I have tried a lot of skincare products in my day and have found two things to be true.

1. Many skincare products are complete garbage, and filled with junk that penetrates the epidermis to wreak havoc on the body
2. Even "natural" skincare can be fraudulent, and is often simply a marketing ploy to jack up prices on your typical drugstore-quality blends

Suffering from eczema for a number of years, I simply didn't have the luxury of using low-quality products. I was reacting to seemingly EVERYTHING, and I desperately needed relief. I felt very alone and self-conscious at the time, like everything made me flare and nothing was available to help me.

Enter: calendula. Calendula, also known as pot marigold, is a common annual known for it's bright orange-yellow flowers (and, some of ours this year had a distinctly pink undertone). It has been used for centuries as a powerful herb for the wounded, rich in resin to heal abrasions on the skin. It was the perfect compatriot in my quest to appease my eczema flares, and I have been a loyal ally to calendula ever since.

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Lard, conversely, took years to enter into my routine. Being allergic to shea butter, I have always had a hard time finding natural lotions that fit my needs. I would search for products using coco butter exclusively, which would often be expensive or hard to find. And as much as I enjoy coco butter from time to time, it isn't nearly as absorbent or moisturizing as lard turns out to be.

Before you get scared, let me tell you a little about lard. Not all lard is created equal, and leaf lard from pasture-raised pigs on biologically-appropriate diets is the gold-standard. Leaf lard is the fat that protects the kidneys of every hog, not the back fat that is accumulated as a pig ages. Therefore, leaf lard is not impacted by growth rates or finishing techniques, it's simply a high-quality flavorless fat that is notable for baking and skincare. We love the leaf lard for everything from blending into sausage during hunting season to creating cosmetics!

Lard is the most biologically similar fat to the fat found in human skin. For this reason, it absorbs phenomenally well, and doesn't clog pores. It is hypoallergenic, doesn't cause irritation, and evens skin tone. There's even a cheeky rumor that the CEO of Revlon in the 70's once quipped that if people knew about the powers of lard for skincare, no one would need Revlon products.

It was only last summer that I really started to take lard as skincare seriously. I had been using tallow-based products regularly, and appreciated the benefits of animal-based skincare, so it wasn't a leap to get curious about lard. One day, I had a bad sunburn and was out of the tallow-based body oil I had been using. In a pinch, I decided to soothe my burn with some rendered lard. And that was it-- the lard alone proved to be an amazing moisturizer, and took away all of the uncomfortable symptoms of my burn. No skin peeling, no redness or irritation. I was floored.

Since that sunny day last summer, I have been tinkering with different lard-based skincare recipes. I need my skincare to be effective, smell great, and be smooth to apply. This recipe checks all the boxes! Feel free to make it yourself, and let me know what you think.

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Ingredients

• 1/3 c rendered leaf lard
• 1/4 c ghee
• 1 tablespoon dried calendula petals
• 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons jojoba oil
• 2 teaspoons meadow foam oil
• 1 teaspoon sea buckthorn seed oil
• 2 tablespoons beeswax pellets

Process

1. Start by gently warming the lard and ghee, using a double boiler method. Take a medium-sized clean glass, oven-safe bowl, place it in a pot of simmering water. Melt the ghee and the lard, do not overheat but keep it liquid
2. Add in the calendula blossoms, stirring gently. Let the calendula infuse in the fats for 30-60 mins, stirring occasionally. This should be warm, not scorching hot. You do not want to cook the calendula.
3. Strain calendula flowers and filter out any debris from the fats. I pour through a paper coffee filter to ensure the are no flecks of plant material.
4. Return your strained lard/ghee mixture to the double boiler and pour in beeswax pellets. Stir the beeswax occasionally as it melts into the fats.
5. Once melted, remove the glass bowl from the pot and transfer to your countertop. Grab a hand mixer, and mix the remainder of your ingredients into the liquified beeswax, ghee, and lard. Have some paper towels handy to wipe down the hand mixer, you do not want to put this beeswax mix in your dishwasher.
6. Chill the mix in its bowl for several hours in the refrigerator, checking regularly.
7. When the mix starts to solidify, but is still soft*****, whip out your hand mixer once again. Blend your body butter to whip some air into it. This helps create a light and airy texture. You can do this as much or as little as you like.
8. Using a spatula, transfer your body butter to your preferred container and store in your bathroom, away from light and heat.
9. Clean the mixer and glass bowl using paper towels, and then suds thoroughly with soap and water.
10. Enjoy!

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