store shelves comes from cows. While any fat on the animal can be rendered down and used, the gold standard for skin care is the suet tallow.
Suet is the fat from around the kidneys. It typically has a milder scent, so we love it for skin care.
Tallow can be purchased already rendered. But if you are feeling industrious and can get your hands on some beef suet, I have a post on how to render tallow.
Just remember that you want to source tallow from animals that have been out on pasture and fed a natural diet. That means grass (or hay in the winter months). Stay away from suet from grain-fed animals.
Tallow’s fat structure is similar to the natural oils in our own skin, which makes it super easy for your skin to absorb. Packed with healthy fats and essential nutrients, it’s an incredible way to keep your skin moisturized.
Ingredients for Homemade Tallow Lip Balm
• 1 part Grass-fed beef tallow
• 1 part Beeswax
• 1 part Olive oil, jojoba oil (infused or otherwise, LINK POST)
• Clean, dry containers (lip balm tubes or small tins)
That’s right, this recipe is written in parts.
So what exactly is a ‘part’? A part can be any unit of measurement you choose. If you want to make a small batch, maybe you’ll choose a teaspoon or tablespoon, depending on the size of your container. Maybe you are like me and want to measure directly into your container and choose to use grams.
Whatever unit of measurement you choose, because each ingredient is one part, you will put equal measurements of each ingredient into your lip balm. So if you choose a teaspoon, you will add one teaspoon of tallow, one teaspoon of beeswax and one teaspoon of oil.
How to Make Tallow Lip Balm
This tallow lip balm recipe is made using a double boiler. A double boiler can be made by placing a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Or you can place a cloth in the bottom of the pot and put a glass jar directly into the water.
If you are going to put a jar directly into the water, you need to put a cloth below it. This will stop the jar from banging around on the bottom of the pot and reduce the chances of it breaking.
Next, you are going to measure out your lip balm ingredients. Add equal parts tallow, oil and beeswax to your bowl or jar.
Place your bowl or jar onto your double boiler and slowly melt the ingredients over low heat. I like to use a wooden toothpick to stir my lip balm as it melts.
Once everything is melted, give it one final mix and then remove it from the heat. Then, while the tallow lip balm is still warm, pour it into your chosen container.
Leave the container, uncovered, on the counter until it is completely cool and firm to the touch.
Customizing Your Lip Balm
I am a simple gal and I like my skincare simple as well. So I choose to leave my homemade lip balm unscented.
If you prefer a scented lip balm, you could add some essential oils to your lip balm just before you pour it into the container. You will have to experiment with how much, I am no expert when it comes to essential oils. But if you were looking for a place to start, I would guess one drop.
You can play around with the consistency of your lip balm by adjusting the amount of beeswax you add to the recipe. If you would like a lip balm with a firmer consistency add a little bit more. If you prefer your lip balm on the softer side, add a little less.
Storing and Using Your Lip Balm
To keep your homemade tallow lip balm fresh there are a couple of best practices to follow.
Always make sure you are using a clean, dry container to pour your lip balm into. Feel free to reuse old containers, just make sure they have been cleaned first.
Always use clean hands to apply your lip balm. If you use dirty hands to apply your tallow lip balm, you risk adding bacteria and other nasties into the container.
Lastly, your tallow balm should smell like tallow. Use your nose, if it smells off or rancid, get rid of it and try again. It happens to everyone and doesn’t mean you should give up on making your own tallow product.
Making your own tallow lip balm is such a simple yet rewarding way to take control of your skincare routine. With just a few natural ingredients, you can create a balm that keeps your lips soft, hydrated, and protected.
I’d love to hear if you give this recipe a try! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram to share your creations. And if you’re looking for more homestead-inspired DIYs and practical tips, be sure to subscribe to my email list. You’ll get updates straight to your inbox—no spam, just good, old-fashioned homestead know-how.
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