# Lotion recipe using tallow?



## Lil Outlaws (Jan 1, 2009)

Does anyone have an EASY lotion recipe using tallow? I don't have any preservatives, beeswax, exotic butters, etc. Just quite a few kinds of oils, a little shea butter, and soon I'll have some buffalo tallow. I need something very rich and moisturizing, it's for my DS' eczema..

???


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## Barb (Jan 5, 2009)

since excema sufferer's tend to scratch (  & may have broken skin)  i really would be hesitant to use a lotion that doesn't have some kind of preservative to keep the nasties away.

without a preservative i would go with a lotion bar but you are still going to need some kind of binder such as beeswax, or candillia wax.


i have made a lotion for the hubby with deer tallow so it can be done. 

nice oils for excema are emu, avocado and evening primrose and vitamin e.


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## Tabitha (Jan 5, 2009)

I think I would just whip 3 parts shea w/ 1 part light oil for a natural body butter.


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## Tabitha (Jan 5, 2009)

I would put some thought into what barb said about preservs too.


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## mandolyn (Jan 6, 2009)

Tabitha said:
			
		

> I would put some thought into what barb said about preservs too.



Me 3!! 

This is going to open this thread up to the to-use-or-not-to-use preservatives discussion, but so be it.

Any time we are making a product that will contact an open sore or rash, we really need to consider the liklihood of introducing bacteria with our product. People put their fingers into the product time after time which introduces bacteria. 

People will say bacteria can't grow where there are only oils & waxes. I disagree.  If that were the case, then how can germs live on your phone after someone with a cold coughed on it? Or how can germs be living on the outside of your garbage can? How can there be bacteria living on a bathroom floor?

It only takes one "Oops, I forgot to wash my hands & just stuck my finger into that salve!!" for the salve to become contaminated.

Just something to consider.


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## Lil Outlaws (Jan 8, 2009)

Thanks guys - my DS doesn't scratch his eczema, oddly enough - it's just on his cheeks and sometimes thighs but he never even touches it, so it's never open at all. I would never sell the stuff, but I'd heard that tallow was great for soothing it down and thought I'd give it a try.


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## carebear (Jan 8, 2009)

It doesn't matter if he scratches or not, any lotion containing water (or aloe or the like) MUST have a preservative.  The rash itself compromises the skin's ability to act as a barrier.  And even if he didn't have it you could certainly cause one with an unpreserved product - mold can cause terrible allergic reactions, small cuts and scrapes may be there that you don't notice, even your/his hands could have little openings near the nails.

DON'T DO IT.  Srsly - protect your child by adequately preserving any product containing water.  If you won't use a preservative simply don't use water either - stick to an anhydrous product like whipped shea or what not.

Try tallow alone even... I find straight lard is wonderful on dry irritated skin.


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## mandolyn (Jan 9, 2009)

If you don't want to use a preservative, then like already suggested, why not just use a body butter?? It'd be more moisturizing than a lotion.

Personally, I'd save the tallow for soapmaking & use some of the wonderful butters like shea or mango to make a body butter.


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## Tabitha (Jan 9, 2009)

> Try tallow alone even... I find straight lard is wonderful on dry irritated skin.


I am a vegetarian so I don't know anything about tallow, or lard, but it's not cooked is it? If meat sits out at room temp it will spoil so why wouldn't lard or tallow spoil on your skin?


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## carebear (Jan 9, 2009)

yes they are cooked - well "rendered" which means you cook the blazes out of it to separate the fat from everything else.

they are actually quite stable, tho I always refrigerate my bulk stuff
(commercial stuff has antioxidants added I think)


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## Tabitha (Jan 9, 2009)

Ok, I had an image of cow raw cow fat being rubbed on people  :? . Thanks for the education  .


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## busymammaof3 (Jan 19, 2009)

If nothing else, I would at least go to Wal-Mart or another store that carries Tea Tree Oil. It kills staph. The only other thing that will kill it is bleach. and that's toxic. Tea tree oil is a broad spectrum antibacterial. It's great for keeping things bacteria free. But without an additianl preservative...I would not sell it.


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## carebear (Jan 19, 2009)

ok - it kills staph.  at what concentration though, and in what environment> (i.e., with detergent, at what pH, stuff like that).  Nothing is simple.

And it's not adequate to preserve a lotion.  Period.


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## busymammaof3 (Jan 22, 2009)

I am not sure. When my husband kept getting the MRSA strain of staph, and after I found out about TT killing it...I started treating his wounds with it directly, 3 or more times a day.

In lotions, I have weighed the TT according to the recommendation of the basic recipe I us for EOs. 

Although, with TT I do add a little more, since it is perfectly safe to use directly on skin, anway. You could go by the suggested percentages or oz for a traditional preservative for the TT. Or even double it, probably (again since it's safe directly on skin anyway).

I am not sure if, what or how ph levels and other caustic ingredients play in it's effectiveness. And haven't found any manufacturer of products with it that will share those specifics, either. You'd probably need a lab to figure that out.

I go by physical, visible results over time on my own family and friends. that's about all one can do on a limited budget, I suppose.


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## Healinya (Jan 22, 2009)

I had nothing intelligent to add to this post, but I curious what you have done so far liloutlaws? Did you try making it?


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## busymammaof3 (Jan 23, 2009)

*Just My 2 Cents ;0)*

I just went back to reread your original post...LOL...and you weren't asking anything about preservatives directly. More along the lines of needing an easy tallow lotion recipe. Sorry I got so off topic! 

I have Lard, but not beef fat. But not sure how one might differ from the other in lotion.

Tabitha gave some good advice about the body butter, since you don't have a preservative.

A lotion may be best for the face, as to not clog pores. But even in the fridge it may go bad in a week or so. TT and refrigeration combined would definitely slow that process down. But not near as long as a traditional preservative would.

Onto the next subject...LOL...Shea butter is very rich and moisturizing, as you mentioned needing for him. I use my body butter for severe dry places and it does the ob, when lotion doesn't quite cut it.

I whipped some shea butter with jojoba oil recently. Melted the shea butter down and whipped it with the oil, until it came back to room tempature. I then stopped whipping when I got the consistency of whipped butter I wanted, and gently (trying not to pack it a that defeats the purpose of whipping) put it in a wide mouth jar. If you don't have any, Wal-Mart usually has some cheap ones in the toiletry section, with the other travel size products. I didn't need water, and thus didn't need a preservative. Plus Shea tends to naturally preserve on it's own. Jojoba is really good at not going rancid too quick, as well.

You could also do a lotion (if you refrigerate) WITH Shea. Melt the she butter down to an oil and make your lotion as normal. I have a shea butter lotion. It too is very moisturizing, more so than a basic lotion may be.

I would test out a whipped body butter with shea and lard or a lard lotion and let you know how it does on mine and my mother's eczema type condition. But I have no shea butter to melt down and whip with lard (for body butter) and no emulsifying wax to keep the lard and water together (for a lotion).

I plan to make an order for both to continue making my products.
If I get them in the mail, before you make it...I'll post my results.
But that'll probably be a week or so. And you probably need results quicker than that.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.


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