Tallow - is it safe?
I can’t believe this I don’t see anyone else talking about this.
Tallow is animal fat….and animals are absolutely not living off a diet of filtered water and pesticide free air and land.
My brain immediately goes to these substances found in fat cells, but I’m sure there are many more:
toxins stored in fat cells
PAH’s
these are found to be cancer causing, and mutagenic, meaning able to change your DNA. In fact- one study showed found that those women with high levels of PAH had a 50 percent greater risk of breast cancer. Prenatal exposures are associated with lower IQ, asthma low birth weight, premature deliver and heart malfunctions.
Flame Retardants
these are endocrine (hormone) disruptors and obesogens. They are connected to thyroid issues, non-Hodgkins lymphoma and increased risk of breast, ovarian and cervical cancer.
Pesticides
I’ve done a whole series on pesticide risks and you can check them out here, here and here. But for this convo, I want to chat about Atrazine. This has been found in 75% of surface water and 40% of all groundwater in agriculture areas and in 90% of drinking water tested by the USDA. Atrazine is connected to birth defects, hormone disruption and menstrual cycle disruption, reduced sperm count and quality, insulin resistance, and weight gain to name a few.
Heavy Metals
even at very low exposures, heavy metals such as lead, hexavalent chromium, and arsenic are connected to neurotoxicity, many types of cancers, reproductive harm such as spontaneous abortion and infertility, hormone disruption, organ disfunction, increased risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Other risks
Mamavation did research on phthalates in tallow and it shows a great risk of phthalate exposure. Read her study here.
My suggestion
Unless a company is sharing that they POST MANUFACTURE test for phthalates, heavy metals, pesticides, mold and bacteria, and then share those results, I would not recommend using tallow because of the high risk of the toxic substances outlined above.
Head over to my Approved Page for more clean moisturizer options!
The information offered by me is for general educational and informational purposes only. None of this information is a substitute or replacement for professional or medical advice.
Please note that the products may contain affiliate links to products or services. I may receive a commission for any purchases made through these links. However, this does not affect the recommendations or advice provided. Any reviews or recommendations of products or services are done in good faith based on my experience, their relevance to the needs, and my belief in their value and alignment with my values. I am not responsible for any dissatisfaction with third-party products or services, and may not be held liable for any injuries or damages that occur as a result of their use.
© 2025 Transparent + Simple + Wellness. All rights reserved