Does beef tallow clog pores?
It can, especially if you break out easily. Tallow has a published comedogenic rating, and our list carries two: beef tallow at 3 and tallow at 2–4. Its main fatty acid is oleic acid, which rates higher still.
If you want a face oil with a lower rating, our guide to non-comedogenic oils sorts oils by their published numbers. This page covers tallow itself: what it is made of, what the ratings mean, and what the evidence for the trend looks like.
Two ratings for one fat
| Ingredient | Rating | Published as |
|---|---|---|
| Beef Tallow | 3 Moderate risk | Rendered beef fat used as an occlusive skin conditioner and in soap making. |
| Tallow | 2–4 High risk | Rendered animal fat (usually beef or mutton) used as a highly bio-compatible, occlusive moisturizer. |
Tallow is rendered animal fat, usually beef, and both names turn up on labels. The two entries come from different published ratings and they do not agree. That is common on this scale, and it is why the site shows a range when sources differ. If your skin breaks out easily, the top number, 4, is the one to plan around.
A rating describes the raw ingredient tested on its own, mostly on the rabbit ear. A 2006 review found that single-ingredient ratings did not reliably predict how a finished product behaves on people. Read it as a reason to be careful, and test the balm on your own skin.
What tallow is made of
USDA's food composition data for beef tallow, in grams per 100 grams of fat.
| Fatty acid | Grams per 100 g | Our list |
|---|---|---|
| 18:1, mostly oleic acid | 36 | Rated 3–5 |
| Palmitic acid (16:0) | 24.9 | Rated 2–3 |
| Stearic acid (18:0) | 18.9 | Rated 2–3 |
| Linoleic acid (18:2) | 3.1 | Not on the list |
Oleic acid is the one that stands out. In a 1983 rabbit-ear study, Motoyoshi found that oleic acid and its peroxides produced fairly large comedones, and the size tracked how oxidised the sample was. Fats exposed to air and light oxidise over time, so an old or badly stored balm may not behave like a fresh one.
What the evidence for the trend looks like
Tallow has become popular as a skincare product through social media. In 2025 a team from Michigan State University analysed tallow skincare posts on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok for the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. Claims that it helps acne, eczema and psoriasis were common and mostly cited no evidence. Most posts promoting it showed financial bias, and most came from people without healthcare credentials. The authors found few studies of tallow as a skincare ingredient, and said most of the evidence people point to is about its components.
If you still want to try it
- Read the whole label. Paste it into the ingredient checker, because any oils or butters blended in carry ratings of their own.
- Try it on a small patch, such as the jawline, for a couple of weeks before using it all over.
- Keep the rest of your routine the same while you test, so you know what caused any change.
- Stop if you see new bumps or blackheads, and see a dermatologist if breakouts keep coming.
Common questions
Is beef tallow comedogenic?
It carries a published rating, so it has been tested and found able to block pores to some degree. Our list has two entries: Beef Tallow at 3 and Tallow at 2–4. The ratings come from different sources and do not agree, so plan around the higher one, 4, if your skin breaks out easily.
Is beef tallow good for acne?
There is no good evidence that it is. A 2025 study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology looked at tallow posts on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok and found that claims it helps acne were common but mostly cited no evidence, and that most promoting posts showed financial bias.
Why did beef tallow break me out?
Tallow is rated in the moderate to high band on our list, and about a third of its weight is oleic acid, which our list rates 3–5. If a balm also contains other oils or butters, those carry their own ratings. Stop using it, give your skin a few weeks, and see a dermatologist if breakouts keep coming.
Find a lower-rated face oil
The oils guide sorts the oils on our list by their published ratings, so you can see which sit in the low band before you buy.
More questions about breakouts
Sources used on this page
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central, “Fat, beef tallow” (SR Legacy, FDC ID 171400). (opens in a new tab) Per 100 g: 36 g of 18:1 fatty acids (mostly oleic acid), 24.9 g palmitic acid, 18.9 g stearic acid, 3.1 g linoleic acid.
- Motoyoshi K. “Enhanced comedo formation in rabbit ear skin by squalene and oleic acid peroxides.” British Journal of Dermatology, August 1983;109(2):191–198. (opens in a new tab) Rabbit ear. Squalene itself was scarcely comedogenic but its peroxides were highly comedogenic; oleic acid and its peroxides produced fairly large comedones. Squalane and liquid paraffin were among the substances tested.
- Almatroud L, Choi S, Libson K, Ashack K. “Beef tallow-based skincare claims in social media: a cross-sectional analysis.” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, December 2025;24(12):e70544. doi:10.1111/jocd.70544 (opens in a new tab) Claims that tallow helps acne, eczema and psoriasis were common on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok but mostly cited no evidence; most promoting posts showed financial bias. The authors found few studies of tallow as a skincare ingredient.
- Fulton JE Jr, Pay SR, Fulton JE 3rd. “Comedogenicity of current therapeutic products, cosmetics, and ingredients in the rabbit ear.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, January 1984;10(1):96–105. (opens in a new tab) The published ingredient-by-ingredient ratings that most comedogenic lists, including this one, trace back to.
- Draelos ZD, DiNardo JC. “A re-evaluation of the comedogenicity concept.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, March 2006;54(3):507–512. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2005.11.1058 (opens in a new tab) Found that animal-model results did not reliably predict what happened on human skin, and that a rating for a single ingredient does not tell you how a finished product will behave.
- American Academy of Dermatology, “Acne: Tips for managing”. (opens in a new tab) Treatment can take several weeks to a few months to show a difference, and trying new treatments too often can irritate skin and cause breakouts.
- American Academy of Dermatology, “Acne: When to see a dermatologist”. (opens in a new tab)