Most people accept dry skin, chronic itching, and inflammatory conditions as normal. Doctors prescribe steroid creams or tell you to moisturize more. But what if the problem isn’t your skin? What if the products you’re using aren’t actually designed to feed your largest organ?
In this week’s C3: CODE Conscious Conversations, we sat down with Charles Mayfield, founder of Farrow Skin. With a background in health coaching, culinary publishing, and running a gym in Atlanta, Charles bridges the worlds of farming, food, and skincare. His mission started with a severe sunburn and a jar of lard, and what he discovered changed everything he thought he knew about skin health.
This isn’t about expensive serums or the latest celebrity-endorsed moisturizer. It’s about understanding what your skin actually needs to function and why the mainstream skincare industry has been getting it wrong for decades.
Listen to this podcast now at C3 Podcast or join us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
The Paleo Lens: What If We Applied Food Standards to Skincare?
The paleo diet introduced a simple principle back in the late 2000s: if you can’t pronounce it, you shouldn’t eat it. The ingredient should be the food itself, not a laboratory creation.
But what if we applied that same standard to skincare? Your skin is your largest organ, and it absorbs what you put on it. So why would the rules be any different?
This question became urgent in 2019 when a severe sunburn led to an unexpected discovery.
The Sunburn That Started Everything
In a moment of desperation and curiosity, a severe second-degree sunburn became the testing ground for an unconventional treatment: lard. Not just any lard, but rendered subcutaneous fat from a pasture-raised pig.
The results were immediate. Within five to ten minutes, the skin had absorbed the lard completely. What looked like a thick coating of Vaseline was simply gone. The skin ate it.
The sunburn disappeared in a couple of days. But the real revelation was what didn’t happen: no peeling.
Anyone who’s had a severe sunburn knows the peel is inevitable. Weeks later, you’re still finding pieces of dead skin coming off. But this skin healed completely without any of that damage.
That moment sparked a question: if the paleo lens works for food, why not for skincare?
Your Skin Is Your Largest Organ, and It Eats What You Put On It
If you’ve ever rolled around in poison ivy, you know your skin absorbs oils quickly and effectively. Your skin is designed to consume and metabolize what touches it.
So what happens when we apply the same scrutiny to skincare labels that we do to food labels? The results are disturbing.
The FDA has shockingly little oversight when it comes to what chemicals can go into skincare products. There’s minimal testing, limited transparency, and almost no long-term studies on the impact of these ingredients on human health.
We’re slathering our bodies and our children’s bodies with chemicals we can’t pronounce, made in labs, with no understanding of how they interact with our biology over time.
Why Most People Walk Around With Chronically Dry Skin
Here’s a truth the skincare industry doesn’t want you to know: the majority of products on the market aren’t actually designed to moisturize your skin.
They sit on top of your skin. They create a temporary barrier. They might make your skin feel smooth for a few hours. But they’re not feeding your cells what they need to build healthy, supple, resilient skin from the inside out.
What Is Itchy Skin, Really?
Dry skin. That’s it.
Itchy skin is physically dry skin that’s inflamed because it lacks the moisture and nutrients it needs to function properly. Whether it’s a bug bite, eczema, or chronic irritation, the root issue is that your skin is starving.
When your skin doesn’t have the lipids, vitamins, and nutrients it needs, it becomes vulnerable. Inflammation sets in. Itching follows. You scratch, which damages the barrier further, and the cycle continues.
The solution isn’t a chemical cream that numbs the sensation. The solution is giving your skin what it actually needs to heal.
The Lipid Match: Why Pig Fat and Human Skin Are Nearly Identical
Here’s where things get fascinating.
Pigs are monogastric omnivores, just like humans. That means they have one stomach and eat a variety of foods, both plant and animal-based. And just like humans, pigs are really good at converting excess calories into subcutaneous fat.
When you feed a pig well and give it plenty of sunshine, something remarkable happens: its fat becomes a near-perfect match for human skin.
The Science of Lipid Balance
Pasture-raised pork fat (lard) has almost the exact same lipid profile as human skin. This includes:
- The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids
- Polyunsaturated fats
- Monounsaturated fats
- Saturated fats
All of it lines up.
But it doesn’t stop there. Because pigs metabolize vitamin D the same way humans do (through sun exposure), pasture-raised lard is packed with vitamin D. It’s also rich in vitamin A, which the skincare industry calls retinol because it sounds fancier and sells better.
