Ancestral skincare products are not just a new trend in caring for your skin. The approach to ancestral cosmetics dates back to ancient civilizations, embracing our roots and honoring the cultures and practices that came before us. Allowing us to acknowledge a time when ingredients were directly sourced from nature, with no processing, and whole-body health was the result of what was easily accessible and directly taken from the land.
So what did our ancestors turn to that they could source from the land to apply to their skin while treating their ailments? Plants, animal fats, clays, minerals, and natural oils. Simple, readily available, real ingredients. All of which came long before modern manufacturing and laboratories, where chemicals and synthetic ingredients soon became the standard.
Legend says that Cleopatra bathed her skin with Donkey milk. Even during her rule, it was understood that the lactic acid in donkey’s milk benefited the skin, gently exfoliating it and sweeping away dead skin cells.
The ancestral approach to skincare builds on that idea. It focuses on using highly effective natural ingredients, just like the ones our ancestors applied to their skin, and choosing to leave behind chemicals that eventually found their way into products.
Below, we’re diving into the ancestral skincare philosophy, commonly used ingredients, and how the ancestral approach supports your skin barrier function.
Time-honored Traditions Adapted for a Modern Lifestyle
Along with a simplified approach to sourcing ingredients from nature, there are a few core principles that drive the philosophy behind ancestral skincare products.
This allows us to adapt ancestral cosmetics to meet the needs of a modern lifestyle.
1. Minimal Processing (if any)
Ancestral cosmetics are typically produced in small batches, using traditional methods, while avoiding harsh chemicals. This process allows us to prioritize the integrity and freshness of the ingredients while ensuring the highest quality standards are met throughout every step of bottling and packaging.
2. Natural Ingredients
Ingredients are derived from nature; that’s the ancestral cosmetics way. You won’t find any hard-to-pronounce ingredients listed on the label of natural skincare products. Instead, ancestral ingredients are focused on utilizing animal-based fats like tallow and other natural, readily available ingredients such as herbs, minerals, and oils (like castor oil and emu oil).
3. Nutrients
Natural ingredients are selected for their rich, nutrient-dense compounds. Where ancestral skincare products thrive is through a multitude of vitamins and essential fatty acids. They are typically sourced in their whole (sometimes raw) natural form, which makes them bioavailable and effective for skin repair and regeneration.
4. The Nose-to-tail Philosophy
Using tallow and animal-based oils reflects the long-standing tradition of using the whole animal, in what is known as the nose-to-tail philosophy. This has been seen across many cultures where each part of an animal, the bones, meat, hide, and fat, was used as a food source, for weapons, to make clothing, and as skincare.
Learn More: The Benefits of Using Beef Tallow for Skin & Embracing Ancestral Wellness.
Common Ingredients Found in Ancestral Cosmetics
Labels on conventional skin care products usually contain a long list of hard-to-pronounce, synthetic ingredients. The last time you read a label on a skincare product, you may have been surprised that you didn’t recognize most of the ingredients listed; the same ones that all promise to protect, hydrate, and restore your skin.
With the thousands of products on the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the safest, gentlest one for the whole family to use.
Ancestral cosmetics look to the past to find natural ingredients with bioavailable lipids, vitamins, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Here are some common ingredients you can expect to find in ancestral skincare products:
- Tallow – Rendered from cows, used for centuries across multiple ancient civilizations.
- Emu Oil – Historically found in products used by Aboriginal Australians, but has gained popularity across the globe for its ability to penetrate the skin and provide deep hydration.
- Raw Honey – Used by ancient Egyptians, honey is one of the most powerful skincare ingredients found in nature.
- Coconut Oil – Found in ancestral communities across Polynesia, India, and Southeast Asia, coconut oil is commonly used to moisturize and protect the skin barrier.
- African Shea Butters – Gained popularity through West African cultures for their powerful moisturizing and anti-microbial properties; used to soften dry skin.
- Castor Oil – One of our favorite natural skincare ingredients, helps treat acne, breakouts, and inflammation.
There are no hard-to-pronounce chemical ingredients, just time-honored elements derived from nature, used across the globe, and adapted to modern skincare products to provide your skin with the same nourishment and support.
