🍋 Golden Hunt — Elk Tallow, Citrus & Honey Oats Facial Soap

Hugging Bubbles MT
Sep 14
3 min read

There are some bars that take more patience than others. Golden Hunt was one of them.

When I first began working with elk tallow, I learned from my friend Kelly that rendering is both craft and ritual. It takes five to six rounds of careful purifying — heating, straining, refining — before the fat becomes white as snow, clean, and free of scent. Hours stretch into days; the process repeated until the transformation is complete. By the end, the tallow is not simply fat, but a pure, steady base — rich in nutrients, deeply moisturizing, and ready to carry other gifts.

It is a long journey, but worth every step.

🌱 The Patience of Plants

The tallow alone is not enough. Into this bar I wove the quiet patience of plants:

Turmeric-infused olive oil — a golden infusion that itself takes time. Turmeric root slowly releases its warmth into oil, staining it with sunlight. Known for its calming, anti-inflammatory properties, it brightens skin gently and helps restore balance.
Gold Shea Butter — a velvet-like butter, sealing in softness and ensuring the bar cushions delicate facial skin.
Apricot Kernel Oil — light and silky, softening without heaviness.
Jamaican Black Castor Oil — grounding and strengthening, offering depth to the lather.

And to all this, a drizzle of local, unfiltered honey — a humectant that locks in moisture, leaving skin dewy and supple.

🍊 The Gift of Citrus

Working with tallow often requires balance. By itself, even when refined, animal fat can feel heavy. But paired with the zesty brightness of blood orange and fresh lemon juice, it becomes something else entirely.

In Golden Hunt, the scent is not animal at all — only the cooling, refreshing lift of citrus. Each wash feels both clarifying and invigorating, while the oils leave the skin nourished and calm.

It is proof that when animals and plants are brought together with gratitude, the result is harmony.

✨ The Philosophy of Gratitude

This bar is more than process and formula. It is a reflection of what it means to use what the land gives us — both animal and plants. Elk from the mountain. Turmeric, citrus, honey, oils from field and grove.

Philosophy teaches that gratitude is not only saying “thank you,” but transforming what is given into something that honors its source. In soap-making, the slow rendering, the careful infusion, the patient blending — these are all gestures of respect.

Golden Hunt is my way of saying gratitude: to the elk, to the plants, and to the quiet balance that emerges when they meet.