How do you make herbal baby powder?

Ingredients: 1 tsp Plantain Leaf (dried) 1/2 cup Bentonite Clay. 2–3 tbsp Kaolin Clay. 2–3 dried Calendula Flowers (or 1–1.5 tsp of petals) OPTIONAL: 2 drops of Lavender essential oil (And not a drop more! Trust me, this is plenty.)

What are the ingredients for baby powder?

It may be composed of talc (in which case it is also called talcum powder), corn starch or potato starch . It may also contain additional ingredients like fragrances. Baby powder can also be used as a dry shampoo, cleaning agent (to remove grease stains), and freshener.

What is the formulation of herbal talcum powder?

Herbal talcum powder, comprising of corn flour, arrowroot, multanimitti (Fuller's earth), rose petal powder and almond oil , offers diverse skincare benefits. Corn flour and arrowroot absorb excess oil and soothe, ideal for oily and sensitive skin.

How do you make homemade baby powder?

Simply add 1/4 cup of cornstarch to a bowl along with 1/4 cup of baking soda and 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder . Mix well and store in a jar. This homemade baby powder will not clump and can be used just like any conventional baby powder.

How do you make baby powder from scratch?

Natural Baby Powder Recipe with Essential Oils Sift clay and arrowroot powder together and stir well. Add dry herb powders and mix thoroughly. If using oil or hydrosol, add drop by drop, mixing well between drops to avoid clumping. Store in a sealed container in a dry place until needed.

What ingredient should not be in baby powder?

The American Academy of Pediatrics has long recommended against the use of baby powders that contain talc , because of both inhalation concerns and potential cancer risks. But what about cornstarch baby powder? “If you have to choose between the two,” cornstarch baby powder is likely the better option, Spinner says.

Can I use flour as baby powder?

Flour. Rice, corn, and oat flours are the best flours to use as a substitute for baby powder . However, all of these are slightly coarser than cornstarch and baking soda, so they won't feel as smooth on the skin.

Can I use cornstarch as baby powder?

Like baby powder, cornstarch helps dry out the skin and provides some slip to reduce the possibility of chafing . However, cornstarch also spreads through the air and can irritate a child's lungs if inhaled. Plus, cornstarch may potentially worsen yeast infections and yeast-related diaper rash.

How is herbal powder made?

Simply take one cup of your dried herb of choice, add to a blender or coffee grinder, and blend on high for about 30 seconds or until it makes a fine powder . Feel free to play with dried herbs from your own garden or the ones you're already buying in bulk.

How do you make baby powder with flour?

Add flour to skillet and let it sit for small intervals of time to warm and then slowly stir, 10 to 20 seconds or so . we dont want it to actually burn, just brown a very dark color. Just starting to brown after 5 minutes or so. Gently smooth out or smash any lumps that form while you brown the flour.

Can I use potato starch as body powder?

Some of the starches that can be used in a body powder are cornstarch, arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, rice starch, and/or kaolin (china) clay. Potatoe starch was a traditional ingredient in face powders in the 19th century and pea, kudzu, bean and other starches are also available.

How do you make organic body powder?

Homemade Body Powder 1 cup arrowroot powder or organic corn starch. 1 tbsp baking soda. 2 tbsp of white clay. 1/2 cup lavender buds. 50 drops lavender EO.

An Easy Recipe for Homemade Herbal Baby Powder (2024)

Skills

Abbye Churchill

Abbye is a writer, artist, herbalist, and co-author of the recently published, A Wilder Life (Artisan, 2016). Her handmade skincare line, Twin Tides, will launch summer 2016. She lives in Chicago.

updated May 30, 2019

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An Easy Recipe for Homemade Herbal Baby Powder (1)

Caring for a newborn is one of life’s ultimate challenges. There are the hurdles we all know (but parents never complain about, right?) — the sleepless nights, learning your baby’s needs without the helpful use of language. Another is the challenge of finding really high-quality products to treat your baby’s tender skin.

If you can’t find products that you love, why not make them? Making your own skincare products is often surprisingly easy and cost-effective, thanks to common kitchen ingredients, and it lets you know exactly what you’re putting onto your baby’s skin. Baby powder is a great place to start. Here’s how.

