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Quick Verdict
Primally Pure’s tallow balm is a well-made product with premium branding. But at roughly 3x the price per ounce, it does not deliver 3x the results. Amallow Unscented{rel=“sponsored”} matches or beats Primally Pure in absorption, moisture retention, and ingredient simplicity — and it does it at a fraction of the cost. Unless you specifically want Primally Pure’s essential oil blends or are loyal to the brand, Amallow is the smarter buy for most people.
Winner: Amallow Unscented. Not because Primally Pure is bad, but because the price gap is enormous and the performance gap is not.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Primally Pure Tallow Balm | Amallow Unscented |
|---|---|---|
| Price per oz | ~$15-18/oz | ~$5-6/oz |
| Size | 1.7 oz | 4 oz |
| Tallow source | Grass-fed | 100% grass-fed |
| Texture | Dense balm | Whipped, airy |
| Scent options | Multiple (essential oils) | Unscented (scented versions available) |
| Additional ingredients | Essential oils, botanicals | Sweet almond oil |
| Absorption time | 8-12 minutes | 3-5 minutes |
| Best for | Essential oil enthusiasts, brand loyalists | Budget-conscious, sensitive skin |
| Packaging | Premium glass jar | Simple plastic jar |
| Overall rating | 7/10 | 8.5/10 |
Round 1: Ingredients
Primally Pure uses grass-fed beef tallow as its base, then adds a proprietary blend of essential oils depending on the variant. Their original tallow balm includes ingredients like non-nano zinc oxide, extra virgin olive oil, and essential oil blends. The ingredient list is clean by conventional skincare standards, but it is longer and more complex than most tallow purists expect.
Amallow keeps things stripped back. You get 100% grass-fed beef tallow and sweet almond oil. That is it. No essential oils, no fragrances, no botanicals. This is the kind of formula that appeals to people who came to tallow skincare specifically to get away from complicated ingredient lists.
The key difference: Primally Pure adds ingredients that serve specific purposes (zinc for sun protection, essential oils for scent and mild therapeutic benefits). Amallow trusts the tallow to do the work on its own. If you have sensitive or reactive skin, the fewer ingredients, the lower the risk.
Round 1 winner: Amallow. For a tallow balm, simplicity is a feature, not a limitation.
Round 2: Texture and Absorption
This is where the two products diverge completely.
Primally Pure is a traditional dense balm. You dig into the jar, warm a small amount between your fingertips, and press it into your skin. It takes time to absorb. I consistently measured 8-12 minutes before the greasy feeling faded on my face. That is fine for a nighttime routine but impractical for morning use.
Amallow is whipped. It comes out of the jar light and fluffy, almost like frosting. It melts on contact with skin and absorbs in 3-5 minutes. I could apply it in the morning, wait a few minutes, and layer sunscreen on top without any issues.
The texture difference also affects how much product you use. Dense balms make it easy to over-apply. With Amallow’s whipped formula, it is much easier to use just the right amount. This matters when you are tracking cost per use, not just cost per ounce.
Round 2 winner: Amallow. Whipped tallow is easier to apply, absorbs faster, and wastes less product. If you want to understand why whipped texture matters, our whipped tallow guide breaks it down.
Round 3: Moisture and Performance
I tested both products for two weeks each, alternating weekly between them. Same routine: cleanse, apply tallow, check skin at the 4-hour and 8-hour marks.
4-hour check: Both products kept my skin moisturized with no noticeable dryness. Primally Pure left a slightly more noticeable sheen, which some people interpret as “more moisturizing” but is actually just slower absorption. Amallow’s moisture was fully integrated into my skin by this point.
8-hour check: Still no major difference. My forehead showed the first signs of dryness with both products around the same time. Neither dramatically outperformed the other in raw moisture retention.
Overnight test: This is where dense balms are supposed to shine. Primally Pure’s thicker formula did create a slightly heavier occlusive barrier. I woke up with marginally softer skin on the mornings after using it compared to Amallow. But the difference was slight, maybe a 5-10% improvement, not something most people would notice without looking for it.
Round 3 winner: Draw. Both perform well. Primally Pure has a tiny edge for overnight use, but it is not enough to justify the price difference.
Round 4: Scent
Primally Pure offers multiple scented options with essential oil blends. Their original balm has a noticeable herbal scent that some users love and others find too strong. The essential oils do fade after application, but the initial hit is undeniable.
Amallow Unscented smells like almost nothing. There is a faint, clean tallow-and-almond scent that disappears within a minute. If you want zero fragrance interference with perfume, cologne, or other products, Amallow is the obvious choice. And if you do want scent, Amallow offers options like Clean Cloud{rel=“sponsored”} that add a light fragrance without being overwhelming.
Round 4 winner: Amallow. Having the option to choose between truly unscented and lightly scented gives Amallow more flexibility.
Round 5: Price and Value
This is the round that decides everything.
Primally Pure’s tallow balm typically runs around $25-30 for a 1.7 oz jar. That works out to roughly $15-18 per ounce.
Amallow Unscented sells for around $20-24 for a 4 oz jar. That is $5-6 per ounce.
