Sodium Tallowate Dårligst Cleansing Agent No known benefits Sodium Tallowate at a glance Sodium salt of tallow Made through a process involving lye Has a high pH Can cause skin barrier damage and irritation Sodium Tallowate description Sodium tallowate is the sodium salt of tallow (rendered ruminate animal fat that can be cow or lamb derived). It is made in a process called saponification that involves using sodium hydroxide (lye) and steam to break down the triglycerides in tallow. It is a common ingredient in bar soaps. So, is sodium tallowate bad for skin? Studies show that because of sodium tallowate’s high pH (thanks to its lye content), its inclusion in bar soaps isn’t good for skin. Since skin has a naturally low, acidic pH, the high pH of sodium tallowate causes skin barrier damage, leading to transepidermal water loss (TEWL), which can eventually result in dryness, redness and irritation. If you’ve ever washed your face with bar soap and experienced a tight feeling afterwards, that’s likely the result of barrier depletion due to sodium tallowate. Related ingredients: Tallow Soap Lye