Elm Creek teen Lexi Jones made her market debut this year, selling 100 per cent beef tallow skin moisturizers.
The 16-year-old was inspired to make her own moisturizer after noticing how much of her family’s tallow was going to waste. Living on a beef farm — M&M Land and Livestock — she wanted to find a productive way to use the leftover product. Her company, M&M Land and Livestock Tallow, was founded in May 2025.
“Tallow can be used as a moisturizer. Some people use it for different skin concerns like eczema and psoriasis; some people use it on babies because it’s very gentle — it’s a very versatile product,” Jones explained. “As a skincare product, it hydrates deeply, soothes irritation and protects the skin barrier. It’s rich in vitamins A, D, E and K, making it gentle and nourishing for all skin types.”
She offers 2-oz. and 4-oz. jars made purely with her family’s cattle tallow and essential oils for scent — something she says sets her apart from other tallow-based companies.
“Others tend to use filler oils, but if you’re advertising a tallow moisturizer, I think tallow should be the one and only ingredient helping your skin,” she added.
Jones says all skin types — dry, oily and even sensitive — can benefit from tallow moisturizer. She recommends her unscented option for anyone concerned about rashes or sensitivities.
She can make about 40 two-ounce jars per batch, a process that takes roughly a week from start to finish. Although time-consuming, she says it’s straightforward once you understand the fundamentals.
“I get the frozen tallow from our butcher, then I render it by heating the tallow at a low temperature for multiple hours. Then you strain it through muslin cloths, coffee filters and strainers to get the impurities out and make it shelf-stable. After that, you add some salt and water to dry out the ingredients and let it cool in the fridge until the fat is solid. You do these steps three to five times — depending on your tallow, as it all behaves differently — until all the impurities and water are gone.”
With proper storage — in a sealed container on the counter or in the fridge — her moisturizers can last months, if not years.
Jones prepares her batches outside of school and sports, two commitments that take up much of her day.
“I just make sure I have a very structured plan, and it’s normally straightforward from there,” she said.
Creativity has always come naturally to her. “As a kid, I always wanted to make and sell something that would help the community — I want to offer a local product that is good for you.”
Her goal as a young entrepreneur is to expand her business by reaching more customers, sourcing additional local tallow and attending more markets. While she does not have any scheduled at the moment, she posts updates on her Instagram page, @MandMLandanLlivestockTallow, where she also accepts direct messages from customers interested in purchasing outside market events.
“I encourage everyone to do some research about all the good things tallow can do for your skin and how it can positively impact your life on a day-to-day basis,” she added.
