HELICHRYSUM TALLOW LOTION: The Story Behind 5T Farm’s #1 Best Seller
Updated: Aug 25
If we’re going to begin a series highlighting our Simply Made products and explaining why we chose the ingredients in each one, there really is only one place to start—HELICHRYSUM.
Helichrysum is our #1 best-selling tallow product, but it did not begin that way.
We originally introduced it as a limited-edition product because genuine Helichrysum essential oil is one of the most precious—and most expensive—ingredients we use. We weren’t sure how customers would respond to the higher price.
They tried it, loved it and asked us to keep making it.
What began as a limited release quickly earned a permanent place in our Simply Made collection and became our #1 best seller.
With its naturally golden color, lightweight feel and long history in traditional skincare, it is easy to understand why Helichrysum is often called “Liquid Gold.”
What Exactly Is Helichrysum?
Helichrysum is a small golden flower native to the Mediterranean region. Its name comes from the Greek words for sunand gold, which seems especially fitting for such a bright little flower.
It is also known as Immortelle, or the “everlasting flower,” because its golden blossoms retain their beautiful color even after they have been picked and dried.
The delicate flowers used to create our Helichrysum essential oil are hand-harvested, and it takes a tremendous amount of plant material to produce even a small quantity of oil. That careful, labor-intensive process is one reason genuine Helichrysum essential oil is so costly and highly valued.
Its natural aroma is warm, earthy and slightly honey-like. It is not a traditional sweet floral scent, and we do not add artificial fragrance to cover or change it.
Treasured Throughout Mediterranean History
Long before Helichrysum became popular in modern skincare, it was valued in traditional practices throughout Mediterranean areas, including Italy, Spain, Portugal and the Balkan region.
Its flowers and leaves were prepared and used in different ways for the skin, scars, bruising and the reduction of inflammation. This history of traditional use is one reason Helichrysum continues to attract so much attention today.
Today, researchers are taking a closer look at the plant and its naturally occurring compounds to better understand some of those traditional uses.
What Researchers Are Studying Today
Modern researchers continue studying the naturally occurring compounds found within Helichrysum.
Laboratory and animal research has examined its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, along with its possible relationship to tissue repair, cell migration and other skin-related processes.
A 2024 laboratory study involving Helichrysum italicum hydrolate, human skin stem cells and fibroblasts observed increased type I collagen deposition under the study conditions.
Type I collagen is an important structural protein within the skin.
These studies involve particular Helichrysum extracts, preparations and controlled laboratory conditions. They do not mean that every Helichrysum product will produce the same outcome. However, they help researchers better understand the plant’s compounds.
Other laboratory research has examined Helichrysum’s effects on components of the skin’s extracellular matrix, an area that researchers believe may have future applications in anti-aging research and cosmetic dermatology.
While this research does not mean that our Helichrysum Tallow Lotion is a medical treatment, we think the research behind this remarkable plant is incredibly exciting — and it is one more reason Helichrysum continues to fascinate us.
Why We Combine Helichrysum With Tallow
Grass-fed, grass-finished tallow is the foundation of our skincare products. Its fatty-acid profile is similar to the natural oils found in our skin, allowing it to provide rich, lasting moisture without requiring water, artificial preservatives or unnecessary fillers.
When combined with Helichrysum essential oil and lightweight apricot kernel oil, it creates a nourishing blend that feels luxurious without feeling excessively heavy or greasy.
Customers often choose Helichrysum for use on the face, neck, hands, scars and areas with dark spots or an uneven-looking complexion. Many also enjoy wearing the whipped lotion beneath makeup because of its light, easily absorbed texture.
Why We Use Apricot Kernel Oil
Apricot kernel oil is one of our favorite carrier oils because it is exceptionally light and absorbs beautifully into the skin.
It contains naturally occurring:
Oleic acid
Linoleic acid
Vitamin E compounds known as tocopherols
Phenolic compounds
Researchers continue studying these naturally occurring components for their antioxidant and skin-supporting properties.
We chose apricot kernel oil because it softens and conditions the skin while helping create the smooth, silky consistency our customers love. It pairs beautifully with both tallow and Helichrysum essential oil without leaving the skin feeling excessively oily. It is also known as one of the most hypoallergenic carrier oils available.
