True Origin Skincare: Modern skincare rooted in nature's wisdom. Luxury regenerative tallow formulas for deep hydration and mindful self-care.
- KLS
- a few seconds ago
- 11 min read
For the 228th feature of our "Together Talks" campaign, we collaborated with True Origin Skincare and Founder, James Giles.
True Origin | Regenerative Purity. Mindful Rituals. Naturally Thriving Skin.
True Origin is a modern luxury skincare brand rooted in nature's wisdom. Founded from personal necessity, our journey began when the founder endured over two years of relentless dermatologist visits with no relief from an intense, full-body red burning rash. After exhaustive searches and near despair, regeneratively sourced tallow finally brought relief and healing. This experience launched True Origin.
We are the only luxury high-end tallow-based skincare brand that elevates ancestral purity into sophisticated, non-toxic rituals. Our pure, anhydrous formulas deliver deep, long-lasting hydration while supporting the skin barrier, calming sensitivity, and promoting radiant, thriving skin.
Designed for wellness-conscious individuals seeking effective clean beauty with radical transparency and no greenwashing, True Origin handcrafts small batches in Utah using sustainable packaging. Experience regenerative purity through mindful self-care rituals that nourish body and soul.
"Together Talks" feature # 228: True Origin Skincare presented by KLS - Your Trusted Shipping Solutions In The USA
What separates you from your competition? What have been the biggest challenges? Goals for upcoming year + Next phase of the company?
What were your concerns to transition to starting your own business? What aspect of entrepreneurship do you appreciate the most? Do you have a moment that brings you the most joy?
Story of how it was created?
After 30 inconclusive biopsies and two years of medical dead-ends, I was rubbing my back against door frames like a bear against a tree, desperate for relief from a mysterious autoimmune condition that left my skin red, scaly, and burning from head to toe.
I would go in twice a month for at least two years, and each time they would tell us, "We're looking at this study; this might work." But every biopsy came back inconclusive. They would say, "We know it's autoimmune, but we don't know which one." I'm still technically undiagnosed.
Once a month, my doctors sent my case (blood work, biopsies, and all) to specialist groups focusing on rare and unusual cases. The response was always the same: "We've got nothing. It's inconclusive."
The only outside suggestion came from a dermatologist: "Tell them to stop doing the keto diet." I wasn't on the keto diet.
After two years, doctors proposed one final option: a chemotherapy drug to suppress my immune system. I said, "No, thank you."
Desperate and out of medical options, I went down deep, dark internet rabbit holes searching for answers. That's when I discovered tallow. "I'll try anything," I thought. Being a DIY person, I started rendering it myself. It was the only thing that worked for me. My skin was red and scaly, literally from head to toe.
I kept making it for myself because it was the only thing that provided real relief. Eventually, family members started asking questions, so I began making it for them, then for friends. Word of mouth kept growing, and I started thinking, "Maybe I've got something here." I have been making this for about 5 years, decided to start a business about a year ago, and officially launched 2 weeks ago.
What separates you from your competition?
Efficacy is hard to verify in this space. But one thing I realized is that I simply do things better than most others in this category. I source higher-quality ingredients, and I can go into those specifics.
As demand grew through word of mouth, I recognized not only that people wanted this product, but that I could formulate it better than anyone else. There was a lot of excitement around the opportunity. I genuinely felt like I had something meaningful.
At the same time, I also felt a sense of obligation. This product truly saved me and what was on the market was cheap and full of bad ingredients.
I'm the only brand that can claim we solely source our tallow from regenerative farms which is tiers above grass fed or organic in terms of quality. This matters because regenerative farming practices restore soil health, increase biodiversity, and produce nutrient-dense ingredients. The tallow I use comes from cattle raised on regenerative pastures. The quality difference is noticeable. Better soil, better nutrition for the animals, better end product for your skin.
Beyond the tallow itself, my approach to scent is completely different. I use organically grown rose petals, vanilla beans, and marshmallow root. That's another key differentiator, because all my competitors use essential oils for scent and I find that problematic. You can't verify the sourcing, what they're cut with, they oxidize quickly, and they will irritate your skin. For example, one drop of lemon essential oil is equivalent to 45 lemons. Imagine rubbing 45 lemons on your skin. That's incredibly irritating, especially for someone with already compromised skin.
A major difference is the amount of time I spend crafting a highly effective formula. I think tallow is great, but I view it as a base. Most of my competitors treat it as the main ingredient.
Tallow works well because its fatty acid profile is identical to the sebum your skin naturally produces. Sebum is the oil your skin creates to protect itself. Because of this similarity, your skin recognizes tallow and it helps create a protective barrier. I didn't know all of that when I first started, but over the years I've learned more about the science behind why it works.
