Traditonal, Regional, Authentic, Nutrient-Dense Ingredients
Our Story
"Eating organic, seasonally, and regionally is wise for sound health and nutrition. What we put on our skin should also reflect our local environment- it's plants and animals that sequester carbon from the atmosphere and are grown and grazed on regenerative soil, just as our ancestors have"
-Megan Bre Camp, Founder, CEO, and Tallow Artist of Summer Solace
Pasture to Palm™, Rooted in Ancestral Wisdom and Sustainability
When I saw friends with children suffering from eczema, I realized there was something I could do. Leveraging my experience as a holistic nutrition chef specializing in Ancestral diets, I knew that specific high-quality, local ingredients could offer relief.
In 2014, while advancing my career as a French chocolatier, I had a spark of inspiration. What if I created a premium quality skincare line using only regional ingredients and revived the traditional use of nourishing, pasture-raised animal fats? These natural elements have long been known to help with skin conditions such as dryness and irritation.
My vision began to take shape. I aimed to elevate skincare by emphasizing sustainability and local resources. As a woman with indigenous roots, I believe in a deep connection to what we put on our skin and use in our homes. This connection to the land, environment, and seasons, along with my community through the farmers’ market, inspired me to build my brand around the Slow Body Movement®.
Each ingredient has a unique story to tell. My goal has always been to source from the highest quality and ethically responsible communities of ranchers and farmers. I wanted to collaborate with people who have a purpose and source ingredients from the local California sustainable and regenerative agricultural community.
By prioritizing these values, my skincare line stands out as a beacon of quality, sustainability, and ancestral wisdom, offering effective solutions for those battling skin conditions.
Summer Solace Tallow is a small, family-owned business dedicated to producing slow-made, deeply nourishing, organic tallow-based skincare and home goods, established in Spring 2014 by organic chef and gardener Megan Bre Camp in Oakland, California.
Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, in a Military family and transplanted to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2004, Megan is deeply committed to sustainable living. With indigenous roots in the Central Highlands of Vietnam and the Filipino countryside, respect for animals and the environment and a strong spiritual connection to nature are woven into her genetic makeup.
Whether preparing seasonal and locally-grown foods for family and friends or crafting any of her Summer Solace Tallow balms, soaps, or candles, Megan is dedicated to reviving traditional techniques in all facets of her work. By encouraging the use of all parts of the pasture-raised animal, embracing the Bay Area's seasonal shifts, and prioritizing organic and locally sourced ingredients, Summer Solace epitomizes the Slow Body Care Movement®.
Using time-honored techniques and regionally sourced ingredients from Northern California
The Summer Solace production process starts with obtaining fresh suet, the fat naturally surrounding the kidneys and loins, from cattle pasture-raised on local Bay Area ranches by Stemple Creek Ranch in Tomales Bay. The fresh suet is then rendered into buttery tallow, infused with organic calendula CO2 extract from Petaluma, California, and combined with award-winning California extra virgin olive oil grown by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.
We take immense pride in working only with the highest quality ingredients: fresh suet tallow, pastured leaf lard, raw hyper-local beeswax, indigenous extra virgin olive oil (not the adulterated and refined kind), and pure botanicals and essential oils sourced from healers and natural perfumers.
This luxurious and soothing blend is the basis of nearly all of our products. Each balm is gently emulsified for optimal absorption and undergoes pH testing to ensure it is balanced, effective, and supportive of the skin’s natural barrier.
In addition to crafting ultra-nourishing pure tallow moisturizers and soaps, Summer Solace prides itself on having an array of aromatherapeutic balms, soaps, and candles, each meticulously formulated to create evocative and unique scent profiles.
As a producer and board member of Fibershed and Fibershed marketplace, Summer Solace has a booth at local Bay Area Farmers Markets where they curate Fibershed woolen textiles and naturally tanned sheepskins.
Megan studied culinary arts at the University of Alaska Anchorage and horticulture and permaculture at Merritt College in Oakland, California. Her diverse culinary journey includes managing and cooking in various kitchens across the San Francisco Bay Area, such as Standard Fare, Three Stone Hearth, and a French confectionary where she honed her skills as a chocolatier. Megan's passion for cooking with local and seasonal ingredients is complemented by her dedication to tending her organic garden and crafting perfumes in her spare time.
As a proud mother to her daughters, Ulrikke and Severin, and a loving wife to her husband, Brian, Megan is deeply committed to sustainable practices. She plays an active role in the Northern California Fibershed™ and Fibershed Marketplace as a producer and board member, advocating for sustainable fiber systems. Additionally, Megan is a member of Land to Market™, where she promotes verified regenerative agriculture practices.
Join Megan at the Summer Solace Tallow booth at the Oakland Farmers' Markets every weekend to learn more about her dedication to sustainability and discover her premium skincare products crafted with care from local, regenerative ingredients.
Journal Entries
