By Katie Vance
I was never a body powder user until I created this homemade recipe. It’s a natural rose DIY body powder that smells beautiful and leaves my skin silky soft!
Commercial Body Powder
By now, you have probably heard the dangers of commercial body powders. Many body powders and baby powders contain talcum, which is suspected to be tainted with asbestos.
In 2018, Johnson & Johnson paid $4.69 billion to 22 women and their families who had claimed that asbestos in the company’s talcum powder products caused them to develop ovarian cancer.”[1]
It is hard to believe that something so simple could cause something so scary! Of course, there are safer alternatives on the market, but making your own powder is simple and easy.
Homemade Body Powder
Since the purpose of body powder is to keep skin dry, an effective homemade body powder will do just that. So we will use simple, natural ingredients that absorb moisture. Specifically, arrowroot powder, clay, and powdered herbs are my favorites.
Arrowroot Powder
The bulk of this DIY body powder recipe consists of arrowroot. Sometimes called arrowroot starch or arrowroot flour, it is a gluten-free alternative to flour that is also similar to cornstarch. Arrowroot powder easily absorbs moisture and feels light and silky on the skin.
Clay
There is a small amount of clay in this recipe as well. Clay can be somewhat drying to the skin because it does such a great job absorbing moisture from water and even oil. I used Brazilian clay, but kaolin or even french clay would work just fine.
Rose Powder
To give this body powder a lovely aroma and a touch of luxury, I powdered dried rose petals. You can powder them using a mortar and pestle, but I actually used a coffee grinder! It took a little bit of trying, but I wanted to grind the rose petals ground to a very fine texture.
Rose Geranium Essential Oil
Lastly, I wanted to add even more aroma to this recipe, so I used some rose geranium essential oil diluted in camellia oil. While it might seem odd to add oil to a powder, it actually absorbs quite nicely and gives it a lovely silky feel. I prefer to dilute my essential oils in a carrier. That way no undiluted essential oils come in contact with skin.
Be Creative With This Recipe
The base of this recipe can be used to make a variety of other body powders! You can experiment with different herbs, like in this DIY baby powder. The possibilities are endless!
It also makes a wonderful gift for mothers day! Combine it with this rose-scented solid perfume recipe or this rose and oatmeal bath soak recipe for a lovely rose-themed gift basket.
Body Powder: A Rose-Scented DIY Recipe
I was never a body powder user until I created this homemade recipe. It's a natural rose DIY body powder that smells beautiful and leaves my skin silky soft!
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1 tablespoon rose powder (powdered rose petals)
- 1 tablespoon white cosmetic clay (also known as kaolin clay)
- 1 teaspoon camellia seed oil
- 3 drops geranium essential oil (Pelargonium roseum)
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Recycled spice jar
- 1 funnel
Instructions
-
If starting from rose petals, use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder and grind rose petals into a fine powder
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Pour rose powder into a small bowl and add clay and arrowroot powder
-
Stir well to combine
-
Measure out a teaspoon of camellia seed oil into another small container
-
Add 3 drops of rose geranium (Pelargonium Roseum)Â to the camellia seed oil and stir well to combine
-
Add oil mixture to powder mixture and stir well with a fork until no lumps remain
-
Using a funnel, pour powder mixture into a clean and sterilized spice jar.
-
Cap and store in a cool, dry, dark place
Notes
This homemade body powder will last 4-6 months when stored properly. I generally use mine before then as this recipe is enough for one spice jar. You can also omit the oils for longer shelf life.
Made this recipe?
Mention @diynatural or tag it #diynatural!
Have you ever tried using or making body powder?
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Sources
- Tiffany Hsu. Johnson & Johnson Told to Pay $4.7 Billion in Baby Powder Lawsuit. Accessed April 2019.
How would you apply this on a daily basis? Sprinkle on and run in with hands or use a powder brush? I’m actually making the masculine version for my son as well and want to give him the easiest way to apply. 🙂 Thanks so much.
Sorry again, but I was wondering about how long it would last using it daily? I understand it depends on how much is used, but about how many “days” worth do you get from this recipe? I need it to last about 10 days, using it daily as I’m going to a humid area for that long.
Thanks again! Just made it, waiting for the Rose Geranium to ‘turn’ and smell really rose-y!
You specify Pelargonium roseum as the ‘geranium’ essential oil in this recipe. However, the link you gave was for Pelargonium graveolens, the only geranium essential oil that MRH and many other essential oil carriers have; I have checked them all. Where did you get your Pelargonium roseum from?
Hi Carol! I got my Pelargonium graveolens from Eden’s Garden. I definitely recommend it!
Thank you for responding so soon. I wanted to make this body powder as I’m going to Florida and will most certainly need a powder to remain dry-ish. I have never used one before, but this one looks so wonderful. I’m leaving soon, so quick shipping was important.
Just wanted to note that I asked about the Pelargonium Roseum, (Which you specifically refer to in the recipe) NOT the Pelargonium graveolens, which you mentioned in this comment here as well as for MRH, which ONLY sells the graveolens version, as do most all other common essential oils sellers.
I hope I’m being clear trying to explain: You specifically mention Pelargonium Roseum in the recipe. You link to Pelargonium graveolens in the links on the recipe post and you mention Pelargonium graveolens in the reply to my comment, although the link you gave in the comment DOES link to the correct product, the
Pelargonium Roseum.
I just purchased it from Eden’s Garden. Thank you for the link! I’m adding them to my other sources for Essential oils now.
You mention that you used Brazilian clay. Where did you get yours, and why didn’t you recommend it in this recipe?
Good question Carol! I got my Brazilian clay in a sampler pack on Amazon. I have also made this recipe with kaolin clay since it is easier to find and works just the same. I’d say the two are interchangeable.
Hi can you use a different oil than camilia oil in the body power i have all the other ingredients
Thanks
Debra Nash
Hi Debra! Any light oil will do for this – jojoba, sweet almond, sunflower, or fractionated coconut oil are good choices.
what about a scent for guys? I would like to make some for my son
Great question Bobbi! I am working on a masculine version of this right now. You could try omitting the rose powder and substituting cedarwood and juniper essential oils for the rose geranium essential oil.
Where would I buy these ingredients?
Paula, many of these ingredients can be bought in the grocery store (check the baking isle for the arrowroot powder). Also, there are links in the recipe to the ingredients.