Learn More About Castor Oil: Your Hydration Hero
Ancestral Skincare Products: Available Ingredients Meet Functionality
Aside from looking at what our ancestors and ancient civilizations have used historically, how does modern skincare select what ingredients go into ancestral cosmetics?
We focus on bioavailability! Ingredients that, in their purest form, closely match our skin’s own cellular makeup. Our skin readily recognizes these ingredients, which allows for easy absorption, attracting hydration for moisturization.
Ancestral Wisdom: The Power of Natural Skincare for Your Skin Barrier Needs
In addition to the philosophy and natural skincare ingredients, the ancestral approach also takes into consideration your skin barrier.
After all, your outermost layer of skin (your body’s biggest organ) is your body’s first line of defense.
At any given time, your skin barrier is busy fighting off:
- Pathogens – such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other organisms that cause disease.
- Allergens – pollen, dust mites, pet dander, and sometimes, even nickel, which can cause hypersensitivity. [1]
- Environmental Pollutants – tobacco, smoke, and emissions.
- Chemicals – cleaners, detergents, fragrances, sulfates, and parabens.
- UV rays – harmful rays disrupt the lipids on your skin barrier, causing damage and a decrease in hydration. [2]
If we don’t take care of our skin barrier, keeping it well hydrated and nourished, we become more susceptible to these toxins. Skincare made with harsh or harmful ingredients will strip away at your skin, which keeps it from restoring balance and regulating your body’s natural production of sebum (oil).
This is why we love using organic, all-natural ingredients in our skincare products. They work to nourish and moisturize your skin barrier, which allows it to maintain its delicate balance, naturally fight off those pathogens and environmental pollutants.
Skin Barrier-Supportive Formulations
Now that you understand the background of ancestral cosmetics, here’s an easy 4-step skincare routine using products with all natural ingredients to support your skin barrier.
Step 1: Vitamin C Face Cleanser
Gently wash away impurities while toning and brightening the skin. This tallow-based cleanser is nourishing and microbiome-friendly. The addition of brightening Vitamin C comes from orange peel, while the added grapefruit oil aids in healing acne and protecting against future breakouts.
Step 2: Primal Radiance Serum
After a gentle cleanse, dry the skin and pat on this ultra-light but deeply nourishing serum. Key ingredients include tallow, emu oil, castor oil, and chamomile. Each of these works to target inflammation, dryness, and scarring, while reducing signs of aging.
Step 3: Tallow Face & Body Whip
An unscented face and body whip that features a blend of coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax, and tallow. It supports natural skin barrier function through maximum absorption, without clogging pores or causing acne breakouts.
Step 4: Sun Solace: UV Harmonizer
Our UV Harmonizer uses raspberry seed oil (a natural antioxidant & sunlight shield) along with tallow, shea, coconut oil, and beeswax to protect against burns from sun damage. It provides the equivalent of protection SPF 28-50 and can be used daily for sunlight exposure and safe Vitamin D production.
Natural Skincare Low-Tox Ingredients
Once upon a time, skincare, across every culture and civilization, was created from what grew on, or lived on the land. There were communities that came together in their kitchens to whip up early iterations of skincare products to treat, heal, and protect their skin.
Today, we know that much of what they used is now backed by science, including ingredients that contain vitamins, minerals, and oils which are bioavailable, nourishing, and protective to your skin barrier.
By selecting skincare that is rooted in nature and embraces the farm-to-skin approach, you are honoring the wisdom of your ancestors and the civilizations that came before us, while giving your skin the best modern treatment available, no harsh chemicals, or hard to pronounce ingredients required.
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References
- Gates A, Jakubowski JA, Regina AC. Nickel Toxicology. [Updated 2023 May 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK592400/
- Alhasaniah A, Sherratt MJ, O’Neill CA. The Impact of Ultraviolet Radiation on Barrier Function in Human Skin: Molecular Mechanisms and Topical Therapeutics. Curr Med Chem. 2018;25(40):5503-5511. doi: 10.2174/0929867324666171106164916. PMID: 29110595.
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