Winter Tallow & Honey Butter Face Cream

When winter brings biting cold, it can wreak havoc on dry skin. This rich Tallow & Honey Butter Face Cream deeply moisturizes and nourishes—perfect for skin that needs extra protection during the dry winter months.

I Think I Discovered the Fountain of Youth…and Bottled it

I wasn’t actually setting out to discover the fountain of youth, but I found it. It is not a place but rather a moisturizer. Tallow, to be specific. Interestingly, I discovered it quite by accident. I have always loved natural products, and over time, I became increasingly interested in understanding exactly what I was putting on my skin. Our skin is our body’s largest organ and an incredible protective barrier, and I began paying more attention to the ingredients in the products I used every day.

Once I started reading labels, that curiosity spread everywhere. I became more intentional about what I ate, what I put on my body, and what I used to clean my home. Everything from deodorant and skincare to laundry detergent got a complete overhaul. Whenever possible, I wanted to keep things simple and know what I was using. You can check out my post on detoxifying your laundry room here.

As a result, I switched to preparing my own skincare products to control the ingredients. The only problem was wintertime. My skin is pretty balanced except when the air turns bitter cold. Suddenly, flakes appear, and my skin tightens and cracks. What is that all about?

Wisdom from Above

So, I did what any normal person would do. I prayed and asked God for wisdom. He is always ready to reveal His brilliance. In the dead of winter, I looked around and saw that plants were dormant, but the sheep and the cows still roamed about unbothered. I don’t know why that popped into my head, except that I had just prayed. It made sense to me. In the winter, I would need something that could withstand winter temperatures and reserve my plant oils for the more humid, warmer seasons.

With my download from heaven, I started my research and concluded that tallow was my answer. I created this moisturizer and handed out a few jars to some friends at church. Instantly, I had customers for life. One friend’s husband approached me and asked, “What is in that jar? My wife looks ten years younger, and her skin is so smooth. Can I get a jar, too?” My Tallow Fountain of Youth Balm was born.

What is Tallow and Why is it Good for My Skin?

Tallow is simply rendered fat from a cow or sheep. It makes an incredibly rich emollient and helps form a protective layer over the skin that reduces moisture loss—exactly what my dry winter skin seems to crave. I love its rich, silky texture and how soft my skin feels after using it.

As with any rich facial product, everyone’s skin is different. My family has used this successfully even on acne-prone skin, but I wouldn’t promise that any oil or butter will never clog anyone’s pores. If your skin is sensitive or prone to breakouts, start with a small amount and see how your skin responds.

Tallow fat creates a protective barrier on the skin that helps reduce moisture loss. That protective quality is what popped into my head when thinking about the dormancy of plants in the winter and the perfectly content cow in the field when it is snowing outside. Tallow and shea butter are solid at cooler temperatures, which made me curious about using richer fats and butters on my skin during winter. Isn’t God brilliant? He gives us the most amazing downloads when we stop to ask and then really listen. This cream really works for me, and it is my go-to every winter for the softest skin imaginable.

A Breakdown of the Ingredients for Winter Tallow & Honey Butter Face Cream:

• Tallow—see above for benefits. Note: Refrigerate after opening, and the package suggests using it within three months of opening. You don’t want to use just any tallow. Much of the tallow on the market is cooking tallow. The one I use is made for skin care and soap making. Unfortunately, it comes in a large quart size, so try to find other uses before it expires or becomes rancid.
• Shea Butter or Cacao Butter—rich plant butters that soften the skin and help reduce moisture loss. I generally prefer shea for facial use because cacao butter creates a heavier finished cream.
• Raw honey is a natural humectant, meaning it attracts and holds water. I love the feel it gives this cream. See my preservation note below, because honey does not make this formulation self-preserving.
• Olive Oil—I often use calendula and yarrow-infused olive oil that I prepare with herbs from my garden, but plain extra-virgin olive oil works too. The herbs are optional; I simply love incorporating herbs I’ve grown myself into my body-care recipes.
• Jojoba Oil— Technically a liquid wax rather than an oil, jojoba is a lightweight emollient that helps soften and condition the skin.
• Vitamin E Oil—an antioxidant that helps slow oxidation of the oils in the recipe and adds richness to the finished cream. Important correction from my original post: Vitamin E is not a broad-spectrum preservative.
• Aloe Vera— adds a hydrating, soothing component to the cream. Because aloe contains water, its inclusion also means this is a water-containing formulation. Please read my preservation update below.
• Pomegranate Seed Oil (optional) — A rich emollient oil that I enjoy adding to facial skin-care products.
• Lavender Essential Oil and Frankincense Essential Oil (optional) — I originally included these because I enjoy both oils in my skin-care routine. Essential oils aren’t necessary for the moisturizer to work, however, and fragrance—including natural fragrance—can irritate sensitive skin. Feel free to leave them out entirely.

An Important Update About This Recipe

I originally published this recipe in 2022, and it has since become one of the most-used and most-reviewed recipes on Seasoned with Joy. Many of you have made it, loved it, gifted it, and come back to make it again. Because of that, I am leaving the original recipe intact rather than quietly replacing it with something different.

But I’ve also learned more since I first wrote this post, and I want to make one particularly important correction.

I originally described Vitamin E as a natural preservative. That isn’t accurate. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that can help slow the oxidation and rancidity of oils, but it is not a broad-spectrum preservative that reliably protects a water-containing cosmetic from bacteria, yeast, and mold.

