When my first child was born, I knew there were a few options for keeping her dry and copacetic in the diaper region. When an atypical-looking rash appeared and didn’t go away with the usual treatment (zinc oxide diaper cream, like this one from Burt’s Bees), I turned to powder.

Avoiding Talc Powder

I, like many Americans, grew up with talc baby powder in my bathroom cabinets. Unfortunately, some talc powder contains the carcinogen asbestos, and the FDA does not require companies  to test and ensure their products are asbestos-free; in fact, beauty products in general do not have to be reviewed or approved by the FDA before going on the market.

Despite the FDA’s ambivalence on the true danger of talc, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Health Organization [WHO]), classifies talc that contains asbestos as “carcinogenic to humans,” and, in 2017, a woman was awarded $417 million from an Los Angeles jury after alleging her ovarian cancer was linked to her decades-long use of Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder (the same brand that was in my childhood home all those years).

Talc may still somehow still available on store shelves, but I would NOT recommend its use on you or your precious children.

What about cornstarch?

I ended up trying what all the “eco” brands were offering: a cornstarch-based powder. Well, long story short, my daughter had what’s known as a yeast rash, and the cornstarch actually fed the yeast and made the rash worse! It was frustrating to learn that the hard way, but the product I discovered after I ditched the cornstarch powder next really became a game changer for me.

Ora’s Amazing Herbal Baby Powder

Ora’s powder is cornstarch, grain, and talc-free, and feels just like baby powder should. It’s made with lead-free clay and is scent-free. The unique blend has been a godsend for our family and has pretty much replaced diaper cream in our home for our 1-year-old — AND I only have to replace it every 4-6 months or so!

I mentioned Ora’s to a friend recently and she said: Thank goodness you mentioned that powder.. My daughter’s diaper rash vanished after we started using it and has never been as bad since!

What do YOU think?

Do you use powder on your little one or yourself? Do you have a brand you like? Leave a comment below and let us know!