Why I Make My Own Baby Powder

Why make your own? Isn’t baby powder cheap and easy to find? Well, besides the ability it gives you to gently scent or customize the powder to your liking (or as a gift for a new mama), it also lets you avoid anything that you find irritates your baby. A newborn has incredibly sensitive skin, and some mothers prefer to avoid common ingredients that make their way into commercially made apothecary goods.

Why Some People Avoid Talc

Take, for example, talc. A primary ingredient in most commercial baby powders, talcum powder comes from industrially mined minerals, and it has been used for decades to absorb moisture and help soften the skin. The argument against talc is that trace amounts of asbestos have been found in the mineral, leading to beliefs that it may cause cancer. This obviously would make it a dangerous ingredient for the skin, and even more dangerous to lungs as the tiny particles are easily inhaled. In February, a Missouri court required Johnson & Johnson to pay 72 million dollars in damages to a woman whose ovarian cancer was linked to use of their talcum powder.

Read more about the Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder case: Johnson & Johnson Has a Baby Powder Problem

Technically, baby powder and other consumer cosmetic products are required to be made with high-grade talc that is free of even the tiniest amount of asbestos, but some mothers understandably prefer to simply avoid talc altogether.

What’s In Herbal Baby Powder?

This recipe for homemade herbal baby powder eschews talc and corn-based ingredients like cornstarch, which can sometimes cause skin irritation. Instead, I opt for arrowroot powder as the primary ingredient. This superfine powder quickly absorbs moisture leaving baby’s skin dry and free from irritation.

Arrowroot is derived from the rhizome of the South American plant Maranta arundinacea. Some historians say that the name comes from the practice of using arrowroot to draw out the poison in poisoned-arrow wounds, thanks to its moisture absorbing qualities.

French white clay, also known as Montmorillonite clay, also makes an appearance in this recipe. Named after the Montmorillon region in France, this clay is antimicrobial and is claimed to treat contact dermatitis and skin irritations due to its skin soothing properties. (And yes, while it sounds uber-fancy, it is widely available and only costs a few dollars. See our list of sources below!)

I like to add marshmallow root powder for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, helping to heal and prevent diaper rash.

Marshmallow comes from, believe it or not, the marshmallow plant, a member of the Malvaceae family. This perennial plant has downy soft leaves that feel slightly furry to the touch. The roots of this plant were one of the original ingredients in the puffy white confection we know today — before corn syrup got involved, anyway. Think of its inclusion in this recipe as a protective layer for baby’s bottom — a Stay Puft diaper, so to speak.

Finally, a few drops of essential oil can lightly scent the herbal powder. Just make sure when selecting your fragrance that you’re using only 100-percent natural essential oils and make sure to mix them thoroughly into your powder to avoid any potential irritation. We like orange blossom or lavender for everyday use or the addition of myrrh when bouts of diaper rash appear.

Suggested Sources

The cheapest and easiest source for most of these herbal ingredients is often your natural health foods store, where you can usually buy these specialty herbal ingredients in bulk. Buy just what you need (not a whole bag) for less.

Powder Puffs

Love the old-fashioned powder puffs seen here? You can find cute new options on Amazon and new and vintage options on Etsy.

Ingredients: Arrowroot powder, French Montmorillonite clay, and marshmallow root powder (Image credit: Quentin Bacon)

How To Make Herbal Baby Powder

Makes 1 1/2 cups baby powder

Supplies 

1 cup arrowroot powder
1/2 cup French Montmorillonite clay
2 tablespoons marshmallow root powder
3 to 5 drops essential oil, such as lavender, myrrh, or orange blossom

Equipment

Airtight shaker, such as a large salt shaker

Instructions

Combine the powders: Combine the arrowroot powder, French Montmorillonite clay and marshmallow root powder in bowl and whisk together until the powders are a uniform color.
Optional – Add the essential oils: While continuing to whisk, add 3 to 5 drops of essential oil and continue to whisk until blended.
Let the powder sit overnight: Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let the powder sit overnight so that the moisture in the essential oil can evaporate. If opting not to use essential oil, skip this step and go straight to step 4.
Store in an airtight container: Whisk the mixture once more to make sure the essential oil is evenly dispersed and then transfer to an airtight shaker. A clean, unused salt shaker works well, as does a cute canister and puff combo.

To use: Sprinkle liberally on baby’s bottom to keep him or her comfortable, dry and sweet smelling. Store the mixture away from moisture. If properly stored, the herbal baby powder will last up to six months.

20 Homemade Luxuries for Mama & Baby

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