No, you shouldn't be putting beef fat on your face.

A few weeks ago, I let TikTok influence me.

Yup, that's right. I officially became a fully-fledged shopper on the app I swore I'd never sell my soul to.

Except I didn't give in and buy some brutally made fast fashion blouse or go to someone's Amazon shopfront to peruse their checkout basket.

Nope, I purchased tallow beauty products.

Which, if you don't know what that is, fair. It's rendered beef fat.

Watch: Speaking of viral hacks, here's Mamamia contributor Juna Xu trialling the viral lipstick hack. Post continues below.

I'm not a stupid woman — I know a scam when I see one.

But after tallow beauty popped up on the Netflix hit The Perfect Couple (I won't tell you why, in case you haven't watched it yet), the beauty ingredient has been trending all over my For You page and… well, I fell into a beef tallow hole. And I couldn't get out of it.

Below is the innocuous 10-second-long clip that convinced me I was missing out on magic by not owning the creamy lard moisturiser.

@thebookofimmortality #skincare #tallow ♬ original sound - ♡

Tallow itself is just beef fat that has been rendered (meaning cooked down) to remove all of its impurities.

It's been used as a traditional medicine and oil for centuries and according to studies, it is rich in vitamins A, D, E and K. As such, it's apparently incredible for your skin.

And while you can use beef tallow for cooking french fries or making some soap and mason jar candles, it's also able to be used on the skin as a moisturiser.

That little claim alone was enough to draw me in and pull out my debit card details. A little over a week later, a jar full of the yellowy, creamy stuff and a big chunk of soap made its way to my doorstep.

@selfcareessential Replying to @islandgirl96_ what else does it do besides clear skin?! #beeftallow #beeftallowskincare #antiinflammatory #jointhealth ♬ original sound - Meagan | Selfcare + wellness

Those who use beef tallow say it works even better than expensive skincare, and also pedestal it as being a completely natural ingredient.

However, dermatologist Dr Cara McDonald told Mamamia the problem with "natural" skincare is that it is often just a fluffy marketing term.

"I have nothing against a preference for 'natural' skincare — in most cases, the word natural is simply a marketing term and does not mean a product is more pure nor safe than other skincare," she explained.

"What’s most important to know is that many natural and organic ingredients can cause significant skin issues including irritation, sensitive skin and allergic rashes. Even beef tallow goes through a number of chemical processes to purify and make it pleasant enough to use as a moisturiser."

Listen: Speaking of beef tallow, dermal clinician Jayde Taylor shared her thoughts on the trend in this episode of You Beauty. Post continues below:

In terms of using beef tallow as a moisturiser, Dr McDonald believes it's not comparable to the new skincare that is available to the market nowadays.

"Beef tallow can be a good moisturiser, especially for those with extra dry skin. It has a thick, oily consistency but absorbs quickly into the skin. Beef tallow contains vitamins A, D, E and K, antioxidants and essential fatty acids which can be helpful for inflammation and skin repair," Dr McDonald explained.

"Having said that, the science behind modern-day skincare is nothing short of extraordinary. Moisturisers available these days are generally manufactured to be more effective and pleasant to use."

After three weeks of using beef tallow, I was impressed with how soft my skin felt. However, I'd be lying if I didn't say I have plenty of other moisturisers that do the job just as well — if not better.

And Dr McDonald believes there are plenty of "better and easier options" available that are scientifically proven to work or are actually approved by dermatologists.

"There are many alternatives! If you’ve got very dry skin and you’re looking for a hydrating barrier moisturiser, then I'd suggest fragrance-free, good quality moisturisers designed for very dry skin," she said.

In a recent Instagram video, dermal clinician Jayde Taylor (also known as @drivenbybeauty) broke down the trend and explained beef tallow is indicated for dry skin only, and said she would not recommend using it on acne-prone skin due to the risks that come with this.

In the caption she wrote, "If something feels thick, occlusive and greasy it is not indicated for acne. Acne is an overproduction of oil. I am shocked that this is being compared to Botox, helping stimulate collagen, when all it does is sit on the surface of the skin. It is thick. To impact these layers of the skin we need to reach the dermal and muscle layers. Let's not start saying it helps pigment. It's just an oil. Like many oils, they contain free fatty acids, antioxidants, omegas, ceramides and vitamins. It's not hard to find information online that is correct and viable."

Take a look below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jayde (@drivenbybeauty_)

As Dr McDonald added, if you want "natural" ingredients, remember that science-based skincare is a powerful tool.

"Most people do not realise that all 'natural' ingredients (which are generally defined as those extracted from nature rather than made in a laboratory) are also chemicals and moreover can be harsh or allergenic themselves," Dr McDonald explained. "Skincare has come a long way and we are all benefiting from the science behind it.

"I always welcome people to make their own choices but my preference is to use products that have been researched and developed to be the best and most effective for my skin concerns, not to mention pleasant to use, rather than go back to what they were using in the dark ages."

So, if you're looking for some alternatives to moisturise your skin without the risk of acne flare-ups, check out the below list:

La Roche Posay Lipikar, from $30.95.

Image: La Roche Posay Lipikar. Chemist Warehose.

La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume, from $24.95.

Image: La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume . Chemist Warehouse.

CeraVe Moisturising Cream, from $7.49.

Image: CeraVe Moisturising Cream . Chemist Warehouse.

For more from Dr Cara McDonald, follow her on Instagram here.

This article was originally published in April 2023 and has since been updated.

Feature Image: TikTok/@thebookofimmortality; @selfcaressential.