A practical guide to tallow balms, the Radiance Cleansing Balm, and face and body oils — so you get the most from every jar.

One of the things we hear most often from new customers is: I love these products — but I want to make sure I'm using them right.

That makes complete sense. When you simplify your routine and reach for fewer products, you want to know how each one works — and where it fits into your day.

This guide walks through everything: the tallow balms, the cleansing balm, and the face and body oils. No complicated systems. Just what each product does, how to use it, and a few practical tips we've picked up along the way.

The Tallow Balms

Our tallow balms are the heart of the Kinwell Roots line. Made from slow-rendered, grass-fed suet tallow, they're deeply nourishing and adaptable — one jar that works almost everywhere.

A little goes a long way. That's true for all of them. Warm a small amount between your fingers before applying — this helps it spread evenly and absorb better.

Whipped Tallow Balms 

Whipped balms are lighter in texture because air has been incorporated into the tallow during preparation. They spread easily, absorb more quickly, and are a natural fit for daily use — especially on the face.

For the Face

• Start with clean, dry skin.

• Use about a pea-sized amount — truly less than you think you need.

• Warm it between your fingertips for a few seconds until it melts slightly.

• Press and rub gently into your skin.

• In the morning, it provides light hydration before you head out. In the evening, allow it to work overnight while your skin restores itself.

• In the morning, give it a few minutes to soak in before you apply any makeup.

For the Body, Hands, and Targeted Areas

• Hands: Apply a small amount after washing or before bed. It absorbs well without leaving a greasy film and holds up through repeated hand washing.

• Body: The whipped texture works well for full-body use, especially in summer or warmer months when you want something lighter.

• Dry or reactive patches: The Calendula Comfort Balm is especially good here. Calendula-infused olive oil helps calm visible redness and supports the skin's natural healing process. Gentle enough for daily use, and gentle enough for little ones too.

Solid Tallow Balms

Solid balms are more concentrated. They melt slowly with the warmth of your hands and create a richer, more protective layer — the kind your skin needs when it's been through something.

How to Apply

• Scoop out a small amount with your fingertip — a little larger than a pea for most areas.

• Hold it between your fingers and allow the warmth of your hands to melt it before applying.

• Work it in with gentle, circular motions.

• For hands, elbows, and heels, a slightly more generous layer is fine — and nighttime application is particularly effective.

Where Solid Balm Excels

• Face: For deep hydration overnight. 

• Hands: Especially after a day of outdoor work, frequent washing, or cold weather.

• Elbows and heels: Apply at night, add socks if needed, and let it work while you sleep. Consistency over a few weeks makes a real difference in rough, thickened skin.

• Winter or very dry skin: When your skin needs something more protective and longer-lasting.

• Travel: The solid texture is more portable and less likely to soften in a bag — a good companion for dry airplane air.

Quick Reference: Whipped vs. Solid

• Reach for whipped on warmer days, for daily face use, or when you want lighter texture.

• Reach for solid in cold months, for heels and elbows, after heavy outdoor use, or when your skin needs deeper, longer-lasting protection.

The Radiance Cleansing Balm

The cleansing balm works differently than a traditional face wash — and that's the whole point.

Most conventional cleansers use surfactants to strip the skin clean. They work — but they can also strip away the natural oils your skin needs, leaving it feeling tight and prompting it to overproduce oil to compensate. The cleansing balm takes the opposite approach: it uses oil to dissolve oil. Impurities, makeup, and daily buildup are lifted away without disrupting your skin's natural balance.

Because it's tallow-based, it also nourishes while it cleanses — so your skin feels soft and balanced afterward, not stripped.

How to Use It

• Start with dry skin and dry hands. This is important — water introduced during application can affect the formula over time.

• Scoop out about a dime-sized amount.

• Warm it between your fingertips until it melts into an oil.

• Massage gently over your face in circular motions for 30 to 60 seconds — this is what lifts impurities and gives your skin a gentle, nourishing massage at the same time.

• Wet a soft cloth with warm water and lay it over your face for about 30 seconds. This opens pores and makes removal easier.