However, 99% of my competitors' formulas are overly simplistic. Yes, tallow has a great fatty acid profile and contains trace amounts of vitamins A, D, E, and K, but it's not particularly dense in those nutrients. Many competitors rely solely on that.
Typically, their formulas include just three ingredients: tallow, a carrier oil to improve texture, and an essential oil for fragrance. I felt that wasn't optimizing the product.
So I went out and sourced high-quality, bioactive ingredients. For example, I use rosehip oil, which is often considered a natural alternative to retinol. Retinol is synthetic and highly concentrated, whereas rosehip is a natural source of vitamin A. I also use seabuckthorn oil, which is excellent for anti-aging and is known for benefits such as improving hyperpigmentation, reducing wrinkles, and supporting skin repair.
In addition, I include ingredients like castor oil, meadowfoam seed oil, and squalene. Many competitors use olive oil, which can clog pores, or cheaper oils like coconut or avocado oil to cut costs. I avoid those shortcuts. My goal has always been to create something extremely effective, especially for hydration. I source from EWG verified suppliers when possible and if not then I ensure it is cold pressed and organic.
What have been the biggest challenges?
Right now, the biggest challenge is communicating my differentiation clearly and concisely. I'm very passionate about what I do, and when I speak to someone who already uses tallow or falls somewhere on the "crunchy" spectrum, I can get them very excited. When I'm able to explain the what and the why behind my process, I'm close to a 100% conversion rate.
The challenge is scaling that message on social media, where you have two seconds for a hook and maybe 30 seconds to capture someone's attention. That's something I'm actively experimenting with and trying to refine. If anyone has advice I am all ears.
Goals for upcoming year + Next phase of the company?
My goal is to establish myself as a recognized and competitive name in the space. About a year ago, I decided to pursue this seriously as a business. I spent that time working on branding, production, and logistics, and we officially launched on social media about two weeks ago.
From now through the end of the year, I've set a lofty goal of $150,000 in sales for my first year. I want to stretch myself. I also want to continue refining production. I have a solid system in place, but there's always room for improvement.
This year is about gaining a foothold as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand. In the future, I'd like to scale into retail. I already have interest from several retailers. Next month, my products will be in a few doctors' offices. That won't be huge volume, and I can support it, but if I expand into more integrative medical practices or local retail shops, scaling production will be essential.
I have also received a lot of interest from local high-end medical and wellness spas. These environments attract customers who already understand the value of quality ingredients and are willing to invest in their skin health. It's a natural fit for the product.
Another major hurdle is figuring out Amazon. I know it's an important sales channel, but I can't do traditional FBA because my product is all natural. Amazon doesn't cool its warehouses, so my product will melt. I'm working on solving the logistics challenge, either through a fulfillment partner that can maintain at least room temperature storage or through an alternative fulfillment model that protects product integrity while still serving Amazon customers.
Figuring out retail distribution and temperature-controlled fulfillment are my two major operational objectives for the next phase.
What were your concerns to transition to starting your own business?
There were definitely concerns. The biggest one was financial. How am I going to provide for my family? My wife and I have three young boys. My oldest turns seven in March. There's real pressure when you're responsible for other people. Starting a business means trading stability for uncertainty, at least in the beginning.
But I also thought about what kind of example I wanted to set for my boys. Kids learn through seeing, not being told. I have fond memories of helping my dad when I was about eight years old, taking apart tuxedos and working alongside him in his business. Seeing his work ethic, fulfillment, and independence left such a strong impression on me. I wanted to create something of my own so I could offer that same example to my boys.
They already love helping. They fold mailers, pack boxes (even if we don't always get the orders perfectly organized), and insert the thank-you cards. It's been incredibly rewarding to involve them and hopefully inspire something in them the way my father inspired me.
The other major concern was skill gaps. I'm a product manager by trade. I understand product very well. I know how to validate and test assumptions, find what users want and are willing to pay for. But my weak points are the messaging and marketing side of it. The design, the copywriting, the visual identity. How do I add those skills early on when I don't have a team or a big budget?
Skincare felt completely out of left field given my background in software and product management. But as this began to grow, I thought, "I've got something here." Starting a business has always been in the back of my mind. I just didn't know it would be this.
What have you learned since becoming an entrepreneur?
Be willing to help and ask for help. Network with good intentions. Ignore that small voice that gives you doubts.
I'm grateful to live in Utah. I was born and raised here, though I've spent time in other states and abroad. Utah has an incredibly supportive entrepreneurial community.
One organization I've benefited from is Commerce Catalyst. They specialize in supporting e-commerce brands and host networking and educational events twice a month. Being able to connect with founders of multimillion-dollar brands and ask, "If you had to start over, what would you do?" has been invaluable.
