Quick Verdict: Primally Pure’s Everything Balm is a genuinely well-made tallow product with premium ingredients, elegant packaging, and a formula that works. But at roughly $34 for 1.7 ounces, you’re paying a steep markup for branding, aesthetic, and influencer cachet. The tallow itself isn’t meaningfully better than what you’ll find from brands charging half the price. If budget isn’t a concern and you value the full lifestyle experience, Primally Pure delivers. If you care about what the product does on your skin more than how the jar looks on your shelf, there are better values.
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What Is Primally Pure?
Primally Pure started in 2012 when founder Bethany McDaniel began making tallow-based skincare in her kitchen. The brand has since grown into one of the most recognizable names in the natural skincare space, with a devoted following built largely through Instagram and clean beauty influencer partnerships.
Their product line extends well beyond tallow — deodorant, lip balms, body oil, baby care, dry shampoo. But the beef tallow balm remains their signature product and the foundation their brand was built on.
The company sources grass-fed tallow from pasture-raised cattle and emphasizes regenerative agriculture partnerships. They’re based in Southern California and manufacture in-house rather than white-labeling from contract manufacturers. That’s worth noting because it means they control their process end to end.
The Everything Balm: What You’re Getting
Primally Pure’s flagship tallow product is the Everything Balm. Here are the specs:
- Size: 1.7 oz
- Price: ~$34 (varies slightly by retailer)
- Price per ounce: ~$20/oz
- Key ingredients: Grass-fed tallow, extra virgin olive oil, organic beeswax, organic essential oils (varies by scent)
- Available scents: Lavender, Blue Tansy, Unscented, and seasonal limited editions
- Sourcing: Pasture-raised, grass-fed and grass-finished
- Packaging: Glass jar with metal lid
The ingredient list is clean and short. Tallow, olive oil, beeswax, and essential oils. No synthetic preservatives, no fragrance compounds, no fillers. On paper, it reads like a textbook example of what a tallow balm should contain.
My Testing Experience
I used the Everything Balm (Lavender) daily for four weeks, alternating between face and body application. I also compared it directly with three other tallow balms I had on hand to benchmark performance.
Texture and Application
The texture is dense but smooth. It’s not whipped — this is a traditional balm consistency. You scoop a small amount with your finger, warm it between your palms, and press it into skin. The beeswax gives it more structure than pure tallow balms, which means it holds its shape in the jar even in warm weather.
Absorption takes 8-12 minutes on my skin, which is slower than whipped alternatives but typical for beeswax-containing balms. The beeswax creates a protective barrier that locks moisture in longer, which is the trade-off for the slower absorption.
The lavender scent is refined — more subtle and complex than single-note lavender products. It fades within 20 minutes.
Moisturizing Performance
Here’s where I have to be honest: the moisturizing performance is very good, but it’s not noticeably better than balms costing half as much.
After four weeks, my skin felt consistently hydrated. Dry patches on my hands and elbows resolved. The balm performed well as a nighttime face moisturizer, and I woke up with soft, non-greasy skin each morning.
But here’s the thing — I got nearly identical results from Amallow’s unscented whipped tallow{rel=“sponsored”}, which costs significantly less per ounce. And Vanman’s tallow balm{rel=“sponsored”} delivered comparable moisturizing at a lower price point too. The tallow is doing the heavy lifting in all these products, and grass-fed tallow from one quality source performs much the same as grass-fed tallow from another.
The Beeswax Factor
The addition of beeswax is one thing that genuinely differentiates Primally Pure from simpler tallow-only formulas. Beeswax creates an occlusive layer — a physical barrier that slows moisture loss from your skin.
This makes the Everything Balm a better choice for:
- Harsh weather protection (cold, wind, dry air)
- Overnight moisture sealing (apply and let it work while you sleep)
- Cracked, very dry skin (hands, heels, elbows)
If you live in a humid climate and just want lightweight daily moisture, the beeswax layer might feel unnecessary. A simpler whipped tallow will absorb faster and feel lighter. For our full breakdown of whipped tallow products and how they compare to traditional balms, check out our whipped beef tallow guide.
What Primally Pure Gets Right
Ingredient integrity. There’s no question about what’s in the jar. Short, readable ingredient list. Verifiable sourcing. No compromise fillers. In a market full of brands that slap “tallow” on the label and fill the jar with cheap carrier oils, Primally Pure keeps it honest.
Packaging and presentation. The glass jar, the labeling, the unboxing experience — it’s all polished. If you care about aesthetics (and there’s nothing wrong with that), this product looks beautiful on a bathroom shelf or vanity. It also makes an excellent gift.
Scent formulation. The essential oil blends are sophisticated. The lavender version doesn’t smell like a candle from a gas station. It’s layered and subtle. The Blue Tansy version, which uses blue tansy essential oil for its anti-inflammatory properties, is genuinely unique in the tallow space.
Brand transparency. Primally Pure publishes detailed information about their sourcing, their manufacturing process, and their ingredient philosophy. They’re active in educating consumers about why grass-fed sourcing matters, and they do it without being preachy.