When you put lard from a healthy, pasture-raised pig on your skin, your skin recognizes it. It metabolizes it. It uses it to build collagen, repair damage, and maintain a healthy barrier.
Compare that to lab-made retinol or synthetic moisturizers. Your skin doesn’t recognize those ingredients. It can’t metabolize them efficiently. So even though you’re putting them on your skin, they’re not doing the job a naturally occurring, bioavailable nutrient would.
Acute vs. Chronic Skin Conditions: Understanding the Difference
There are two types of skincare issues that require different approaches: acute and chronic.
Acute Conditions
These are immediate, situational problems:
- Sunburn
- Razor burn
- Wind burn
- Bug bites
- Minor cuts or abrasions
For acute conditions, topical application of high-quality animal fats works incredibly well. Properly nourished skin doesn’t itch, burn, or become inflamed the way chronically dry skin does.
Chronic Conditions
These are long-term, recurring issues:
- Eczema
- Psoriasis
- Rosacea
- Chelitis
Chronic conditions are different. They’re symptomatic inflammatory responses to something deeper. Diet, sleep, hydration, gut health, and environmental factors all play a role.
Yes, animal-based skincare products help topically by feeding the skin and reducing inflammation. But to truly address chronic skin conditions, you have to get underneath the hood and look at the root cause.
Topical care is part of the solution, not the entire solution.
Source Matters: Not All Pork Is Created Equal
This is where the conversation gets important for anyone who cares about what they eat and what they put on their body.
Not all lard is the same.
Conventionally raised pigs are fed a diet of corn, soy, and grain byproducts. They’re kept in confined spaces with no sunlight. Their fat reflects that: it’s inflammatory, nutrient-poor, and loaded with omega-6 fatty acids in the wrong ratios.
Pasture-raised pigs, on the other hand, live outside. They root in the soil. They eat a diverse diet. They get sunshine. And their fat reflects that too: it’s nutrient-dense, balanced, and full of the vitamins your skin needs.
When Wendy mentions that Lisa never lets her order bacon at restaurants, Lisa is right to be cautious. The source of the pork matters just as much for your skin as it does for your health.
The Connection Between Food and Skincare: It’s All Metabolism
The diet industry and the skincare industry operate on the same flawed principles and use the same marketing tricks.
Take protein powder, for example. The label might say it has 19 grams of protein. But is your body actually absorbing and using all 19 grams? Probably not. Most of it is wasted.
The same thing happens with skincare. A product might claim it contains retinol (vitamin A). But if that retinol is chemically derived and made in a lab, your skin won’t metabolize it nearly as well as naturally occurring vitamin A from tallow or lard.
Your body knows the difference between real and fake. It recognizes nutrients that come from whole, natural sources. And it performs better when you give it what it’s designed to use.
Sustainable Farming and the Role of Pigs
Understanding where skincare ingredients come from requires understanding the farming systems that produce them. This isn’t just about animal welfare. It’s about soil health, environmental sustainability, and the future of food production.
What Is Sustainable Farming?
Sustainable farming is any system that produces food and soil simultaneously.
Most agriculture in this country and around the world strips the soil of nutrients and organic matter. We’re losing millions of tons of topsoil every year. The World Health Organization has warned that we could run out of topsoil within 60 years.
If we run out of topsoil, the game is over. The planet will go on, but we won’t.
How Pigs Fit Into the System
The rich topsoil that once covered the Corn Belt in this country was built by millions of bison and birds. They would move through an area, eat the grasses, trample the ground, and leave behind organic matter that turned into soil over time.
We can accelerate that natural process using animals like pigs.
Pigs are specifically adapted to fit into multi-species farming systems. They root in the ground, turning over soil and breaking down organic matter. They eat things other animals won’t touch. And in the process, they help build soil instead of depleting it.
When you raise a healthy, happy pig on pasture, you’re not just getting nutrient-dense meat and fat. You’re participating in a system that builds soil, sequesters carbon, and creates a sustainable future for food production.
That’s the bigger picture Charles wants people to understand. Skincare isn’t separate from agriculture. What we eat and what we put on our bodies are connected to the health of the planet.
