Why Jojoba Oil Is in Our Tallow & Honey Balm

When we set out to make our Tallow & Honey Whipped Balm, we knew tallow and raw honey would be the heart of it. But a balm made of those two alone would be very rich and quite heavy. We wanted something you could whip light, spread easily and wear on your face during the day. Jojoba oil is what makes that possible, and it earns its place for more reasons than texture.

What jojoba actually is

Here is the odd thing about jojoba: it is not really an oil at all. It is technically a liquid wax, pressed from the seeds of the jojoba shrub. That distinction sounds like trivia, but it changes how it behaves on skin.

The structure of jojoba closely resembles the sebum our skin produces naturally. Because of that, it absorbs without leaving greasiness behind, and it has a long-standing reputation for being non-comedogenic — in plain terms, it is not known for clogging pores. It is one of the few plant-derived ingredients that feels at home on almost every skin type, from dry to oily.

Why it complements tallow and honey

Each of the three main ingredients in our balm does a different job:

• Tallow is the nourishing base. Its fatty-acid profile is similar to human sebum, it naturally contains vitamins A, D, E and K, and it forms a soft protective layer that slows moisture loss. Ours is rendered in small batches from HMC-certified halal, grass-fed British beef suet.
• Raw local honey is a humectant, which means it draws moisture towards the skin, and it is naturally antibacterial.
• Organic jojoba lightens the whole formula. It loosens the whipped texture so the balm glides on rather than dragging, and its sebum-like character helps everything absorb cleanly instead of sitting on the surface.

Without jojoba, you would have a much stiffer balm that takes real working-in. With it, you get something closer to a whipped cream that melts on contact.

Why we chose organic jojoba

Our balm has a short ingredient list: tallow, raw honey, organic jojoba oil, beeswax and essential oils — and in the Unscented version, no essential oils at all. When a formula is that simple, every ingredient carries real weight, so we do not cut corners on any of them. Choosing organic jojoba is part of the same thinking that has us rendering our own tallow in small batches rather than buying it in: if it is going on your skin every day, it should be the best version of that ingredient we can source.

Trying it for yourself

The balm starts at £19.95 for 60ml and comes in five scent options; the Unscented is the gentlest, as it contains no essential oils. At the time of writing it has 42 reviews, all five stars, which still makes us smile. If you would rather try before committing to a jar, we do £2 5ml samples of our best-sellers, and you can see everything we make in our tallow skincare collection.

As with anything new, if your skin is sensitive, patch test on your inner forearm and wait a day or two before using it more widely.

Questions we're often asked

Will jojoba oil clog my pores?

Jojoba has a long-standing reputation for being non-comedogenic, partly because its structure is so close to the skin's own sebum. Everyone's skin is different, though, so if you are prone to congestion, start with a small amount and see how your skin responds.

Is the balm greasy to wear during the day?

Less than you might expect from a tallow product. The jojoba and the whipped texture mean a little goes a long way and it absorbs rather than sitting on top. Use a pea-sized amount for the face and let it sink in for a few minutes.

Which version should I choose if my skin is sensitive?

The Unscented. It is the only one of the five options with no essential oils, which makes it the gentlest choice — and it is the one we suggest for faces, sensitive skin and little ones aged one and up (the balm contains raw honey, so we recommend it for ages one and over).

Can I use the balm on my face as well as my body?

Yes — that is exactly how many of our customers use it. Cleanse gently first (our tallow soap works well), then press a small amount into slightly damp skin.