Does Tallow Sunscreen Work? Sky and Sol Face & Body SPF50 Review

These days, tallow has become a skincare trend that’s taking off, and for good reason! Packed with nutrients, fatty acids, and vitamins, tallow works wonders for moisturizing and protecting the skin naturally. So when I heard about Sky & Sol’s mineral sunscreen that uses tallow as a key ingredient—I had to try it. In this post, I’ll break down my experience, including how it applies, pros, and cons!

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This post contains affiliate links. Sky & Sol gifted me this sunscreen with no obligation to post about it; I honestly just liked it so much that I wanted to share it with you!

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About Sky & Sol Brand ☀️

Sky and Sol is all about bringing skincare back to its roots, offering products made from nutrient-rich, animal-based ingredients like tallow. Their line—especially their sun care products—focuses on being gentle enough for sensitive skin while keeping things natural, so you won’t find questionable chemicals or unnecessary fillers here. Inspired by ancestral skincare wisdom, Sky & Sol crafts products that respect both your skin and the planet, providing an option for those who prioritize safety and simplicity in their routines.

The founder, Max, started the company after he couldn’t find a truly non-toxic sunscreen during his hike up Mt. Kilimanjaro!

Review: Sky and Sol SPF50 Face & Body Sunscreen 🧴

While they make several different products, this review will focus specifically on the face and body sunscreen! A little more about it:

• Kid safe
• Reef safe
• Gluten free
• 3-year shelf life
• HSA/FSA eligible
• Water resistant for 80 minutes
• SPF50 (broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection)
• Formulated to be non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, and safe for sensitive skin (however, everyone’s skin is different, so it’s not a guarantee)

Ingredients:

• Distilled water
• 25% non-nano zinc oxide (provides sun protection and soothes skin)
• Grass-fed and finished beef tallow (moisturizes and rich in nutrients, fatty acids, and Vitamins A, B12, D, E, K)
• Cold-pressed jojoba oil and jojoba esters (nourish skin, balance oil production, and anti-inflammatory)
• Lecithin (plant-based stabilizer sourced from sunflower seeds, does not contain any sunflower seed oil)
• Beeswax (locks in moisture and shields skin from everyday stressors)
• Kaith bark extract (from a wood apple tree, it calms and has antimicrobial properties)
• Babassu starch (a silky powder that absorbs excess oil and mattifies)
• Astaxanthin (antioxidant produced by red algae that prevents UV damage)
• Radish root ferment filtrate (natural preservative)

…That’s it!

If you wanna dive deeper into the benefits of tallow for skincare, check out this blog post 🐮

To be honest, I was pretty skeptical about this sunscreen. Most mineral-based SPFs with a higher rating and zinc content tend to be chalky, pasty, and don’t always blend well. And particularly since this has such minimal ingredients, I was like, there’s no way this will apply nicely.

Well, I was wrong! It has a rich, spreadable cream texture, and the application process is lovely overall. It also doesn’t feel like you’re applying tallow, which typically is more balm-like.

Buy Sky and Sol SPF Here

👍 Pros:

• Prevents sunburn (most important, right?)
• Packaged in a waterproof kraft paper tube
• No added fragrances or essential oils which can be irritating
• Uses mineral non-nano zinc oxide; no chemical sunscreen filters or boosters!
• Low PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acid) content and doesn’t use highly processed seed oils
• Does NOT smell “beefy” or like tallow! In fact, it’s mostly odorless except for a faint “sunscreen” scent.
• Wears well underneath makeup (but I suggest waiting a few minutes for it to sink deeper into skin before applying makeup)
• Not greasy at all—it has a skin-like finish, which makes sense because jojoba and tallow are compatible with the skin’s natural sebum.
• Feels super soothing and moisturizing! I have mild rosacea and this doesn’t aggravate it. Additionally, it has not caused any breakouts for me (and I’ve struggled with acne before).
• No white cast, for real! It even blends well on hairy areas like arms; it just takes a few extra seconds of rubbing.
• Impeccable ingredients and quality! It is “edible-grade” (although I don’t think you should be ingesting zinc oxide) and only has a handful of pure ingredients. Everything is sustainably sourced, and select components come from regenerative agriculture. You can even see a third-party COA (certificate of analysis) for each ingredient on their website. We love to see it.

How do they do it? It seems like magic, but the lack of white cast comes from Sky & Sol’s special jojoba-coated zinc oxide, which prevents the zinc from clumping up! I wish more mineral sunscreens used this technology because it’s genius. To be fair, I can only speak to how it works on my fair skin tone, but the general consensus from reading reviews is that it rubs in clearly for most people.

👎 Cons:

• Although the ingredients are pure, it would be a bonus if some were organic!
• It does leave a subtle sticky/tacky feeling, but not bad, and I mostly notice it on my fingers after applying
• I did have my husband apply it on his beard stubble, which left some light white spots. This is to be expected since it’s a dense area.
• According to the label, it’s mixed in China with ingredients from worldwide. This was a little surprising to me; I guess I assumed from the quality of ingredients that it would be made exclusively in the USA.
• The price may be higher than what most people are willing to spend. Since the ingredients are such high quality, I think it’s reasonable, but $30 might seem like a lot to some.

Curious how it compares to Primally Pure’s tallow-based sunscreen? Check out this post!

Final Thoughts About Sky & Sol Sunscreen

In conclusion, this *might* just be one of my new go-to sunscreens! Dare I say, it’s udderly amazing (see what I did there 😉)

With less than eleven ingredients, it’s simple, effective, and feels fantastic on my skin. I love that it offers good sun coverage without the greasy residue or white cast. The price might be a bit steep, but with how well it wears (even under makeup!) and the quality of ingredients, it seems worth it. If you’re looking for a clean, no-frills SPF, I’d say give this one a shot!

Buy Sky and Sol SPF Here

Also available here on Amazon.

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Thanks sooooo much for reading and trusting my reviews 💚 Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried this brand or have any questions!