DIY Beauty: talc-free lavender dusting powder

I wasn’t a huge fan of lavender…until now. I swear to you that the smell of this can of dried lavender buds is superbly intoxicating and I can’t get enough of it. I bought it, thinking that I’ll make a drink out of the buds but turned out, I’m trying to use it for every other thing except drinking. So today, I’ll show you my first DIY beauty project with dried lavender buds – talc-free dusting powder!

Healthier and cheaper alternative
There are plenty of dusting powder, body powder or deodorant powder in the market but most of these contain talc, which is a concern because they may contain asbestos, a substance known to cause cancers in and around the lungs. Even for those dusting powder that do not contain talc, they do cost quite a bit. But with my DIY recipe, the cost adds up to about S$8 and it’s probably worth many tubs of the commercial dusting powder!

Use of oil & moisture absorbing powder
So this recipe is easy. I use mostly rice powder with a mix of corn starch, both of which are great at absorbing oil and moisture. You can already use the mixture as it is but the thing is, the smell of rice is very strong and it doesn’t make for a luxurious or pampering experience. But with a handful of the lavender buds thrown in and shaken with the powder, the scent changes and your experience is brought to a whole new level. Even though the powder isn’t exactly silky soft but it’s good enough for me and I LOVE IT!

Use it freely any way you like
You can use this powder on your body, on your underarms or even on your foot. I use it on my neck and underarms in the evenings mainly for the soothing scent. It was good that I kept some old loose powder as the container came in handy for this recipe. Oh and I forgot to mention the last time that I got these dried flowers from Hock Hua Medical Hall. This can of lavender cost S$2.50. I suppose there are probably other sources to get the lavender buds in Singapore and if you know, do share!

Comments

  1. EcoBeauty says:

    Ah! At first look I thought the dried lavender flowers were rat poison, the dried pellets type. :p

    I’ll probably try this recipe for hubby since he likes using drying powder for his feet. ?
    EcoBeauty last post is: DIY: Aloe-Rosemary Energizing Scalp Mask for Thicker Hair

  2. sesame says:

    Wahahaha…rat poison pellets!!! I haven’t seen rat poison but they do look like dried poop of some insects. ?

  3. Swati says:

    oh wow…so its like you mix equal quantities of rice powder and corn starch??
    Swati last post is: Svaztha Neelini Natural Hair Oil {Product Review}

  4. Lydia says:

    omg!! this looks really nice!! wanna try this out so badly!! but I’m not a huge DIY person because they fail on me most of the time…
    Lydia last post is: Sunscreen and KIBIO Organic Skincare

  5. sesame says:

    Well, if it’s not too much trouble for you to get the ingredients, try it for the fun. ?

  6. sesame says:

    I put in more rice powder for this one.

  7. Nadine says:

    what a great idea! I grow lavender in my garden and just harvested the summer flowers. I usually just make sachets for my clothes but I will try the dusting powder this year too. I may even make little presents for my girlfriends this way.

  8. sesame says:

    It’ll make a very sweet gift – your girlfriends will love it. ?

  9. df says:

    wtf i never knew that about talc!!!!

  10. sesame says:

    You can run a search to find out more. That’s why some pple avoid using baby powder that contains talc. But many of our makeup powder contains talc.

  11. Ms. Blacklace says:

    Hock Hua as in the Hock Hua tonic at serangoon?

  12. sesame says:

    In Chinese, it is Fu Hwa…outlets at many shopping centres.

  13. Ms. Blacklace says:

    I made my own lavender water using just the lavender flowers.

    Just steep 1 teaspoon of flowers with 50ml of hot water. Lovely smell! Much cheaper than a lavender hydrosol and works just as well!

  14. sesame says:

    Yeah, that should work…I was trying to make a perfume but didn’t turn out as well…

  15. LS says:

    Hi just wondering for the rice powder and corn starch, is it from supermarket?? And how much quantity to add in for rice n corn starch

  16. sesame says:

    Yes, you can get them from the supermarket. You can add equal amount eg. one tbs rice powder + one tbs corn starch or you can add more rice powder if you like.

  17. Mamashae says:

    I’m so glad I found your blog. It is chock-full of info, tips and tricks, research and reviews. My question is, how do you make your own rice powder?

  18. sesame says:

    You can grind from rice but I just buy cos when I grind, I can’t make them so fine.

  19. kaithlin93 says:

    hey sesame, can this be used on the face? i feel like using it as a substitute to my blotting paper…oh anw,ive been searching for tt kind of container..

  20. Sesame says:

    Hmm…yes but your face would be quite white.

  21. kaithlin93 says:

    tested it..nope doesnt leave a white cast on my face ? its like a transluscent loose powder..

  22. Sesame says:

    Oh that’s great!

  23. JamesMethew says:

    Great post!!

    I really appreciate your wonderful alternative for dusting powder.Is it really easy to make my own lavender water using the lavender flowers?But I thought it is the best alternative to save our time.It is heathier and non-toxic.

  24. Sesame says:

    I’m not sure…I tried infusing flowers in the past but it wasn’t the easiest to do.

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