What Gives Me Pause
The Price Premium Is Hard to Justify
Let me put the numbers in perspective:
| Brand | Size | Approx. Price | Price Per Ounce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primally Pure | 1.7 oz | ~$34 | ~$20.00 |
| Amallow Unscented | 4 oz | ~$22 | ~$5.50 |
| Vanman’s | 2 oz | ~$18 | ~$9.00 |
| Terra Lotus | 2 oz | ~$16 | ~$8.00 |
Primally Pure costs roughly 2-4x more per ounce than comparable grass-fed tallow balms. That’s a massive gap. The ingredients in Primally Pure are good, but they’re not $20-per-ounce good. Grass-fed tallow, olive oil, beeswax, and lavender essential oil are not expensive raw materials. You’re paying for the brand, the marketing, the influencer ecosystem, and the aesthetic.
The Size Is Small
At 1.7 ounces, the Everything Balm is the smallest jar on this list. If you use tallow balm on both face and body — which is how most people get the best results — you’ll burn through this jar in 2-3 weeks. That’s potentially $50-70 per month on moisturizer, which enters luxury skincare territory.
The Influencer Effect
Primally Pure’s growth has been heavily driven by wellness influencers and mommy bloggers. That’s not inherently bad, but it does mean the brand’s reputation is partially built on marketing rather than product superiority. When someone with 500,000 followers tells you a product “changed my skin,” consider that they likely received it for free and have a financial relationship with the brand.
I’m not saying Primally Pure pays for dishonest reviews. I’m saying the enthusiasm you see online is amplified by marketing budgets, and the product itself — while genuinely good — isn’t the transformative miracle some influencers suggest.
Who Should Buy Primally Pure
Buy it if:
- Budget isn’t a primary concern for skincare
- You value premium packaging and the unboxing experience
- You want a beeswax-containing formula for heavy-duty moisture
- You appreciate sophisticated essential oil blends
- You’re buying a gift for someone who appreciates luxury natural products
Skip it if:
- You want the best value per ounce
- You prefer whipped, lightweight textures
- You go through tallow balm quickly using it on face and body
- You’re price-sensitive and need a daily-use product that lasts
Better Values That Deliver Similar Results
If Primally Pure’s price tag gives you pause, these alternatives offer comparable moisturizing performance for significantly less:
Amallow 100% Grass-Fed Tallow{rel=“sponsored”} — My top recommendation for most people. Whipped texture, 4-ounce jar, grass-fed sourcing, and a price per ounce that’s roughly a quarter of Primally Pure. The unscented version is genuinely fragrance-free, and the whipped formula absorbs faster than any beeswax-based balm. If you want to understand why tallow works so well on skin, our guide on beef tallow for skincare covers the science.
Vanman’s Beef Tallow Balm{rel=“sponsored”} — A solid mid-range option with clean ingredients and good absorption. Vanman’s uses a slightly different blend of carrier oils that gives it a unique feel compared to pure tallow balms. Good for people who want something between Amallow’s whipped lightness and Primally Pure’s dense structure.
Terra Lotus Unscented{rel=“sponsored”} — If you specifically want an unscented option with a semi-whipped texture, Terra Lotus delivers quality grass-fed tallow at a reasonable price. It’s the most “set it and forget it” tallow balm I’ve used — no scent decisions, no texture learning curve, just clean moisturizing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Primally Pure worth the money?
It depends on what you value. The product itself works well, but the performance doesn’t justify a 2-4x price premium over comparable brands. You’re paying for branding, aesthetics, and influencer credibility. If those things matter to you, it’s worth it. If you just want effective tallow skincare, spend less elsewhere.
How does Primally Pure compare to homemade tallow balm?
If you’re willing to render your own tallow and make balms at home, you can replicate Primally Pure’s formula for roughly $2-3 per ounce including quality ingredients. The trade-off is your time and the learning curve.
Does Primally Pure test on animals?
Primally Pure states they are cruelty-free and do not test on animals. Their products use animal-derived ingredients (tallow, beeswax), so they’re not vegan, but they don’t conduct animal testing.
Why doesn’t Primally Pure sell on Amazon?
Primally Pure sells primarily through their own website and select retail partners. This direct-to-consumer model lets them control pricing and margins, which is partly how they maintain their premium positioning. It also means no Amazon reviews to compare against competing tallow products.
Bottom Line
Primally Pure makes a legitimately good tallow balm. The ingredients are clean, the sourcing is transparent, and the product works. I have no complaints about what’s actually in the jar.
My complaint is what it costs to get that jar. At $20 per ounce, Primally Pure is priced like luxury skincare while delivering results that are functionally identical to products costing $5-9 per ounce. The premium buys you better packaging, nicer scent blends, and the satisfaction of owning a brand that your favorite wellness influencer also uses.
If that’s worth it to you, buy with confidence — the product won’t disappoint. If you’d rather put that money toward more product that works just as well, the alternatives I’ve listed above will serve you better.