Frequently asked questions

Tallow is rendered from suet, and ours comes from 100% grass-fed, grass-finished cows on small Minnesota farms. Its fats are similar to the natural oils in your skin, which is why it absorbs so well, and it naturally contains vitamins A, D, E, and K. Read more in why tallow works so well with your skin.

No. We render our tallow slowly and carefully, so it's clean and neutral. Scented products get pure essential oils. Unscented products may occasionally have a faint, natural scent, but it's subtle. See how we make our tallow.

Tallow has a low-to-moderate comedogenic rating, around 2 on a 0–5 scale. Many people with acne-prone skin use it happily, but everyone's skin is different. Start with a small amount, patch-test first, and see how your skin responds. More in our post, Will Tallow Clog Your Pores?

Our products use five ingredients or fewer, which many people with sensitive skin prefer. Unscented versions keep things extra simple. If your skin is oily, start with a very small amount at night. Patch-test first, and talk to your dermatologist if you have a skin condition.

We use grass-fed tallow and local beeswax straight from nature, so the seasons can cause small differences from batch to batch. It's a sign of real, minimally processed ingredients, and it doesn't change how the product works.

We use non-nano, uncoated zinc oxide, a naturally derived mineral, blended with grass-fed tallow and a touch of cocoa powder to soften its white cast. See every ingredient on our Ingredients page.

All true soap is made with lye. It reacts with the tallow and water while the soap cures, and is fully used up in the process, so none is left in the finished bar.

Our How to Use page has simple steps for every product, plus tips for storage and cold weather.

Our minimal-ingredient formulas are gentle, and many customers use the unscented Whipped Tallow Skin Cream for little ones. Everyone's skin is different, so always patch-test first, and check with your pediatrician if you have concerns.

Unscented products keep it to the core ingredients. For the skin cream, that's just tallow and beeswax. Scented versions add steam-distilled or cold-pressed essential oils: lavender, vanilla, sweet orange, sandalwood, lemongrass, Norway pine, bergamot, peppermint, or eucalyptus.

We take care to keep them separate. Each soap mold gets its own butcher paper liner, and our soap stamp gets a fresh protective layer every batch. For creams, we clean all equipment when switching between scented and unscented batches.

No baking soda. It's made with grass-fed tallow, beeswax, kaolin clay, magnesium hydroxide, and essential oil. If you're switching from an antiperspirant, give your body a week or two to adjust. Our Gentle Pit Cleanse is a simple routine that can help during the switch.

Skin cream and sun cream: somewhere cool and dry, at or below 75°F. In hot weather, the fridge works. It may firm up, then softens again at room temperature.

Soap: on a draining dish, out of the shower stream, so it dries between uses.

Deodorant: cap on, somewhere room temperature. A dresser drawer works great.

Candles: upright, away from heat like radiators or sunny windowsills.

Skin cream and sun cream keep about 12 months unopened and 6 to 8 months once opened. Soap lasts 1 to 2 years if kept dry, and candles last for years.

Take our 30-second quiz and we'll match you with a set, or compare all three on our Bundles page.

Yes. Every product is sold on its own, and the sets are there for anyone who wants to try a few at once.

Shipping is a flat $5, and free on orders over $50. Orders usually ship within 1 to 2 business days and arrive in 3 to 5 business days, with tracking by email. We ship within the US from Minnesota. In warm weather, bring your package inside promptly, since tallow is sensitive to heat.

Because these are personal care products, we don't accept returns. We stand behind them with a 30-day “Love It or Contact Us” guarantee: if you're not fully satisfied, contact us within 30 days of delivery at info@vivatallow.com or 612-440-1275, and we may offer a partial refund or store credit. See our refund policy for details.

Yes. Every product can be subscribed to from its product page, with delivery every month (5% off) or every 2 weeks (10% off). You can skip or cancel anytime in your account.