Dusting powder is the body care world’s new obsession. Dusting powder videos have been flooding my FYP and shopping cart this fall. However, the dusting powder obsession isn’t new at all — dusting powders were quite popular with women in the ‘70s and ‘80s (particularly in the Black community, as well) as a means to keep skin soft and smelling good. Recently, there’s been quite the resurgence of dusting powder online with many creators sharing their own DIY powders and product recommendations.
Recently, brands have been hopping on the renewed excitement for this product, with LUSH releasing dusting powders in many of their popular scents including Sticky Dates, Super Milk, and Celebrate ($16). There are plenty of other dusting powder brands, as well as DIY recipes, for people to try if they’re interested in getting into the trend. It’s clear that while there is certainly internet hype right now, dusting powders are a timeless staple you should add to your body care routine.
What is dusting powder?
But first, what exactly is it? Dusting powder is a fine powder (think baby powder) meant to absorb oil and keep the skin soft. Dusting powder is also particularly useful to prevent chafing. The product is commonly used under arms to help soak up sweat and oil, as well as between thighs and other common areas for chafing.
Dusting powder is also great for a long-lasting scent. Many powders come scented in order to keep your body smelling fresh all day.
Usually, dusting powders are applied with a puff — a soft pad that you can put the powder on and use to pat the powder onto your body. Many users also have cute dusting containers where they keep the powder and the puff, though this is optional.
How to use dusting powder
Many users stress the importance of a strong overall body care routine before you use dusting powder, so be sure to use body wash, lotions, oils, and whatever else you normally use in your routine before applying. The first step is to put some powder on your puff or gently dip your puff in the powder (it’s important to remember that less is more here — you don’t need that much powder to get results).
Then, simply pat the powder with your puff to any areas you’d like. The most common places are body areas where you frequently sweat or chafe. Afterwards, give the product some time to soak in, and you’re ready to go.
Dusting Powder Products to Buy
As mentioned, to apply dusting powder, you’re going to need a puff. There are many puff options on the market, such as this one from Megababe ($18) and these puffs on Amazon ($5). If you’d like a dusting container, consider this one from Walmart ($13), which includes puffs as well, or check out Etsy for some unique options.
In terms of actual dusting powders, it’s important to look at the ingredients when deciding on a product. One of the key reasons dusting powder got less popular after the ‘80s was more awareness about the potential harms of a core ingredient: talc. Many talc-based products — although not all — previously tested positive for asbestos. So, it’s safe to make sure your dusting powder is talc-free.
With ingredients in mind, some popular powders include Burt’s Bee’s Dusting Powder ($9) which is unscented, Shower to Shower’s Body Powder ($5) which also comes in a chamomile scent ($13), and Megababe’s Body Dust ($20). Many dusting powders come scented, like the LUSH collection.
Many users also DIY their own dusting powders by combining cornstarch shower powder, a perfume or body mist, and body oil. Different creators have different techniques, but the basis is to put the powder into a container, add a few drops of body oil or a few sprays of perfume, and stir it together. You can also add scent to unscented dusting powders by adding body oil or a few sprays of body mist as well.