Eco-Friendly Guide to Organic Baby Powder

Why conventional baby powders are toxic and how to choose natural alternatives.

By Maryruth Belsey-Priebe

Fact checked by Sander Tamm

Why conventional baby powders are toxic and how to choose natural alternatives
Eco-Friendly Guide to Organic Baby Powder

If you use baby powder regularly we’d like to draw your attention to some possible issues you should be aware of when it comes to conventional baby powder. We will highlight a few key chemicals that you should be avoiding and how you can go about buying and making natural baby powder today!

This article covers the following:

  1. Common chemicals in baby powder
  2. Non-toxic, organic, and natural alternatives
  3. Make your own homemade baby powder

Common chemicals in baby powder

Perhaps one of the biggest concerns about the use of these products is the inevitable inhalation of baby powder by you and your little one. The baby powder consists of fine particulate matter – tiny airborne particles that, when inhaled, can lead to things like bronchitis and acute respiratory infections, especially in young children. Talcum powders can fall into this category (they often come with “do not inhale” warnings) and can cause adverse reactions, including the development of different cancers. But there’s more to worry about than the simple presence of lung-clogging particles in your baby powder. Here are some additional ingredients of concern:

  • DMDM Hydantoin: This is a preservative used in many personal care products, yet it is a known human immune system toxicant and a suspected skin irritant.
  • Sodium borate: This inorganic salt is the main ingredient used to make cockroach poison. It is used in personal care products as a pH adjuster and has been linked to developmental and reproductive problems.
  • Synthetic fragrances: As with any personal care product for you and your baby, it’s best to avoid synthetic fragrances. Many of these man-made fragrances are considered persistent organic pollutants (POPs) because they stay in the environment for a long time, causing air and water pollution and harming wildlife. And when used indoors, they pollute your indoor air (because most are considered volatile organic compounds (VOCs)), contributing to common respiratory problems like asthma. Additionally, most chemical scents are accompanied by phthalates which have been linked to additional serious human health problems, especially in children.
  • Talc: Talc is a naturally mined mineral (mining is not an eco-friendly industry) that can come out of the ground naturally infused with asbestos, a known carcinogen, and there’s no testing of talc to ensure it’s asbestos-free. Though talc baby powder has been used for decades by parents trying to control moisture and odor, it’s not recommended for your baby. Choose ingredients like baking soda and cornstarch instead.

Non-toxic, organic, and natural alternatives

So if you’re looking for more natural baby powder alternatives, try out some of these safer products:

  • AROMABABY: “Natural Powder – Organic Lavender,” made with organic lavender oils and edible-grade cornstarch. Additionally, if you are searching for a gift package that includes natural and talc-free baby powder,  “Eco Baby Pamper Pack or “Natural Baby Kit are options to consider. More information about organic skincare ingredients from AROMABABY can be found here.

As with all of Ecolife’s recommendations, remember that we don’t want to harm the animals of the planet with our product choices. So look for the Certified Vegan or Leaping Bunny logos to ensure your chosen products don’t come at the pain of other creatures.

Make your own homemade baby powder

If you’re looking for a way to make your own baby powder, you can try many methods and ingredients.

Here are a few that we recommend:

  • Eco-Friendly Kids: This article from Eco-Friendly Kids provides a recipe for natural “Homemade Baby Powder“.   
  • Mountain Rose Herbs: A recipe is offered for a homemade natural baby powder with essential oils. If you need help in finding the natural elements, they provide the ingredients as well.