Because this recipe contains aloe vera, it contains a water-based ingredient. That means I cannot responsibly give this homemade version a guaranteed shelf life without proper preservation and microbial testing. Refrigeration and very clean preparation and handling can help reduce risk, but they do not replace an appropriate cosmetic preservative.

If you choose to make the original recipe, make it with clean equipment, keep it refrigerated, avoid introducing water or dirty fingers into the jar, and use your best judgment. Do not rely on the absence of visible mold as proof that a product is free from microbial contamination.

If you would rather make a completely water-free version, I’ve included my simplified tallow balm below. It keeps the heart of the moisturizer while eliminating the aloe and honey, creating a completely water-free balm.

Yield: 6, 2 oz jars

Winter Tallow & Honey Butter Face Cream

4.5 Stars (103 Reviews)

Print

When winter brings the biting cold it can wreak havoc on your skin. Winter Tallow & Honey Butter Face Cream is healing, hydrating, and nourishing. Great for eczema or for those who just want to stay younger looking forever.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes

Additional Time 35 minutes

Total Time 52 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (96 grams) pure, unscented, grass-fed tallow
• 1/4 cup (32 grams) shea butter or cacao butter
• 1 T (15 grams) raw honey
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) olive oil or calendula & yarrow-infused olive oil
• 2 T (1 ounce) jojoba oil
• 1 tsp. Vitamin E oil
• 1 T (15 grams) aloe vera
• 15 drops each of Frankincense and lavender essential oils (optional)
• 6 drops of pomegranate seed oil (optional)

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a Kitchen Aid mixer, measure out the tallow and shea or cacao butter on a kitchen scale. Measure separately and then add to the bowl in case you add too much and have to take some away. You don't want your ingredients contaminated with another ingredient.
2. Prepare a pot of simmering water on the stove over medium-low heat, and place the mixing bowl over to melt the tallow and shea butter.
3. Remove from heat and add the olive oil, jojoba oil, pomegranate seed oil, vitamin E oil, and honey. Stir until mostly dissolved. Honey will settle on the bottom of the bowl, but will incorporate in the whipping process.
4. Place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes until it starts to set but is still pliable. You don't want it to harden and solidify.
5. Once it sets and the color changes from a clear, dark green to a waxed over color, add the aloe and essential oils, if using) and place on the mixer with the whisk attachment.
6. Whip on high for 10-15 minutes until the mixture resembles a creamy, pale-green color.
7. Fill six 2-ounce jars with cream, cover with tight-fitting lids, and store in the refrigerator. Use clean, dry hands or a clean utensil when removing cream from the jar, and avoid introducing water into the container.

Notes

These make wonderful gifts! Because this homemade cream contains aloe vera and does not contain a broad-spectrum cosmetic preservative, keep the jars refrigerated, including the jar currently in use. Use clean, dry hands or a clean utensil to remove the cream, and avoid introducing water into the container. Apply to clean skin. Please see the preservation note in the post for additional information.

Tips

I gave the measurements for the ingredients in cups/teaspoons and grams/ounces. Truthfully, I have been using my kitchen scale a lot more lately and have been happier with the results because the measurements are more accurate. I also recommend measuring your ingredients separately before adding them to the whole, just in case you accidentally add too much of something.

Furthermore, I included some process pictures for you to see the different color changes your moisturizer will take on as you move through the steps. I am always fascinated at how something so bright green can turn almost white just by whipping in air.

Make sure the jars that you use are thoroughly clean and dry. Place the finished moisturizer in the refrigerator to set, and keep it refrigerated between uses.

Because this homemade moisturizer contains aloe vera and no broad-spectrum cosmetic preservative, I recommend making it with very clean equipment, storing it in the refrigerator, and using a clean applicator, popsicle stick, or spoon instead of dipping your fingers into the jar. Vitamin E helps protect the oils from oxidation, but it is an antioxidant—not a preservative. Please see my preservation note above for more information. I hope you enJOY this moisturizer and that your skin feels wonderfully soft and nourished!

Eczema or Sensitive Skin?

For those with eczema, very sensitive skin, or anyone who simply prefers fewer ingredients, I created this simplified version of my original cream. I stripped the recipe down to four ingredients—tallow, shea butter, jojoba oil, and Vitamin E—leaving out the aloe, honey, herbal-infused olive oil, pomegranate seed oil, and essential oils. It is intentionally simple, water-free, and fragrance-free.

If you have eczema, very sensitive skin, allergies, or an active skin condition, patch-test on a small area first, and check with your healthcare professional about treatment for active flares.

Simplified Tallow Balm for Sensitive Skin

3/4 cup tallow
1/4 cup shea butter
3 Tbsp jojoba oil
1 tsp Vitamin E oil

Directions: Gently melt the tallow and shea butter together over a double boiler just until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the jojoba oil and Vitamin E. Allow the mixture to cool until it begins to thicken but is still soft, then whip until light and creamy. Transfer to a clean, completely dry jar and cover tightly.

Storage: Because this version contains no water-based ingredients, it does not require refrigeration. Store it tightly covered in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, and always keep water out of the jar. Vitamin E can help slow oil oxidation but is not a preservative. Discard the balm if you notice changes in odor, color, or texture.

Shop This Post

2 oz Amber Colored Glass Jars

Kitchen Scale

***See the above ingredients list for the links to each ingredient I use for this face cream

Pin For Later

In everything you do -eat, play, and love- may it always be Seasoned with Joy!