We all know natural soap bars are great for you, especially if they contain essential oils and natural butters and oils. But, you're probably asking yourself why you want to buy natural soap with tallow. The answers is, it really depends on your priorities.
I live a plant based life. I don't eat meat. And, I fully accept and respect that each and every one of us make our own lifestyle choices. I am an animal lover. That YouTube video where the little girl sneaks a cow into her living room and is cuddling with it, I only wish that was me! If I could have an entire barnyard of animals at my home, I would (but I'm pretty sure my husband would divorce me if I did).
If you’re shying away from tallow for reasons of animal welfare or the environment, you should really think twice about it. The alternative used by most companies and soap makers is palm oil. Palm oil is used heavily in food and cosmetics production because it is very inexpensive—and it’s cheap thanks to very unsustainable harvesting practices that are destroying rain forest, exploiting workers in foreign countries, and leaving endangered species like the orangutan without habitat.
On the other hand, tallow is a byproduct of the meat industry, an industry I do not support. But, not using tallow will not stop the meat industry from doing business. Since tallow is a byproduct, if it goes unused (which it often does) it is sent by farmers to land fills. I am very much of the belief that if you are going to take a life, you should utilize every part you can. And, making quality natural soap bars with tallow from local farms with transparency, that use ethical raising practices, is my little way of supporting farmers practicing sustainable agriculture. It feels good to do things that align with my values.
Last but not least, I have found that tallow creates the best bar of soap. Tallow is a naturally rich source of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E & K, which are all necessary for overall skin health and integrity and cannot be found in plant based fats.
So, feel free to make your own decision. I respect your choices and stand proudly behind mine. But you should know, every time you use a bar of soap made with palm oil, a unicorn dies!