Stonetown Tallow brings natural alternative to big-pharma, chemical-heavy moisturizers

Natural skincare is making a comeback with Stonetown Tallow in St. Marys. Pictured is Rita Maher, founder of Stonetown Tallow, with her product on display at Purpour Refillery + Boutique.

By Alex Hunt

A St. Marys mother has transformed her son’s eczema struggles into inspiration for a new venture, launching Stonetown Tallow to offer beef tallow skincare as a natural alternative to chemical-heavy products.

Rita Maher is the founder of Stonetown Tallow, a business and product line that features a beef-tallow based product launched late last month. The product is currently being stocked at Purpour Refillery + Boutique in downtown St. Marys. Maher also currently sells her skincare tallow at the St. Marys Farmers Market and plans to appear at community seasonal markets as well.

People can also purchase the products online through Stonetown Tallow’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

“My oldest son suffered from eczema which never went away. I didn’t feel comfortable putting steroid cream or other manufactured medical chemicals on his skin,” said Maher. “We tried to go the natural approach, and we visited a naturopath, who said to eliminate three quarters of what a kid eats – dairy, most fruits and vegetables – and that’s no way to live, so I started researching and I found beef tallow.”

Maher began by buying tallow online, but the high cost led her to start making it herself and applying it to her son. While it hasn’t cured his eczema, he no longer experiences constant flare-ups or itching. Maher said she has been using the tallow for a couple of years, and it has proven effective enough for her whole family and her friends.

“When we think of moisturizer, we go to the store and buy a big pharma product and unfortunately, the industry is not out there to help us,” said Maher. “They are everything and they own it. I want to bring it back to nature with simple ingredients and something that’s good for you that’s not full of water and chemicals you can’t pronounce.”

Maher says the tallow can help with cuts and burns and contains numerous nourishing vitamins, which is why it was used for hundreds of years. She hopes to keep the product affordable, pricing it at $20 for an ounce and a half, noting some companies sell two ounces for $50.

Maher says she plans on keeping the product simple, natural and local, sourcing as many ingredients as possible from the St. Marys area.

“The skin is the biggest organ and I think we can treat it badly. We don’t really think about it all the time. Because it is our biggest organ, we need to think about what we put on it because it’s all going in, “said Maher

“There’s nothing that’s bad in this tallow. Articles that you read about tallow will always say there’s no scientific studies on the product. I feel like they don’t want to do the research because big pharma usually does it.”

Maher said the product is made mostly from beef tallow, which is sourced locally and mixed with olive oil, castor oil and optional scented oils for customers who want fragrance. She adds that the business plans to expand its collection in the future, noting the current offerings are just a small-batch beginning.

Maher says she feels proud people trust her with her product, calling it a rewarding experience. She believes that if someone is truly passionate about something, they can make it happen.

“A few months ago, if you told me people would be using and buying the tallow, I would have told you to pinch me, but this is only the beginning.”