Commercial bath powders (aka body powder, dusting powder, baby powder) can be expensive and generally have a long ingredient list that includes unnecessary chemicals and talc, which has been linked to a variety of health concerns. These conventional bath powder options usually come in single-use containers that may not be recyclable, are often made from ingredients that are sourced from around the world, and require all sorts of energy, water and transportation to gather the ingredients, produce the product and deliver it to your local store.
While they might provide a luxuriously smooth, silky feel to your skin or help prevent diaper rash, these chemical and talc-laden baby powders are bad for you, your baby and the environment. Besides, once you see how easy and cheap it is to make your own bath powder, you will be wondering why you ever bothered buying baby powder at the store.
Here are four all-natural bath powder recipes that are simple, cheap and made from ingredients that you probably already have on hand:
DIY Bath Powder Recipe #1: Simple, Unscented Baby Powder
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup baking soda
Mix them together, and you're finished. It really is that simple to make your own baby powder that is eco-friendly and safer for your family to use. You can purchase both cornstarch and baking soda in the bulk section of your local natural foods store. You can scent this simple bath powder with 10-25 drops of essential oil*, if you choose.
DIY Bath Powder Recipe #2: Simple, Scented Baby Powder
1 cup cornstarch
10-25 drops of an essential oil* of your choice
DIY Bath Powder Recipe #3: Arrowroot Baby or Body Powder
1/2 cup arrowroot powder
1/2 cup cornstarch
Optional: 10-25 drops of essential oil* for scent
DIY Bath Powder Recipe #4: Even Easier Arrowroot Body or Baby Powder
1 cup arrowroot powder
Optional: 10-25 drops of essential oil* for scent
Tips for Making Your Own All-Natural Body Powder
You can store your bath powders in an old-fashioned sugar shaker (with holes in the lid) or repurpose an old powder container with a puff. If you use the sugar shaker option and don't plan to use the powder right away -- or would like to give it as a gift -- a simple square of cloth (organic cotton would be best) can be placed under the lid to block the holes.
If you prefer scented products, make sure you use essential oils -- not fragrance oils.
*If you are not familiar with working with essential oils, please take some time to educate yourself before using them in DIY personal care products. I would recommend using unscented baby powder for babies and toddlers. Also keep in mind that some people can experience adverse effects from essential oils. For example, rosemary should not be used by pregnant women or people with high blood pressure, and lavender can seriously dry out some people's skin - and even cause peeling in some cases. Essential oils have wonderful healing qualities and are perfect for use in home remedies, homemade personal care products and homemade cleaning products; we just need to make sure we know the possible side effects or contraindications for each oil we use.
While they might provide a luxuriously smooth, silky feel to your skin or help prevent diaper rash, these chemical and talc-laden baby powders are bad for you, your baby and the environment. Besides, once you see how easy and cheap it is to make your own bath powder, you will be wondering why you ever bothered buying baby powder at the store.
Here are four all-natural bath powder recipes that are simple, cheap and made from ingredients that you probably already have on hand:
DIY Bath Powder Recipe #1: Simple, Unscented Baby Powder
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup baking soda
Mix them together, and you're finished. It really is that simple to make your own baby powder that is eco-friendly and safer for your family to use. You can purchase both cornstarch and baking soda in the bulk section of your local natural foods store. You can scent this simple bath powder with 10-25 drops of essential oil*, if you choose.
DIY Bath Powder Recipe #2: Simple, Scented Baby Powder
1 cup cornstarch
10-25 drops of an essential oil* of your choice
DIY Bath Powder Recipe #3: Arrowroot Baby or Body Powder
1/2 cup arrowroot powder
1/2 cup cornstarch
Optional: 10-25 drops of essential oil* for scent
DIY Bath Powder Recipe #4: Even Easier Arrowroot Body or Baby Powder
1 cup arrowroot powder
Optional: 10-25 drops of essential oil* for scent
Tips for Making Your Own All-Natural Body Powder
You can store your bath powders in an old-fashioned sugar shaker (with holes in the lid) or repurpose an old powder container with a puff. If you use the sugar shaker option and don't plan to use the powder right away -- or would like to give it as a gift -- a simple square of cloth (organic cotton would be best) can be placed under the lid to block the holes.
If you prefer scented products, make sure you use essential oils -- not fragrance oils.
*If you are not familiar with working with essential oils, please take some time to educate yourself before using them in DIY personal care products. I would recommend using unscented baby powder for babies and toddlers. Also keep in mind that some people can experience adverse effects from essential oils. For example, rosemary should not be used by pregnant women or people with high blood pressure, and lavender can seriously dry out some people's skin - and even cause peeling in some cases. Essential oils have wonderful healing qualities and are perfect for use in home remedies, homemade personal care products and homemade cleaning products; we just need to make sure we know the possible side effects or contraindications for each oil we use.
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