Why This Journey Started
This all started in late 2020.
And no—this isn’t one of those stories where I blame everything on COVID.
But that year changed everything for me.
Everyone around me was getting sick. And then my mom was diagnosed with stage four cancer.
It rocked my world.
When someone close to you is diagnosed with cancer, something shifts. You start looking at everything differently—what you eat, what you cook with, what you put on your body, who you surround yourself with, how you spend your time.
Nothing feels small anymore.
And unfortunately… that was just the beginning.
Not long after, my dad was also diagnosed with cancer. And in the middle of all of it, I had a freak dog-walking accident that left me with nerve damage in my neck—something I wouldn’t wish on anyone. It affected me from my head to my toes.
It felt like, in the blink of an eye, my entire life flipped upside down.
And it wasn’t just me.
It felt like everyone around me was dealing with something.
That’s when I started asking the bigger question:
How is everyone so sick?
I Started Looking at Everything Differently
I did what most people do at first—I started switching to “clean” products.
Food. Cookware. Household items.
But the area I became the most passionate about was skincare.
Because I saw firsthand what skin health actually looks like when your body is going through something serious.
My Mom’s Skin Changed Everything for Me
Before we even knew my mom had cancer, her entire body broke out in a severe rash.
It was devastating for her.
She didn’t want to go out. It affected her confidence. It affected her mental health. She was desperate for answers.
That rash ended up being one of the first signs that led to her diagnosis.
And then came the treatments—chemotherapy and radiation.
And if you’ve seen what radiation does to the skin… you know.
The burns were awful.
The only thing doctors really had to offer her was something like Aquaphor.
But at that point, I was already deep into questioning everything.
So I looked at the ingredients.
And I couldn’t believe it.
That’s When I Found Tallow
Around the same time, I had started experimenting with tallow-based skincare for myself.
And I was shocked.
Something so simple… worked better than anything I had ever used.
It wasn’t filled with fillers.
It didn’t just sit on top of the skin.
It actually supported it.
And it was pure enough that you could literally eat it.
So I started making my own tallow-based creams for my mom while she was going through radiation.
And what happened next changed everything.
Her skin started to heal.
Not just temporarily soothe—but actually heal.
It helped repair the burns and even prevented new ones from forming.
That’s when I knew:
This wasn’t just about switching products.
This was about rethinking everything.
And that’s how TAGG Organics was born.
Everything I Stopped Using on My Skin
At the same time I was helping my mom, I was also simplifying my own routine.
I didn’t add more.
I started removing things.
I Stopped Using Proactiv’s 3-Step System
For years, I thought I couldn’t live without it.
But it kept my skin in a cycle—harsh, time-consuming, and never actually improving anything long-term.
When I stopped:
- My skin calmed down
- My routine simplified
- I stopped constantly chasing breakouts
I Stopped Using Traditional Moisturizers
This was the biggest turning point.
I used to deal with constant red bumps on my thighs that I thought were ingrown hairs.
They weren’t.
It was folliculitis.
That was an aha moment for me.
I realized I wasn’t just “dealing with skin issues”—I was creating them.
When I stopped using conventional moisturizers and switched to tallow-based products, my skin finally started to normalize.
I Stopped Using Synthetic Ingredients
Once I started reading labels, I couldn’t ignore it.
Most products weren’t helping my skin—they were just masking problems.
So I cut them out.
And my skin stopped overreacting.
I Stopped Using Synthetic Fragrance
Fragrance is one of the biggest hidden irritants.
Removing it led to:
- Less redness
- Less sensitivity
- Fewer flare-ups
I Stopped Using Harsh Soaps
That tight, squeaky-clean feeling?
That’s not clean—that’s damage.
Once I stopped stripping my skin, it stopped constantly trying to recover.
I Stopped Using Shaving Cream
Less irritation.
Fewer bumps.
Smoother skin.
Simple as that.
I Stopped Relying on Lip Products Like Aquaphor
I used to think I couldn’t live without it.
But the second I stopped using it, my lips would get chapped.
That told me everything.
A lot of products are designed to keep you dependent.
They don’t fix the issue—they just manage it enough that you keep reaching for them.
What I Use Instead
I didn’t replace everything with more products.
I replaced them with better ones.
Simple, nutrient-dense, tallow-based skincare that actually supports the skin barrier instead of disrupting it.
If you’re looking for a place to start, this is the exact formula I use daily:
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That’s it.
The Truth No One Talks About
Most skincare products are band-aids.
They don’t address the root problem.
They don’t improve long-term skin health.
They keep you in a cycle:
- Dry → moisturize
- Breakout → treat
- Irritated → soothe
Over and over again.
What Happened When I Simplified Everything
When I stopped overloading my skin and started supporting it instead:
- My skin became balanced
- Irritation went down
- I stopped chasing problems
- My routine became effortless
And more than anything…
I stopped feeling like I needed products to function.
Less, But Better
If this journey taught me anything, it’s this:
Your skin doesn’t need more.
It needs less interference and better support.
Sometimes the biggest shift doesn’t come from adding something new…
It comes from finally letting go of what was never helping in the first place.
