Arabic to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature

Hi everyone,

This is from a Sudanese text I'm working on.

I understand شحم to mean 'fat' or 'grease', but I'm not sure how it works in this context. The scene is where a woman dies from losing all her blood.

ولكن ظلّت تنزف إلى أن إزرق لسانها وأبيضت عينيها تماماً وماتت شاحبة كالشحم.

She died pale, like grease/fat? As pale as grease?

Thanks for your help!