Superfat Explained: How to Pick the Right Tallow Soap for Your Skin Type
Every bar of soap we make at Just Love Tallow has a superfat percentage right there in the product name — 3%, 5%, 6%, 8%, 9%. It's not a marketing number or a made-up stat. It's one of the most genuinely useful pieces of information a soap maker can give you. But if you've never made soap before, the number means nothing.
So let's change that.
What Is Superfat, and Why Does It Matter?
When soap is made, an alkali (in our case, sodium hydroxide — also known as lye) reacts with fats to create soap. This is called saponification. The "superfat" percentage is the portion of fat that's deliberately left unsaponified — meaning it doesn't get converted into soap and stays in the bar as free, conditioning fat.
That leftover fat is what makes the difference between a bar that strips your skin and one that leaves it feeling nourished after the wash.
A lower superfat means less free fat in the bar — the soap is more cleansing and less greasy. A higher superfat means more free fat stays behind, offering more moisturising benefit and leaving your skin feeling softer. In conventional commercial soap, there's often no superfat at all — and usually synthetic detergents and thickeners filling the gap. That's a big part of why so many people find commercial soap leaves their skin tight, itchy, or dry.
Which Superfat Is Right for Your Skin?
Here's how to read the numbers in plain terms:
3% — For oily, congested, or acne-prone skin
Our Bentonite Clear Skin Soap and Tallow Crown Shampoo Bar 3% both sit at 3% superfat. The lower fat content gives a cleaner rinse and helps keep pores from feeling blocked — particularly useful if you're prone to breakouts or have a naturally oilier complexion. The bentonite clay version also draws out excess oil and impurities, making it a gentle but effective choice for congested skin or a shiny T-zone.
5% — The everyday sweet spot
Most of our Heritage Soaps, the Hemp Passion Bar, and the Filthy Fella Scrub Bar sit at 5%. This is the all-rounder — balanced enough for daily use on normal to combination skin, still offering a decent level of conditioning without feeling heavy or leaving residue. If you're not sure where your skin lands, 5% is a solid place to start.
6% — For sensitive, dry, or reactive skin
A 6% superfat is where we spend a lot of time. Our Just Tallow Soap 6% range (available unscented, lavender, lemon myrtle, sandalwood, charcoal, and more), the Gentle Soothing Soap Bar, the Calm & Comfort Soap Bar, and the Sun Kissed Aloe Vera Soap all live here. That extra bit of free fat makes a real difference for skin that's reactive, prone to tightness, or just in need of a gentler touch. It's also a lovely choice for face washing and for those with mature skin that doesn't hold moisture as well as it used to.
8–9% — Deep nourishment for very dry or mature skin
Our higher-superfat bars — the Luxury Tallow Soap Bar at 8% and the Old-Fashioned Comfort Soap at 9% — are made for people who feel like nothing ever moisturises their skin quite enough. The extra free fat in these bars means a noticeably softer feeling after washing. They're brilliant for rough, cracked skin in winter, hands that have been in the garden all day, or anyone who simply wants the most conditioning bar possible.
Why Tallow Makes Superfat Even More Effective
Not all superfatted soaps are created equal. The type of fat left behind matters enormously, and this is where tallow really earns its place.
Tallow has a fatty acid profile that's remarkably close to human skin sebum — the natural oil our own skin produces to protect and moisturise itself. When the free fats in a high-superfat tallow soap are absorbed by the skin, your body actually recognises them. It's not working against a foreign substance — it's receiving something familiar. The skin takes what it needs and gets on with being healthy.
Compare that to a synthetic lotion or a commercial soap packed with mineral oils, silicones, and emulsifiers. The skin doesn't quite know what to do with most of it — which is partly why you can apply moisturiser every day and still feel dry an hour later.
Grass-fed tallow, made from cattle that have grazed on pasture, is also higher in vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) — all things that support healthy skin function. It's the difference between a fat that feeds your skin and a fat that just sits on top of it.
Where to Start if You're New to Tallow Soap
If this is your first tallow bar, a 6% superfat is usually the best place to begin. It suits most skin types and gives you a proper sense of what a conditioning, natural soap actually feels like — without any fillers or synthetic additives getting in the way.
If you have oily or congested skin, work down to 3%. If your skin is chronically dry, tight, or craving something richer, reach for the 8% or 9%. And if you have any questions about which bar is the right fit for you, get in touch — we're a small operation and genuinely love hearing from people who are making the switch to something better.