Let me put that in perspective. For the price of one jar of Primally Pure, you can buy one jar of Amallow and still have money left over. And the Amallow jar contains more than double the product.
Over a year of daily use, that price gap adds up to hundreds of dollars. If you are buying tallow balm as your primary moisturizer, this is not a trivial difference.
What does Primally Pure’s premium price buy you? Better packaging. A more curated brand experience. Essential oil blends formulated by their team. A glass jar instead of plastic. These are real things, and some people value them. But they are not skincare performance advantages.
Round 5 winner: Amallow, decisively. The value gap is too wide to ignore.
Who Should Buy Primally Pure
Primally Pure makes sense for a specific type of buyer:
- You want curated essential oil blends. If specific essential oil combinations matter to your routine, Primally Pure has done the formulation work for you.
- You value premium packaging. The glass jar and brand presentation are genuinely nicer. If that matters to you as a gift or a vanity-shelf item, Primally Pure delivers.
- You have used it before and love it. Brand loyalty is valid. If Primally Pure works for your skin and you can afford it, there is no reason to switch.
- You want the zinc oxide option. Their formula with non-nano zinc offers mild sun protection, which Amallow does not include.
Who Should Buy Amallow
Amallow is the better choice for most people:
- You want maximum value. More product for less money, period.
- You have sensitive or reactive skin. Fewer ingredients means less chance of irritation.
- You prefer whipped texture. Faster absorption, easier application, better for daytime use.
- You are new to tallow skincare. Amallow is a low-risk entry point that performs well. Start here and upgrade later if you want to.
- You use tallow on your whole body. At 3x the price, using Primally Pure as a full-body moisturizer is not realistic for most budgets.
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Annual Cost Breakdown
Let me put real numbers on this for a full year of daily face use.
Primally Pure: A 1.7 oz jar lasts approximately 3-4 weeks with daily face application. You will need 13-17 jars per year. At ~$28 per jar, that is $364-$476 annually.
Amallow Unscented: A 4 oz jar lasts approximately 6-10 weeks with daily face-and-neck use. You will need 5-9 jars per year. At ~$22 per jar, that is $110-$198 annually.
The difference is staggering. You could buy a full year of Amallow and still spend less than four months of Primally Pure. If you are also using tallow on your hands and body, multiply those numbers accordingly. The annual savings by choosing Amallow easily exceed $200, and for heavy users, the gap is closer to $300.
The Elephant in the Room: Marketing vs. Results
Primally Pure has built a strong brand. Their social media presence is polished, their packaging is beautiful, and their messaging is consistent. They have done an excellent job positioning themselves as a premium tallow skincare company.
But premium branding does not always equal premium performance. The tallow market has matured significantly over the past two years. Brands like Amallow, Terra Lotus, and Vanman’s are delivering comparable or better formulas at a fraction of the price. The ingredient transparency gap has closed. The sourcing quality gap has closed. What remains is a branding gap, and you are paying for that gap every time you choose Primally Pure.
I say this as someone who respects what Primally Pure has done for the tallow skincare space. They helped bring tallow mainstream. But the market has caught up, and the premium pricing no longer reflects a premium advantage.
Final Winner
Amallow Unscented wins this comparison. It matches Primally Pure’s moisture performance, beats it on absorption speed and texture, offers a simpler ingredient list, and costs roughly one-third as much per ounce.
Primally Pure is not a bad product. It is a good product at a price that no longer makes sense given the alternatives available. If you are choosing between these two specifically, Amallow gives you more for less.
If you are building a tallow skincare routine from scratch, start with Amallow and put the money you save toward trying other quality balms to find what your skin responds to best.
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FAQ
Is Primally Pure tallow balm worth the price?
Primally Pure makes a quality product, but the 3x price premium over competitors like Amallow is not justified by performance differences. You are paying for brand, packaging, and essential oil formulation. The base tallow performance is comparable to products that cost far less.
Is Amallow as good as Primally Pure for skincare?
In my testing, Amallow matched or exceeded Primally Pure in every functional category: absorption speed, moisture retention, ingredient simplicity, and value. The only area where Primally Pure has an edge is packaging quality and essential oil variety.
Can I use Amallow on my face?
Yes. The Amallow Unscented{rel=“sponsored”} formula is specifically designed for face and body use. The whipped texture absorbs quickly and the minimal ingredient list reduces the risk of breakouts or irritation. Start with a small amount and increase as needed.
Does grass-fed tallow really matter for skincare?
Yes. Grass-fed tallow contains higher levels of vitamins A, D, E, and K, plus more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). These nutrients directly benefit skin health. Both Primally Pure and Amallow use grass-fed sources, so this is not a differentiator between them.
Which tallow balm is best for sensitive skin?
Amallow Unscented is the safer choice for sensitive skin. Its two-ingredient formula (tallow and sweet almond oil) minimizes the chance of allergic reactions. Primally Pure’s essential oil blends, while natural, can trigger irritation in sensitive users.
How long does a jar of each last?
A 4 oz jar of Amallow lasts most people 6-10 weeks with daily face-and-neck use. Primally Pure’s 1.7 oz jar lasts 3-4 weeks with the same usage. Factor in the price difference and Amallow’s annual cost is roughly one-quarter of Primally Pure’s.