• Gently wipe away the balm and any makeup or buildup. Pat dry.

A Few Things Worth Knowing

• It removes makeup, including eye makeup. Be gentle around the eye area, but it works well.

• No moisturizer needed afterward — for many people. The balm leaves your skin nourished enough that a separate moisturizer isn't necessary. On drier days or if your skin needs more, follow with a tallow balm or face oil.

• Evening use is ideal. This is when your skin has the most to clear from the day. Morning cleansing with the balm is fine too, but most people find once a day — at night — is enough. In the morning, lavender or pure tallow soap is a great option to refresh your skin.

• Keep water out of the jar. Always use dry hands when scooping. This protects the formula and helps it last.

The Face and Body Oils

Our face and body oils are formulated with clean, bioavailable ingredients — jojoba, rosehip, and thoughtfully chosen botanical oils — that absorb easily, support your skin's natural balance, and layer beautifully with the tallow balms.

One thing worth understanding: oils seal in hydration, but they don't create it on their own. Your skin's hydration comes from within — the oils help maintain and protect it. Used with a balm, they work as a system.

How to Apply Face Oil Alone

• Apply 4–6 drops to clean skin — slightly damp skin absorbs the oil more easily.

• Rub gently into your skin. Take a moment with it — this is a good chance for a quick facial massage.

• Allow it to absorb for a minute before following with a tallow balm of your choice.

Layering Oil with Tallow Balm (The Hydration Duo)

When you layer a face oil under a tallow balm, the two work together in a way that either one alone doesn't quite match. The oil nourishes and helps balance your skin. The balm seals everything in and protects your skin barrier against environmental stressors.

• Step 1: Apply 4–6 drops of face oil to slightly damp, clean skin. Press in gently.

• Step 2: Follow with a pea-sized amount of tallow balm (whipped works well here) to seal in the oil to provide deep hydration and lasting protection.

• Step 3: Let it soak in for 5 or so minutes before applying makeup for the day.

For Body Use

• Warm a small amount in your palms and apply to damp skin after a shower, while your skin is still slightly moist — this helps lock in hydration.

• Focus on areas that tend toward dryness — shins, elbows, upper arms.

• A little goes a long way. You shouldn't feel oily after a minute or two of absorption.

Putting It Together: Morning and Evening

You don't need a complicated routine. Here's how these products can fit naturally into your morning and evening in a way that feels effortless rather than involved.

Morning

• Rinse with water or cleanse gently if needed.

• Apply 4–6 drops of face oil to slightly damp skin.

• Follow with a light layer of whipped tallow balm to seal and protect.

Evening

• Cleanse with the Radiance Cleansing Balm. Take your time — this is a good moment to slow down.

• Apply face oil for an extra layer of nourishment.

• Follow with a tallow balm — solid for deeper support, whipped for a lighter finish. For hands and heels, this is the best window: apply generously, add socks if needed, and let your skin restore overnight.

A Few General Notes

• Less is more. This applies to all of our products. Using too much of any rich product can lead to buildup. If something isn't absorbing, try using less.

• Give your skin time. When you simplify your routine, your skin adjusts. The first week or two may feel different from what you're used to. Stay consistent — most people notice a real shift after two to three weeks.

• Introduce one item at a time. If you're switching from a conventional routine, starting with one product at a time helps you understand how your skin responds.

• Store your products away from heat. Tallow is a natural fat, and whipped balms can soften or change texture if they get very warm. A cool, dry spot is ideal.

• Keep water out of your jars. Always use dry hands when scooping. This protects the integrity of the product and extends its shelf life.

The Bottom Line

These products were made to simplify your routine, not add to it. A cleansing balm that nourishes while it cleans. A tallow balm that works almost everywhere. A face oil that layers beautifully beneath it.

Used consistently and simply, they work together in a way that feels intuitive — because the ingredients themselves are ones your skin already understands.

If you ever have questions about which product might work best for your skin, or how to adjust your routine, we're always here. Send us a quick note at KinwellRoots.com or engage with us on social media. 

Simple. Intentional. Rooted in what works.