Past Meets Present in Primal Perfection
How one couple is making tallow cool again
Suzy and Mo Hashem are the yin and yang of Darlin’ Tallow. Mo grew up with scientist parents and didn’t fall far from the tree. From a young age, he was enthralled by how things worked and went together. His curiosities were fostered by parents who engaged him in their endeavors and experiments. Then, along came Suzy, a creative spirit cultivated by entrepreneurial parents.
Mo was raised by parents who were as invested in the sciences as they were in nature. He refers to his mom as “a walking contradiction” because of her roots as a rural horse girl and her learned profession as a scientist. Suzy grew up in a neighborhood where it wasn’t uncommon to see chickens in people’s front yards. She attributes her ambition to the influence of her parents and the ways they always “found ways to make something out of nothing.” Consequently, they both received contemporary childhoods that, in different ways, honored nature, experimentation, creativity, and using their hands.
“I was raised with this cool mix of grit and curiosity. She [My mom] taught me to respect nature but also to understand it.” - Mo
Fast forward some years, to Mo and Suzy’s meet cute at their jobs in, none other than, the beauty and fragrance industry. Having pursued science fully, Mo felt confident in the field of chemistry in this industry but skeptical of the ingredients. While Suzy, on the other hand, loathed the ambiguity of products’ ingredients and was dissatisfied by the lack of independence and expressive spirit she was allotted in this big business role. Together, they stepped away to create something they were passionate about and believed in.
“My background in the fragrance industry also opened my eyes to how much unnecessary stuff goes into beauty products. I kept wondering why we were putting synthetic fragrance in something like a face moisturizer.” -Suzy
Knowing the different, yet collective, talents they had, the Hashems began seeking skincare formulas that were clean and effective. Suzy’s personal goal was to heal her own chronic acne and rosacea. By partnering with local, Veteran-owned Wagyu ranches and regenerative farms in Florida, the Hashems were able to really get to know their ingredients, and growers, as they began experimenting with new products.
“These cattle are raised on open pasture, cared for with intention, and genuinely loved. You wouldn’t believe the way they’re treated - it’s the kind of respect and stewardship that reminds you what real agriculture looks like.” -Suzy
Furthermore, they continuously call upon the wisdom of Mo’s parents to help them perfect their formulas. They love to work with timeless ingredients like tallow, magnesium, beeswax, and blue tansy. As a family they use their combined creativity and knowledge to produce new and innovative self-care products with enduring ingredients.
“We’re really close now, and she and my dad still help us all the time with Darlin’. It feels full circle, getting to build something that reflects everything we’ve learned together about wellness, family, and doing things the right way.” -Mo
And where modern science and the age-old ingredient of tallow meet, is Darlin’- a brand rooted in the wisdom of ancestral ingredients and solidified by modern research. Mo and Suzy named Darlin’ as an ode to the “approachable” and "kind" charm of the south “where everything feels a little slower and more genuine.” Darlin’ is approachable because of the ingredients and the branding. Suzy aims to create a brand that is fun- I mean check out their marketing! They want people to know that tallow isn’t just for the “crunchy-crowd”- it is for everyone to use, enjoy, and experience the positive results. Suzy calls tallow the “superstar who never should have been forgotten!”
“We joke that Darlin’ is like a mix of Suzy’s creative artist brain and my mad scientist side. Between her eye for design and my obsession with getting the chemistry right, it’s the perfect mix.” -Mo
Now, Darlin’ is seeing the success of making tallow fun, understandable, and usable for all. In over 400 retailers across the country, Darlin’ products are getting into the hands of people who would have never thought to use tallow before.
“We’re seeing so many people struggling - with autoimmune issues, infertility, chronic disease - and it all ties back to what we’ve been putting in and on our bodies for years. If we can help lighten that load, even just a little, we will. Our goal is to make it easy and accessible for anyone to start making small changes that matter, without sacrificing trust, performance, or aesthetic.” -Suzy
To understand one’s gifts takes work, to know how to use them takes practice. Suzy and Mo are the epitome of those who identified their individual talents and now use them collectively to create a better world for themselves, their families, and others. They didn’t suppress their ambitions in order to conform to society. They took what is old, stigmatized, “crunchy”, “gross”, and they modernized it to meet the needs of people today. Darlin’ is the perfect metaphor for how old ways are never out of style; they just might need a revival with some glitter, glam, and a cowboy hat!
“Darlin’ is proof that you can do it all - you can care about clean ingredients, support local farmers, and still love a good lipstick and a night out.”
