talc

by Shareefah Muhammad

I must admit that I was indeed a baby/body powder addict in my former life! Whether it was Johnson and Johnson’s baby powder varieties (Original, Aloe or Lavender Chamomile) or their more adult like deodorizing scents by Shower to Shower, they were definitely a household staple in my daily hygienic regiment. As I continued in deepening my studies of natural medicine and alternative health, I took a course that introduced me to the dangers of talc and it’s association to different types of cancers. It was then that I had to end my adoring relationship with body powders; this was 2004. I never looked back.

Eleven years later, on my daughter’s 9th birthday, I told her she had to decide on a business she wanted to start because at the age of 9 I had a business. After coming up with a few options, she chose body powders. And with a newfound understanding of how what we put on our skin affects our health, it set us on a path to make sure we designed a product that not only smelled great but also could provide many therapeutic benefits. Of course talc was not an option! We even excluded organic cornstarch (after our 1st batch) because we discovered that corn has a tendency to feed yeast. So our final candidates ended up being arrowroot powder, tapioca (flour), baking soda, bentonite clay and essential oils.

As a result of this combination we have found many of our customers putting the powders to various uses that we couldn’t even imagine! Uses have ranged from deodorant, foot soaks, carpet fresheners, bed sheet and linen fresheners, pet deodorizers, poultices, diaper rashes, razor bumps, insect bites, boils and the list goes on!!! After learning about some of the unique characteristics of each ingredient it can be understood why Powder Power can be applied to all of these multiple purposes.

Take arrowroot for example, it is a starch that is used as a sauce thickener and has several benefits not limited to: helping address UTIs (Urinary tract infections) by reducing flare ups, acting as a digestive aid by reducing abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation and even boosting immune function. Tapioca is also known for being friendly to the gut and aids in lowering inflammation; great absorber of moisture as well. The various clays (green, kaolin, bentonite) are all excellent toxin adsorbers and fit very well into a body powder blend. Combined with therapeutic essential oils for fragrance, this combination creates a soothing and refreshing product that literally leaves talcum powder eating its dust! Don’t believe me, try it for yourself.

(A Houston native, Shareefah Muhammad is a QRA (Quantum Reflex Analysis) Practitioner, Nutritional Lifestyle Consultant/Coach, wife, mother, community servant, blogger, presenter, and business owner of Nu Day Services and Powder Power products. Visit her website: http://sistershareefah.com/)