Apricot kernels and their oil are also an active area of scientific research. Researchers have investigated their chemical composition, antioxidant activity and potential biological properties. More recently, laboratory researchers have even begun investigating specially prepared fractions derived from apricot kernel oil for their potential chemopreventive properties.
That research is preliminary and has not established apricot kernel oil as a treatment or prevention for cancer, and our products are not intended for that purpose. But we believe it’s promising to see scientists continuing to investigate an ingredient that has been valued for generations.
Three Ways to Enjoy Our Helichrysum Collection
Because everyone’s routine is different, we offer Helichrysum in three forms.
Helichrysum Whipped Tallow Lotion
Our whipped lotion is the lightest and simplest form in the collection. It contains only:
Grass-fed, grass-finished tallow
Apricot kernel oil
Helichrysum essential oil
That’s it.
It has a light, whipped texture that melts upon contact with the skin. Customers especially enjoy it as part of their facial and daily skincare routines.
Because it is a natural whipped product without added waxes, it is more sensitive to high temperatures and may soften or melt when exposed to heat. This does not change its quality, but it can change its whipped texture.
Helichrysum Lotion Stick
Our lotion stick offers the benefits of Helichrysum in a convenient solid form. In addition to tallow, apricot kernel oil and Helichrysum essential oil, the stick contains:
Shea butter
Mango butter
Beeswax
Castor oil
Arrowroot powder
These additional ingredients give the stick a firmer consistency, making it more heat-stable than our whipped lotion.
The solid twist-up design is easy to apply directly where you want it, keeps your hands cleaner and makes it simple to carry in a purse, bag or suitcase. Its solid format is also TSA-friendly and travel-friendly, with no loose cream to spill inside your luggage.
Helichrysum Tallow Soap
Like all our Simply Made soaps, our Helichrysum soap is made with a tallow-and-apricot-kernel-oil base.
Tallow creates a firm, long-lasting bar with a rich, creamy lather, while apricot kernel oil adds a light, conditioning quality.
Our Helichrysum soap allows customers to enjoy this special ingredient as part of their cleansing routine, either on its own or paired with the whipped lotion or lotion stick.
For us, choosing ingredients isn’t about following the latest skincare trend. It’s about keeping our formulas simple and choosing ingredients that have a purpose.
Because soap is a rinse-off product, we recommend following with our Helichrysum Tallow Lotion or Balm for a leave-on application that allows the botanical oils to remain on your skin longer.
Why Our Customers Keep Coming Back for It
The real story of Helichrysum is found in what our customers continue telling us.
Many first tried it for its lightweight moisture and quickly made it part of their daily skincare routine—especially for the face, neck, scars and areas with uneven-looking skin or dark spots.
Customers have shared that their skin looks softer, smoother and more even, and that dark spots have become less noticeable with continued use. Some have even told us their dermatologists noticed a difference in the overall appearance of their skin and asked what they had changed in their routines.
Those stories are exactly why a product we originally planned as a limited edition is still here.
Our customers tried it, loved it and asked us not to stop making their “Liquid Gold.”
Which Helichrysum Product Is Right for You?
Choose the Whipped Tallow Lotion if you want our lightest, simplest formula for daily moisturizing, facial use or wearing beneath makeup.
Choose the Lotion Stick if you want a firmer, more heat-stable and travel-friendly option that can be applied directly to specific areas.
Choose the Tallow Soap if you want to add Helichrysum to your cleansing routine or pair it with one of our leave-on products.
Many customers use more than one form depending on where they are, the season and what their skin needs that day. Paired with our Vanilla Honey as a night cream, and Helichrysum as a day cream, the perfect luxury combo is
created!
Our Little Jar of “Liquid Gold”
Helichrysum may be a small golden flower, but it has become a very special part of the 5T Farm Simply Made collection.
From its Mediterranean history and traditional use for bruising and inflammation reduction to its hand-harvested flowers and the modern research being conducted, Helichrysum has a remarkable story.
Every product in the collection is made in small batches with the same philosophy behind everything we create: choose thoughtfully, make it with care and leave out what isn’t needed.
If you have not tried our #1 best seller, this is the perfect place to begin.
5T Farm—Simply Made
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