What Are The Benefits of Tallow Soap?
Tallow soap is a traditional type of soap made using rendered animal fat (tallow) as the primary fat source, usually from beef or mutton.
First, who uses the word "mutton" anymore? Second, when tallow is combined with lye (sodium hydroxide) through the process of saponification, it creates a hard, long-lasting bar soap that can clean with the best of them.
Historically, tallow soap was one of the most common types of soap before the widespread availability of vegetable oils. Crazy enough, many traditional soap makers and homesteaders still prefer tallow soap for its superior lathering, and, to utilize all available ingredients on hand.
What is Sodium Tallowate?
Sodium tallowate is the chemical name for the soap that forms when tallow (animal fat) reacts with sodium hydroxide (lye) in the saponification process. More specifically, it's the sodium salt of the fatty acids found in tallow.
When tallow (which contains triglycerides) reacts with sodium hydroxide, it breaks down into fatty acid salts (soap) and glycerin. The fatty acid portion combined with the sodium from the lye creates sodium tallowate. Sodium Stearate and Sodium Palmitate are the specific salts of the main fatty acids found in tallow.
What does Sodium Tallowate do for soap?
- Creates a hard, long-lasting bar of soap
- Produces a stable, creamy lather
- Helps make the soap cleansing and gentile on the skin
The Benefits of Tallow Soap
Tallow soap is a remarkable skincare product, as the fats in tallow closely mirror the composition of our skin cells, allowing the soap to nourish and protect the skin barrier in a way that few other ingredients can.
In short, there is a wealth of beneficial compounds in the soap. It contains fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, all good for your skin health. Vitamin A helps with cell turnover and repair, vitamin D supports immune function, vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, and vitamin K aids in healing. Already a good start. Furthermore, tallow contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which helps tamp down inflammation.
Tallow soap is a bit harder than not, despite the luxurious, creamy lather it creates. The hardness helps to ensure it remains in your shower caddy a bit longer than other bars. Tallow soap also doesn't leave your epithealeal layer feeling stripped or tight.
Further, there are environmental benefits to making and using tallow soap. Excess rendered cow fat, for most families, gets chucked with the compost or trash every week. It also provides an alternative to often-used fats such as palm oil, which has some negative environmental concerns surrounding it.
Last, the antimicrobial properties inherent in tallow soap provide more awesome. These natural properties help keep the soap fresh and stable without the need for synthetic preservatives. Think big benefit for those sensitive skin folks who need to avoid harsh synthetic ingredients.
Brands of Tallow Soap
If you don't have time to get down to your local farmer's market and have no idea how soap works, you're gonna need to buy it.