Sunlit Prairies, Sunlit Tallow
Out on the open prairie, sunlight shapes everything — including the nutrients in our tallow. Pigs are among nature’s most efficient vitamin D producers, converting sunshine through their skin and storing it in their fat. When pigs live entirely outdoors the way our Kunekunes do, their fat becomes naturally richer in skin-supportive vitamin D and other fat-soluble nutrients. This is one of the biggest differences between pasture-raised pork tallow and indoor-raised or conventional tallow sources.
If you’re searching for ancestral skincare, regenerative skincare, or tallow balm for barrier repair, this is where the difference truly begins.
The Superior Vitamin Profile of Pasture-Raised Pork Tallow
(Why Vitamin-Rich Tallow Is So Different From Beef Tallow or Store-Bought Lard)
All tallows contain fat-soluble vitamins — but pasture-raised pork tallow tends to be richer across the board, especially when the animals are raised outdoors with real sunlight, forage, and slow, natural growth.
Pork tallow naturally provides:
Vitamin D3 – significantly higher in outdoor-raised pigs; supports smoother, more resilient skin
Vitamin A – encourages gentle cell turnover and lasting radiance
Vitamin E – protects against dryness and environmental stress
Vitamin K2 – supports elasticity and balanced skin function
Because pigs synthesize and store vitamin D more effectively than other livestock, pork tallow begins with a stronger nutritional foundation than typical beef tallow skincare.
We don’t provide IU numbers without testing, but the biology is clear:
Sun-raised pigs give us sunshine-infused tallow.
This is one of the reasons people searching for nutrient-dense tallow skincare choose pork tallow over everything else.
Fatty Acids in Pork Tallow: A Perfect Match for Human Skin
(The #1 Reason Tallow Works When Oils or Lotions Don’t)
Our Kunekune pork tallow offers a beautifully balanced fatty-acid profile:
Saturated Fatty Acids (Stearic & Palmitic): strengthen the moisture barrier, protect, and give the butter its luxurious structure
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (Oleic): improve absorption, lending that instantly-melting, buttery glide
Linoleic Acid (Omega-6): supports clarity and calm, excellent for redness-prone or acne-prone skin
Together, these mimic the fatty-acid profile of human sebum more closely than many plant oils — which is why tallow moisturizer, tallow balm, and tallow for eczema have become so popular.
This is why tallow is so widely loved for:
eczema-prone skin
cracked knuckles
pregnancy/postpartum dryness
mature or thinning skin
general skin barrier support
winter-damaged skin
deeply dry elbows, hands, and heels
This is what people mean by bioavailable skincare — your skin immediately recognizes pork tallow.
What Makes Meadowlark Made’s Pork Tallow Different?
Our Kunekune pigs live outdoors, grazing, rooting, and soaking in Iowa sunshine. That means:
Fast absorption without a waxy or greasy residue
A silky, lightweight texture gentle enough for delicate skin
A naturally mild scent thanks to slow, low-temperature rendering
A vitamin-rich glow created by sunlight, forage, and heritage farming
A lipid profile that mirrors healthy human skin
Your skin feels the difference — instantly.
How to Use Our Whipped Body Butters for Best Results
This is a key part of the Meadowlark Made experience — and the reason customers see such fast improvement.
For best absorption and barrier repair:
Apply right after a bath or shower while skin is still warm and slightly damp.
Scoop the butter out with dry fingers only — our formulas are anhydrous (contain no water), and water introduced into the jar can cause bacteria or mold to grow.
Massage a thin layer over the skin. A little is all you need — the butter melts on contact and locks in the hydration already present on the skin.
This method offers deeper moisture, improved elasticity, and longer-lasting nourishment — especially in dry climates or winter months.
Prairie Roots, Honest Ingredients
(Why We Proudly Say “Pork Tallow”)
We value transparency. Always have.
We call our main ingredient pork tallow because that’s exactly what it is: a nutrient-rich, ancestral fat rendered slowly from pasture-raised Kunekune leaf fat on our small, veteran-owned Iowa farm.
No euphemisms. No trends to hide behind. No industrial processing.
Just honesty — the way skincare used to be.
A Return to Ancestral Skincare
(Why Tallow Skincare Is Making a Massive Comeback)
Across the Midwest, our ancestors trusted the land — and the fats it provided. Before labs and synthetic moisturizers, generations cared for their skin with:
nutrient-dense animal fats
prairie herbs
intentional, prayerful hands
Today, ancestral skincare, regenerative skincare, and tallow balm for barrier repair are trending again — but few brands use pork tallow, especially premium leaf lard tallow from pasture-raised pigs.
Here’s why we do.
Why Pork Tallow Is the Gold Standard
(The Lard vs. Tallow Question Explained Clearly)
We occasionally hear:
“You can’t call it pork tallow — you must call it lard.”
Actually:
1. Tallow refers to structure, not species.
It means a firm, stable rendered fat suitable for balms, salves, and soaps.
2. Leaf fat is tallow.
It’s clean, mild, stable, and ideal for apothecary work.
3. “Lard” usually means processed shortening.
We don’t use that — ever.
4. “Pork tallow” is transparent and accurate:
Pasture-Raised Pork Tallow (Rendered Leaf Fat)
Clear. Honest. Defensible.
Our customers thank us for it.
Why Meadowlark Made Chooses Pork Tallow Over Everything Else
Because it is:
✔ Nourishing — rich in bioavailable vitamins and barrier-repairing lipids
✔ Ancestral — rooted in traditional skincare practices
✔ Faith-Driven — honoring creation and the animals we steward
✔ Prairie-Sourced — raised with sunlight, forage, and respect
✔ Clean & Simple — no fillers, synthetics, or petroleum
Just pasture-raised tallow, botanicals, and essential oils.
Bestselling Tallow Skincare to Start With
If you’re new to tallow skincare, these are customer favorites:
Whipped Tallow Body Butters — silky, whipped, deeply moisturizing; year-round and seasonal aromas
Herbal Salves — slow-infused with prairie herbs like goldenrod, elderflower, dandelion, wild violet, and other botanicals
Facial Balms — formulated with a background in holistic esthetics our facial balms soothe, restore, and nourish
Tallow & Beeswax Lip Balms — tallow, beeswax, organic oils + Midwest-inspired flavors
Perfect for anyone seeking holistic skincare, simple skincare, or tallow for sensitive skin.
Old Ways. New Skin. Faith Led.
This is the heart of Meadowlark Made.
We believe skincare should feel grounding, heritage-rich, and connected — not complicated. Pasture-raised pork tallow embodies that belief in every jar.
If you’ve never tried tallow before, consider this your sign.
Your great-grandmother was onto something.
