There is something pretty special about knowing exactly where an ingredient has come from—especially when it is something you are putting on your skin.
That idea has always been at the heart of Hearth & Hide. I make our skincare in small batches using tallow from animals raised here in the New Zealand high country. The story does not begin in a factory or with an ingredient ordered from somewhere overseas. It begins on the farm.
After months of testing and refining, I am so excited to introduce our newest products: Homestead and Shepherds Balm, made with lamb tallow from Cloudy Peaks Station.
Why lamb tallow?
Lamb tallow has a beautifully rich feel, but getting the texture right took some work. My earlier trials were firmer than I wanted, so I kept adjusting the formula until I created a balm that melts easily into the skin and feels smooth rather than heavy.
For these balms, I use lamb suet—the fat found around the kidneys. Once carefully rendered and purified, it becomes a clean, creamy base for a simple skincare balm.
Rather than filling the formula with unnecessary ingredients, I have blended the lamb tallow with a small selection of oils chosen to improve its feel on the skin: jojoba oil, rosehip oil and vitamin E.
From Cloudy Peaks to your bathroom shelf
The lamb tallow used in these balms is 100% traceable and comes from grass-fed sheep raised at Cloudy Peaks Station in the Mackenzie Country.
For me, traceability is not a trendy phrase. It means I know where the animals were raised, how the ingredient was sourced and what has gone into every jar I make. It also allows me to use a valuable part of the animal that might otherwise be overlooked.
It is skincare with a real beginning—and one I am proud to share.
Meet the two new balms
Homestead
Homestead is the gently scented option and, if I am being honest, it has quickly become one of my favourites.
Made with grass-fed lamb tallow, jojoba oil, rosehip oil, vitamin E and vanilla essential oil, it has a soft vanilla scent and a rich, smooth texture. It is an easy everyday balm for dry hands, elbows, legs or anywhere your skin needs a little extra care.
Shepherds Balm
Shepherds Balm is the simple, unscented option.
It contains grass-fed lamb tallow, jojoba oil, rosehip oil and vitamin E, with no added fragrance or essential oils. I created it for people who prefer their skincare straightforward and scent-free.
Lamb tallow or beef tallow—what is the difference?
Both have their place in the Hearth & Hide range. Our beef and lamb tallow balms begin with traceable, grass-fed animals from the same high-country landscape, but each fat has its own natural character.
The biggest difference you may notice is the texture and feel of the finished balm. These lamb tallow formulas have a rich, smooth consistency, while our beef tallow products have their own slightly different finish depending on the blend.
You do not need to decide that one is “better” than the other. It really comes down to the product, scent and texture you prefer.
Raised here. Made here.
Hearth & Hide started with a simple idea: take an ingredient from the land around us, treat it with care and turn it into something useful.
Homestead and Shepherds Balm are made by hand in small batches here in New Zealand. They represent months of trialling, adjusting and trying again—and I am genuinely proud to finally share them with you.
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