Our Roots
A note from our founder
Hi, I’m Samantha — the hands and heart behind BareBone Roots.
This journey started in my own kitchen, with a pot of suet and a curiosity about how things used to be made. I wanted something better for my skin, for my home, and for my family — something real. That search led me to tallow, to time-tested methods, and to a deeper connection with the land and the animals that sustain us.
Every product I make is built on the belief that less is more when it's done right. I’m not just here to sell something — I’m here to bring people back to a slower, more intentional way of living. One jar, one bar, one burn at a time.
Thank you for being part of this story. Whether you're here out of curiosity or conviction, I’m glad you found your way to our roots.
— Samantha
2022 - it all started with a cow
When we bought our first cow, we didn’t know it would lead to this. At the butcher, I was asked if I wanted to keep the suet. I said yes — not because I had a plan, but because the thought of wasting any part of the animal didn’t sit right with me. That single decision sparked a quiet obsession.
I began researching how our ancestors used suet and learned how to slowly render it into tallow. I used it in my kitchen in place of oils when cooking beef — but I also tried my hand at crafting a simple balm. It wasn’t whipped, and it wasn’t perfect, but it was the start of something real.
2023 - from curiosity to craft
The more suet we received from locally raised cattle, the more determined I became to make something meaningful from it. I started experimenting more seriously with tallow balms, learning about its benefits for the skin. Each batch felt like a small act of purpose: no waste, all intention.
I gifted jars to family and friends, not expecting much — but the response was overwhelmingly positive. People loved how it felt, how it smelled, how it worked. That encouragement lit a spark. I wasn’t just making something useful — I was preserving something meaningful.
2024 - digging deeper
This year was full of learning and refining. I dove into studying tallow’s nourishing properties and explored natural ways to add benefits and scent — using infused herbs, flowers, and roots instead of artificial fragrances. I developed balm recipes, then began working on soap formulas that would stay true to everything I believed in: simplicity, effectiveness, and full use of what nature gives us.
At the end of 2024, I unexpectedly lost my job. With no roadmap and nothing to fall back on but my growing passion, I made the decision to try turning this craft into something more. I didn’t know how to start a business — but I knew I had something worth building.
2025 - BareBone Roots
With a nudge from those who believed in me, and a deep belief in what I was creating, I signed up for a business entrepreneurship class and took the first real steps into launching a brand. That’s when BareBone Roots truly came to life — a name that reflects not just what we make, but why we make it.
This year marks the beginning of many things: a clearer vision, a growing product line, and the start of Tallow 101, an educational outreach to help others rediscover this forgotten craft. The Tallow House is getting busier, the roots are growing deeper — and this is only the beginning.
Looking Ahead
As BareBone Roots continues to grow, our mission stays the same: to create with care, honor the whole, and bring people back to the roots.
We’re dreaming of more — not in size, but in depth.
• A place where folks can gather around the Tallow Table to learn, share, and reconnect
• Workshops that pass on old knowledge in new hands
• Stronger ties with local farms and like-minded makers
• Seasonal collections that follow the rhythm of the land
• A continued promise to make only what we believe in, the way it’s meant to be made
Whether it’s one balm, one bar, or one conversation — we’re here for the long haul. This is more than a business. It’s a quiet return to what matters, and we’re just getting started.