A TRADESMAN had turned his hand to making skincare after years working in the building trade left him with severe dry skin.

From a home experiment in his kitchen to find a natural solution to soothe his cracked and sore skin, Ian Prince, from Newton Abbot, has started a family business.

He developed the product using traditional tallow and natural oils and it has proved a success, creating simple and sustainable skincare.

The brand, Howton Tallow, has come after Ian, who worked spent his life working in the building industry, was inspired to find a product to care for his skin without chemicals and synthetic ingredients often found in mainstream brands.

Initially the balm was for his own use but it soon became a must for his whole family.

Ian said: ‘I wanted something simple, natural and effective.

‘Most skincare products I tried were full of chemicals or made promises they didn’t deliver on.

‘So, I started experimenting with tallow, an ingredient people have used for centuries and I was amazed at the results.’

Handmade by Ian and his small team, Howton Tallow’s balms are made using a few carefully selected ingredients, including tallow and essential oils.

They are free from parabens, artificial fragrances and unnecessary additives and suitable for use on the whole body.

Tallow is a nutrient-rich natural fat derived from grass-fed beef, traditionally used in skincare for its moisturising and protective properties.

Its unique fatty acid profile is closely aligned with the skin’s structure, making it highly absorbable and long-lasting.

It has a history of being used for its protective and healing properties dating back centuries.

Ancient civilisations including the Egyptians and Romans and rural European households in the 17th and 18th centuries commonly used rendered animal fats to soothe dry, weather-worn skin.

Ian said: ‘We’re really proud to be building this here.

‘It’s always been a place that values nature, simplicity and sustainability and that’s exactly what Howton Tallow stands for.’

Ian hopes to stock Howton Tallow products at local farm shops and markets and online.