Networking has been critical for filling in my skill gaps, and I've been blown away by how generous people are with their time and advice. When you're honest about what you don't know, people genuinely want to help.
Of course, there are moments of fear and doubt, wondering, "What am I doing?" But I try to push through those thoughts. With the right mentors and enough grit, I believe things eventually work out if you keep moving forward.
What aspect of entrepreneurship do you appreciate the most?
What I appreciate most is the freedom to explore and create. I'm not bound by a supervisor's perceptions of me. I don't have to play political games for promotions. My success is determined by me. By how quickly I pivot, test messaging, refine ads, and focus on my niche and ideal customer profile (ICP).
With my product management background, I'm very aware that it's not about me. I'm not marketing to myself. I'm serving a specific customer who loves my product. What appeals to them? What are their needs?
It's also about resilience. One negative comment can't derail you. If there's a consistent signal from multiple customers, I pay attention. But I don't let isolated criticism throw me off course. It's about balancing awareness without becoming overly reactive.
Do you have a moment that brings you the most joy?
Last week was Utah Tech Week, and I've been involved in the tech community for several years because of my software background. This year, I was given the opportunity to be the official skincare sponsor of Utah Tech Week and also co-host a wellness event that was part of it.
During the opening event, I brought about 50 jars and displayed them on the shelves alongside other products. Seeing my product there was surreal. It was sitting next to other great brands like FinalBoss Sour and Thread Wallets. Even more surreal was watching people fight over the last five jars. About a dozen people were literally competing to grab them. That validation, seeing strangers that excited about something I created, was incredible and honestly brought tears to my eyes.
Then, during the wellness event, I met an actress who has about 750,000 TikTok followers. Seeing her become a customer on the spot and turn into one of my most enthusiastic advocates was a powerful moment of validation. She even connected me with Shade Wellness spa, which led to another partnership opportunity.
That entire experience felt like a turning point. It was the moment where this stopped feeling like a side project and started feeling like a real business with real momentum.
Why tallow and what type?
When people hear "tallow," they immediately think, "Beef fat? Isn't that what you fry French fries in?"
There are different types of beef fat. Trim fat is what you cut off a brisket or steak, and yes, that's often used for frying. I don't use that. It's lower quality and doesn't have a great texture.
I use suet, which is the fat that surrounds the organs. It has a much better texture, doesn't have an odor, and is denser in nutrients. As I mentioned earlier, suet's fatty acid profile is identical to the sebum your skin naturally produces. Your skin recognizes it and knows exactly what to do with it.
Yes, it can seem unconventional, but it works. It's been time-tested for centuries. Your skin knows what to do with tallow instead of conventional creams and moisturizers that are full of petroleum byproducts. Would you rather have something that is all natural and clean, and you know it was sourced well, or something that came from crude oil?
Also, because most moisturizers are 80% water, they evaporate quickly and you need to keep reapplying. Tallow creates a protective barrier, actually hydrates, and doesn't feel heavy. And because I source exclusively from regenerative farms, the quality is even higher. Better soil, better nutrition for the cattle, better end product.
I personally know the farmers I source from, so I can verify that I'm getting 100% pure suet, not trim fat. That's an important distinction because it's a common question.
Piece of Advice
I live by two sayings: "You can either be right or you can be effective," and "If it isn't broken then don't fix it doesn't work in business."
The first one is about ego. You can dig in your heels and insist your way is correct, or you can adapt based on what actually works. I've had messaging that I thought was brilliant fall completely flat. I could have defended it, explained why it should work, but that doesn't matter. What matters is what resonates with customers. Being effective means being willing to pivot, even when you're convinced you're right.
The second saying is about complacency. Just because something is working today doesn't mean it will work tomorrow. In business, "if it isn't broken" is a dangerous mindset. Markets shift. Competitors improve. Customer expectations evolve. If you're not actively improving, you're falling behind.
Even if my formula and positioning are working well, that doesn't mean I stop A/B testing. There's always room to improve: to make the formula more effective or the messaging more compelling.
In entrepreneurship, you can't become complacent. Competitors are always coming after you. New entrants will appear. I actually keep a sticky note to remind myself not to coast, especially when I'm tempted to take a break and scroll for ten minutes.
Continuous improvement is the mindset.
Promo Code?
Purchase from their website, True Origin Skincare, and use promo code below: KLS20 -> 20% off!
Community Callout
Krystee Miller (Design and Website Pro) Jennifer Stamper (Email & SMS pro)
In Closing
KLS wants to thank True Origin Skincare and Founder, James Giles, for today's "Together Talks" feature. Follow along for their journey with their social handles below!