The main side effect of using beef tallow on the skin—and one that I experienced—is acne. “Beef tallow is comedogenic, which means it can clog pores. I recommend that patients with oily, acne-prone skin stay away from beef tallow to avoid increasing breakouts,” explains Dr. Hartman.

It may seem like something you eat would be fine to put on your skin—but experts say there are better, clinically proven options.

Fact checked by Nick Blackmer Beauty influencers have a new favorite natural moisturizer: beef tallow, a rendered fat from cooked-down cow tissues. Some claim that it can treat everything from dry skin to acne.