Updated September 2026 by the Elyva team. We make Elyva, so read this with that bias in mind. Everything below about Evil Goods comes from their public product pages, and where they genuinely win, we say so.
The 60-second answer: if your skin is reactive, fragrance-intolerant, or recovering from retinol and acids, Elyva is the better pick: zero fragrance, zero essential oils, and actual barrier-repair actives (bakuchiol 0.75% and THDA vitamin C 2%) in the jar, backed by a 30-night keep-the-jar guarantee. If you want a simple, traditional tallow balm from a big brand with lots of product variety and a lower one-time price, Evil Goods is a solid choice. Their Tallow Honey Balm is $24.99 for 2 oz with four natural ingredients.
Side by side
| Elyva Whipped Tallow Moisturizer | Evil Goods Tallow Balm | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $40 one-time, or $25/month subscription (free US shipping) | $24.99 (2 oz), $34.99 for the whipped Manuka honey version |
| Size | 2 oz | 2 oz |
| Ingredients | 5: grass-fed tallow, bakuchiol 0.75%, THDA vitamin C 2%, jojoba oil, vitamin E | 4: grass-fed and grass-finished beef tallow, cold-pressed organic olive oil, calendula extract, organic vitamin E |
| Fragrance / essential oils | None. Zero fragrance, zero essential oils | No added fragrance in the base balm; scented variants exist across their range |
| Active renewal support | Yes: bakuchiol (plant-based retinol alternative) plus stable vitamin C | No: this is a pure moisture balm |
| Texture | Whipped, absorbs in about a minute | Traditional balm; the olive oil base is richer and slower to absorb |
| Product range | One SKU, one focus | 21+ products: balms, deodorant, soap, sunscreen, magnesium, bundles |
| Guarantee | 30-Night Calm Skin Guarantee: full refund and keep the jar | Standard return policy |
| Made | Handmade in Florida | US-based, large-scale brand |
Where Evil Goods honestly wins
Price and variety. $24.99 for 2 oz is a fair price for a clean tallow balm, and if you want one brand for balm, deodorant, soap, and sunscreen, they have the range. Scale and social proof. They are one of the biggest tallow brands in the country with a mountain of reviews, and that kind of volume means a lot of people are happy with the product. If your skin is not particularly reactive and you just want a straightforward natural balm, it is a perfectly reasonable buy.
Where Elyva wins
Reactive and sensitive skin. Evil Goods uses olive oil and calendula extract, which are fine for most people but are exactly the kind of extras that skin like ours objects to. Elyva was built by someone whose face swelled from aloe vera. Five ingredients, no fragrance, no essential oils, no plant extracts beyond what the skin barrier actually uses. Retinol and acid users. No Evil Goods balm contains renewal actives. Elyva pairs tallow with bakuchiol and THDA, so the jar repairs tonight and still supports your anti-aging routine on retinol off-nights. The guarantee. Use it 30 nights, get a full refund if your skin is not visibly calmer, and keep the jar. Nobody at their scale offers that.
"I did not set out to compete with the biggest tallow brand," says Ashley, Elyva's founder. "I set out to make the one jar my own skin could survive. The big brands make good products for normal skin. Mine is for the people who react to those products."
The honest verdict
Buy Evil Goods if you want variety, scented options, bundle pricing, and a mainstream brand with thousands of reviews. Buy Elyva if your skin is the reason "sensitive skin" products exist: reactive, fragrance-intolerant, post-retinol, postpartum, or eczema-prone. The $25/month subscription puts Elyva at the same effective price as their 2 oz balm, with actives included and a guarantee that removes all the risk.
FAQ
Is Elyva or Evil Goods better for sensitive skin?
For genuinely reactive skin, Elyva. Zero fragrance, zero essential oils, and a 5-ingredient list versus olive oil and calendula extras. If your skin is normal and not reactive, both work.
Which is cheaper, Elyva or Evil Goods?
Evil Goods' 2 oz balm is $24.99 one-time. Elyva is $40 one-time but $25/month on subscription with free US shipping, so ongoing costs are effectively identical, and Elyva includes bakuchiol and vitamin C actives.
Does Evil Goods have bakuchiol or vitamin C?
No. Evil Goods balms are pure moisture balms: tallow, olive oil, calendula, vitamin E. Elyva builds bakuchiol and THDA vitamin C directly into the tallow base.
Can I use either balm with retinol?
Both can seal skin after retinol. Elyva was designed for that routine specifically, with bakuchiol providing gentle renewal support on off-nights.