Yes, you can use a small amount of tallow balm on the skin around the outside of your nose. A thick, water-free balm stays put through tissue wipes better than a lotion does, which is the whole reason it comes out of the cupboard during cold season. Pick a fragrance-free one, apply a thin layer, and keep it off the inside of your nostrils. Our Unscented Whipped Tallow is the jar we point people to for this.
We're Jeremie and Megan Hannon, and we make whipped tallow by hand in Loomis, California. Every October the first cold snap sends a few of our friends and neighbors our way with the same complaint: the skin under the nose is red and rough, and the usual lotion is not staying put. So here is what we tell them, including when to put the jar down.
Why does the skin around my nose get so dry and raw?
It is a rough spot for skin. You wipe it, blow it and rub it, over and over, and each pass takes a little of the skin's own oil with it. Add dry heated air indoors and cold wind outside, and the thin skin around the nostrils has very little left to hold moisture in.
Tissues do not help. Even the soft ones are paper, and paper is abrasive when you use it twenty times a day. A scented lotion on top of that can sting on skin that is already tender, which is a good reason to keep the routine plain while you are getting over something.
Is tallow balm a good choice for a chapped nose?
It can be, mostly because of what it does not contain. Tallow balm is an occlusive, meaning it sits on the surface and slows moisture loss rather than trying to add water. There is no water in it to wipe off or evaporate, so a thin layer tends to last through a few rounds with a tissue where a lotion would not.
We are not going to promise it will fix anything, and we would be wary of anyone who does. What we can say is that it supports the look and feel of comfortable, well-moisturized skin, and that a fragrance-free, two-ingredient balm gives tender skin very little to react to. That is a claim about the ingredient list, not about your nose.
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Our pick for a sore nose Unscented Whipped Tallow Two ingredients and no fragrance, so there is nothing in it to sting tender skin. A pea-sized scoop covers your whole face. |
How do I apply it without making a mess?
Use less than you think. Too much on a nose just slides around and ends up on your pillow.
- Wash your hands first, then pat the skin dry. Do not rub it.
- Scoop a rice-grain amount. Warm it between your fingertips until it turns clear and soft.
- Dab it along the outside edge of the nostrils and the skin under the nose. Press, do not swipe.
- Do it again before bed, and after a round of blowing your nose if the skin feels tight.
Keep it on the outside. The inside of your nose is a different matter, and if it is dry or sore in there, that is a question for your pharmacist or doctor, not for a jar of skin balm. For the rest of your face, our guide to prepping your skin for drier weather has a simple routine, and if you wear it in the daytime, here is what to know about staining.
Should I pick unscented or a scented blend?
Unscented, for this one. We make scented blends we love, but a raw nose is exactly where you do not want to find out your skin dislikes an essential oil. Our Unscented is the only one of our balms that is truly two ingredients, tallow and organic coconut oil, and the scented ones add third-party-tested essential oils to that same base. The longer reasoning is in scented or unscented tallow balm.
If your lips are as chapped as your nose, and they usually are, the Unscented Lip Relief is an easier thing to carry in a coat pocket. It is our tallow with organic jojoba oil and beeswax, so it is not vegan, and that beeswax is worth knowing about before you buy. There is more in our honest guide to tallow lip balm.
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"What a great and refreshing lip balm. It lasts on my lips a long time and I can't wait to use it this winter when I struggle with dry lips." Angi, 5 stars, on Lip Relief in Peppermint. She is writing about the peppermint version; for a raw nose and chapped lips together we would point you at the unscented one. |
When is tallow balm the wrong move?
Tallow is not for everyone. If your skin runs oily or breaks out easily, a rich balm near the nose may not agree with you, and a small patch for a few days will tell you more than we can. If you are vegan, it is beef fat, so it is out.
And be honest with yourself about what is going on. If the skin is cracked and bleeding, crusted, or has not improved in a week or so, that is worth a call to your own clinician. A cold that will not quit, or an allergy, can need more than a moisturizer, and a jar of balm is not the thing that will tell you which you have.
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Common questions about tallow balm and a chapped nose
Can I use tallow balm inside my nostrils? We do not recommend it. Keep it on the outer skin, and ask a pharmacist or doctor about dryness inside the nose.
How much should I use? About a rice grain for the nose area. It melts at skin temperature, so a little spreads a long way.
Will it smell? Unscented tallow has a faint, mild scent of its own, and it fades within a minute or two of going on. We answered that properly in does tallow skincare smell like beef.
Can I use the same jar on my face and hands? Yes, it is the same balm all over.
Will it help me get better faster? No, and we would not say otherwise. It is a moisturizer for the skin around your nose while the rest of it runs its course.
Where to start
Start with the Unscented jar, a rice grain at a time, and give it a few days. Everything we currently have, seasonal batches included, is in the whipped tallow collection. A batch is a batch, so the seasonal scents come and go with it.
We are a real family in Loomis, California, our name is on every jar, and if a jar is not right for you we will make it right.
By the Pure Lifestyle Team, Loomis, California.
This article is educational and not medical advice. Pure Lifestyle products are cosmetics made to support the look and feel of healthy, comfortable skin. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent eczema, psoriasis, or any medical condition. If you're managing a skin condition, we recommend working with your healthcare provider.