Tallow for Hair: What It Does and Who It Suits

Tallow on hair sounds odd if you've only met it as a skincare ingredient. It has a long history in hair care, it works well for some hair types and poorly for others, and it's worth knowing which you have before you try it.

What tallow does on hair

Your scalp produces sebum, which travels down the hair shaft and keeps it flexible and shiny. On short or fine hair it manages this fairly well. On long, thick, curly, or coily hair, sebum struggles to travel the full length, which is why the ends are usually drier than the roots.

Tallow works as an emollient. It smooths the outer layer of the hair shaft, which reduces frizz, adds shine, and makes hair easier to detangle. Because its composition is close to the sebum your scalp already makes, it does this without the plasticky coating some silicone products leave.

Who it suits

Curly and coily hair benefits most. These textures are structurally drier and tallow helps define curls while reducing breakage from combing.

Thick or coarse hair handles the weight well and takes the smoothing effect without going limp.

Dry or flaky scalps often respond well to a small amount massaged in before washing.

Damaged or over-processed ends get real cosmetic benefit — tallow won't repair damage, nothing does, but it makes damaged hair behave better in the meantime.

Who it doesn't

Fine or thin hair is the honest exception. Tallow is rich, and on fine hair even a small amount can look greasy and flat. If your hair goes limp easily, use a tiny amount on the ends only, or skip it.

Oily scalps also don't need more oil at the root. Apply to lengths and ends instead.

Three ways to use it

As a pre-wash treatment. Massage a small amount into your scalp and lengths, leave for thirty minutes to a couple of hours, then shampoo. This protects hair from the drying effect of washing.

As a leave-in. A pea-sized amount warmed between your palms and worked through damp ends after washing. Less than you think — this is where people go wrong.

As a sealing balm. On dry hair, a very small amount on the ends to tame frizz and add shine between washes.

Getting the amount right

Almost every bad experience with oil-based hair products comes down to using too much. Start with a pea-sized amount for short to medium hair. Warm it between your palms until it softens, then apply to ends first and work upward, never starting at the roots.

If your hair looks greasy, you used too much — not the wrong product. Halve it next time.

What we make

Our Malibu hair cream is a tallow-based cream scented with mango and coconut milk. It's formulated to be lighter than straight tallow, which makes the amount easier to control, and it works for all three of the uses above. The full hair care range is here.

As with anything new, patch test on a small section before committing to your whole head — and wash it out if you don't like how it feels. Hair is forgiving that way.