Spill the Tea, Not the Tallow: A Little AMA Backstory

The Copycats, the DMs, and Why A Mama’s Apothecary Will Always Be the OG

There’s something about being an OG in the tallow skincare world - people remember.

Before tallow was trending, before Instagram reels were filled with whipped jars and earthy branding, we were here - lovingly crafting eczema- and psoriasis-safe tallow balm for sensitive families.

In fact, over a decade ago, tallow skincare didn’t really exist in Australia. We were importing jars from the States because we couldn’t find anything local that was clean, non-greasy, or truly healing. That’s what sparked A Mama’s Apothecary.

We didn't jump on a trend - we helped build the foundation for it.

And now? We’ve watched as others try to replicate what we (and a few other original Aussie crafters) spent years building from the ground up.

The Tea: How It All Started

One of the now bigger “natural” tallow brands in Australia?

They were once an AMA customer.

They reached out asking for help — how to make tallow, how to render it properly, what works for eczema-prone skin, what we used to get the clean texture and subtle scent. And because we love supporting low-tox living, we shared.

But here’s the thing…This person now publicly claims they were always passionate about tallow. That they were inspired to create healing skincare based on their own experience. That they’re a leader in the low-tox movement.

Yet -they knew nothing about tallow before ordering ours.They learned by asking us. They started by watching what we do.

And now?

👀 Our original tagline “eczema and psoriasis safe”?Plastered on their labels.

👀 Our beachy, earthy, minimalist aesthetic?Imitated almost to the detail (they rebranded eventually after being called out)

👀 Our product types, names, and even copy style?All showing up — just under a different logo.

Not Just One…

And it wasn’t just them.

Over the years, we’ve seen at least 20 other tallow start-ups emerge — and all of them?

Were once AMA customers, too.

Some came with kind messages and genuine-seeming questions. Some promised they were “just making it for personal use,” and definitely not starting a business. They swore black and blue they weren’t launching anything — just curious about the process.

…until a few months later, when “launch day” rolled around, complete with our taglines, product ideas, and aesthetic all over their feeds.

We’ve lost count of how many “inspired by” brands have popped up after placing an order and quietly collecting notes. And look — we believe there’s room for everyone in this space when the intention is right. But lying about your motives? That’s not low-tox. That’s low integrity.

🚩 It Gets Worse...

Soon after their launch, we started receiving messages from confused customers asking:

“Did AMA start a new brand?”“Are you working with this other company now?”

That’s how close the branding, product line, and voice were to ours.It was that obvious.

But behind the filtered photos and borrowed identity, the cracks showed:

• Customer addresses publicly shown on Instagram during order packing (yep — full names and suburbs on display).

• Tallow that separated or “drank” into the jar — signs of poor rendering or cheap fats.

• Overpowering beefy smell — not the clean scent of slow-rendered suet.

• Grainy or greasy textures — which can worsen conditions like eczema and TSW.

It became clear: This wasn't about creating a genuinely healing product. It was about building a brand — fast.

And in the process? Corners were cut. Trust was compromised. And loyal customers were misled.

The Ripple Effect: Copycats Everywhere

As AMA grew, we started seeing more and more “natural” skincare brands using our copy to “inspire” their own. Taglines. Product names. Ingredient descriptions. Even our exact phrases and educational content — copied and reworded.

And sure, we know imitation is part of doing something well. But let’s be honest — there’s a difference between inspiration and replication.

Why Long-Term Tallow Crafting Isn’t for Everyone

Let’s be clear: we admire the growth of anyone trying to build something from scratch. But there’s a reason tallow brands often struggle to last.

Crafting consistently good tallow skincare is hard.It’s not something that scales easily — and certainly not without compromising quality.

You can see it in their own reviews:

One jar is silky and perfect. The next? Greasy, smells like beef, or has separated in the jar.

That’s the reality of trying to mass-produce a product that was never meant to be bulk-made.

True tallow crafting requires hours of slow rendering, constant monitoring, and deep understanding of how sensitive skin reacts. It’s a process that doesn’t care about your business growth goals — and it definitely eats into your personal life.

That’s why our goal has never been industrial-scale growth.

We’re not trying to be the biggest. We’re trying to be the best.

And we stay within our own limits to protect the quality, intention, and results behind every single jar.

What Sets AMA Apart

At A Mama’s Apothecary, we’ve been here since day one — formulating skincare when there wasn’t a market for it, because our children needed it.

We don’t just sell skincare. We craft therapeutic, low-tox, ultra-pure tallow balm that’s safe for eczema, babies, breastfeeding, and those recovering from steroid withdrawal.

We:

• Render slow and clean, using only Australian grass-fed suet

• Hand-whip every jar fresh to order — no pre-stocked shelves • Refuse to bulk with seed oils or trendy actives that can irritate

• Protect your privacy and never post personal details

• Support our customers long after checkout — because healing is personal

So Here’s to the Real Ones

To the mamas, families, and long-time customers who’ve stuck with us — thank you. You know the difference between hype and heritage. Between original and opportunist. Between truly healing skincare and clever marketing.

We’ll keep doing what we’ve always done:

Crafting clean, healing, handmade tallow with real heart — and none of the fluff.

And to the brands still drawing from our work?

You're welcome. 😉

This blog is shared in the spirit of light-hearted storytelling and a bit of fun. While the events are true, names have been omitted because we’re not here to start fires — just to sip our tea and keep crafting quality tallow. 🫶