THE JOURNEY
Tajima Tallow was born from purpose, resourcefulness, and a deep respect for what already exists.
Our journey began in Houston, Texas, where we had access to something exceptionally rare: pristine tallow derived from full-blood Tajima Wagyu. Historically valued across cultures for its richness and compatibility with the skin, yet it was largely overlooked in modern production and often discarded.
At the same time, we were on our own search for skincare that was honest and it worked. We were growing tired of formulas filled with unnecessary additives, synthetic fragrance, and greenwashing disguised as innovation. We wanted something clean, effective, and deeply nourishing. Something simple. Something real.
That search led us backward, not forward.
It raised a quiet but powerful question: What did generations before us rely on, before skincare became reinvented every season?
For Mayka, the answer brought her back to stories of her abuela in Chiapas, Mexico—a midwife and healer in a remote ranching village, where care was made by hand and remedies were rooted in tradition. Balms crafted from herbs, oils, and animal fats weren’t trends; they were tools for healing, nourishment, and daily life.
When we connected that ancestral wisdom with the purity of Tajima Wagyu tallow, everything aligned.
We had the resource.
We had the knowledge.
And we had a responsibility to use both intentionally.
After graduating from Texas A&M University, we began experimenting in our kitchen—rendering, refining, and reformulating until we created something that felt undeniable. By fall of 2023, we introduced our first small-batch balms at Urban Harvest Farmers Market.
We let the product speak.
People returned. They shared it. They asked for more.
By the latter part of 2024, demand began to outpace our ability to produce—sell-outs becoming the norm rather than the exception.
Today, Tajima Tallow is crafted in small batches using purposeful, nutrient-rich ingredients designed to work in harmony with the skin. Nothing unnecessary. Nothing added for show.
Tajima Tallow is our way of honoring lineage, where ancestral knowledge meets modern intention, and where care is taken at every step.
Rooted in tradition.
Refined for today.
Made to last.