Practical Takeaways for Better Skin Health
- Read your skincare labels the same way you read food labels. If you can’t pronounce it, you probably shouldn’t put it on your skin.
- Source matters. Whether it’s bacon or skincare, look for pasture-raised, sustainably farmed animal products. The quality of the fat reflects the health of the animal.
- Chronic skin conditions require more than topical treatment. Look at your diet, sleep, hydration, and stress levels. Your skin is telling you something deeper is going on.
- Your skin eats what you put on it. Choose products with ingredients your body can recognize and metabolize.
- Don’t be afraid of animal fats. Lard, tallow, and other animal-based fats have been used for centuries because they work. Modern skincare marketing has convinced us we need chemicals and lab-made ingredients, but history and biology tell a different story.
Our Final Thoughts
Your skin isn’t failing you. It’s starving. The mainstream skincare industry has convinced us that we need expensive serums, chemical exfoliants, and lab-made moisturizers to have healthy skin. But the truth is simpler and more accessible than that.
Your skin needs the same thing your body needs: real, whole, nutrient-dense ingredients that it can recognize and use.
In this episode of C3: CODE Conscious Conversations, the conversation bridges the gap between what we eat and what we put on our bodies. It’s a reminder that health starts with understanding biology, respecting natural systems, and getting back to the basics.
Skincare isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about feeding your largest organ what it actually needs to thrive.
🎧 Listen to the full episode now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify: Charles Mayfield: Is Your Skincare Actually Feeding Your Skin or Just Sitting on Top?
FAQs on Animal-Based Skincare and Skin Health
1. Is it safe to put lard on my skin?
Yes, when it comes from pasture-raised pigs. Lard from healthy pigs is nutrient-dense, has a lipid profile that matches human skin, and is rich in vitamins A and D. However, avoid conventionally raised pork fat, which can be inflammatory and nutrient-poor.
2. Will animal-based skincare clog my pores?
No. High-quality animal fats like lard and tallow are non-comedogenic, meaning they don’t clog pores. In fact, because your skin can actually metabolize these ingredients, they’re absorbed quickly and used for cellular repair rather than sitting on the surface.
3. Can I use these products if I have eczema or psoriasis?
Yes, topically. Animal-based skincare can help reduce inflammation, soothe itching, and provide the nutrients your skin needs. However, chronic conditions like eczema and psoriasis often have underlying causes related to diet, gut health, or environmental factors. Topical care is part of the solution, but you’ll want to address the root cause as well.
4. How do I know if my skincare products are actually working?
If your skin feels temporarily smooth but you need to reapply constantly, your products are likely just sitting on the surface. If your skin improves over time, requiring less product, and you notice better texture, elasticity, and resilience, your products are actually feeding your skin.
5. Does the paleo diet apply to skincare?
Absolutely. The principle is the same: if you can’t pronounce it, you probably shouldn’t put it on your body. Your skin is your largest organ and it absorbs what you put on it. Choosing simple, whole ingredients makes sense for skincare just as much as it does for food.
6. What about people who don’t eat animal products? Can they use animal-based skincare?
That’s a personal choice. Many people who avoid animal products in their diet are comfortable using them topically because there’s no ethical conflict with the consumption of the animal. However, everyone has different values and comfort levels.
7. Why does source matter so much for animal fats?
Because what the animal eats and how it lives directly impacts the quality of its fat. A pig raised on corn and soy in confinement will produce inflammatory, nutrient-poor fat. A pig raised on pasture with sunshine and a natural diet will produce nutrient-dense, balanced fat. Your skin will reflect that difference.
8. Can I just buy lard from the grocery store and use it on my skin?
Not recommended. Most grocery store lard comes from conventionally raised pigs and is often hydrogenated or processed with chemicals. Look for pasture-raised, unrefined lard from a trusted source, or use products specifically formulated for skincare like Farrow Skin.
9. How does this tie into sustainable farming?
When you support pasture-raised animal products, you’re supporting farming systems that build soil instead of depleting it. Pigs play an important role in multi-species farming systems that mimic natural processes and create long-term environmental sustainability.
10. Where can I learn more about Farrow Skin?
Visit Farrow Skin’s website to explore their products and learn more about Charles Mayfield’s mission to bridge farming, food, and skincare through animal-based, microbiome-supportive products.
Listen to this podcast now at C3 Podcast or join us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
