17 lesser-known uses of baby powder that will simplify your life

Most of us grew up with baby powder being the staple of our after-bath regime.

I remember sprinkling and dabbing baby powder all over my body when I was a kid, just so I could have that fresh, sweet baby smell lingering for the next half of the day.

I'm a mum now and although I'd think twice before sprinkling baby powder on my daughter (please see note of advice below), I’ve discovered that there are about a million other ways to use this versatile personal care product at home.

Allow me to take you through 17 of the most awesome ways that baby powder can help to make your life a lot simpler — and more economical too!

Fancy a dry shampoo?

I’ve been told by fellow mum friends that during confinement, one of the rules was that they were not allowed to wash their hair — at least for the first 2 weeks or so. They mentioned something about preventing the ‘cold air’ from entering the body.

During those times, baby powder was their lifesaver! Doubling up as a dry shampoo, it helps to remove oil and grease from your hair, giving you that freshly-washed look and feel.

Simply sprinkle baby powder onto your comb, and run it through your hair, from the roots all the way to the ends .

The sweet smell of baby powder will help to hold you through until your next bath!

Great for furry 'babies' too!

The dry shampoo concept works well for the family pets too!

If you notice your furry 'babies' emitting some kind of funky smell, and you’re in too much of a rush to give them a quick bath, you can turn to baby powder to save the day!

Just rub a handful or two (depending on how big your pets are) into their fur. Let it sit for a few minutes before brushing it down.

This helps to remove the oil build-up and keep their fur looking fresh and shiny.

Sand be gone!

During the first years, your little ones will come with overflowing energy stores, which keeps them busy exploring their surroundings.

Actually, the experts from the Health Promotion Board in Singapore recommend allocating at least 60 minutes of outdoor play per week to keep kids active and healthy.

As parents, we know that one of the tricks to getting your tot psyched about heading outdoors to play is to suggest a day out on the beach. But how do you get rid of the sand on your feet and clothes just before heading home?

Yes, you’ve guessed it right! Just sprinkle some baby powder over those areas covered in sand.

You’ll find that it’ll be so much easier to brush off — and you won’t have to carry those sandy bits back with you to the car or all the way home.

Sticky playing cards

Remember how a brand new set of playing cards almost always comes with that stiff, sticky feel? And that your solution to this is to just ‘play a few more rounds’ so that they can start to 'loosen up' a little?

Well, here’s a quick tip for your sticky card woes:

- Place your cards in a clean paper bag and sprinkle some baby powder into it.

- Give it a good shake to spread the powder evenly.

- Voila! Once you take the cards out of the bag and dust off the excess powder, you’ll find that shuffling is so much easier now.

Another plus point? Your cards will smell great too!

For tangles and shine

I may not be an everyday necklace and bracelet person, but when I do decide to put them on, one of my biggest pet peeves is to find them in knots and tangles.

Not only will this cause extra delay in dressing up before heading out, there were times when I almost broke the necklace or bracelet chains while trying to untangle the knots.

So, the next time you find yourself stuck in a similar situation, just remember to grab your bottle of talc powder.

Sprinkle some powder over the chain, and make sure you get some between the crooks and crevices. This will help to loosen up the knot, making easier for you to untangle it.

While you’re at it, you can also sprinkle some powder over the pendant and polish it with a clean tissue paper for a glossy shine!

Bye bye grease stains

If you happen to get grease (or milk) stains on your clothes, your quick-fix solution is just a sprinkle away.

Dab and rub some baby powder (you may use either a facial sponge or cotton ball) on to the affected spot.

Once you see the stain fading, shake off the loose powder from your clothes. Throw it into the washing machine and wash as per usual.

A smooth run

All you avid runners out there, you might want to take note of this!

Do you notice how your inner thighs tend to end up with burns at the end of a run, due to the friction of the skin on one thigh rubbing against the other thigh?

Before you head out, just sprinkle some baby powder on your inner thighs (and any other affected areas). This will help to keep your skin smooth and pain-free.

A great wax hand!

The busy-bee mums among us usually do our monthly waxing rituals right in the comforts of our bathroom. It allows us a few precious minutes away from the kids, just enough to 'refresh' us for a bit!

But how do you usually handle the pain and redness that appear after your DIY waxing session?

Yes, just sprinkle a dash of baby powder on your skin before applying wax! The trusty talc will absorb moisture from your skin, helping the wax to stick better to every single strand of hair.

The moisturising property of baby powder also helps to protect your skin, leaving it smooth minus the pain and redness.

Make-up magic

Did you know that baby powder does wonders to your make-up too?

The possibilities are endless indeed! Here are just a few examples:

Before applying mascara, dust a bit of baby powder onto your lashes. This helps to ‘plump’ up your lashes, making them look longer, fuller and prettier! Dab baby powder on your face before applying foundation. This helps to remove facial oil, and your makeup will stay on for a longer time. If you find your eyeshadow a tad too dark, mix in a bit of baby powder to lighten the shade. Put a touch of baby powder on your lips before applying lipstick. This will help the colour to stay on longer. (Note: Be careful not to lick the powder on your lips in the process!)

No more smelly shoes!

Here’s a great solution to all your stinky shoes woes at home!

Sprinkle some baby powder inside your shoes, and let it sit overnight.

Just before you put them on the next morning, shake off the excess powder — or for really bad odour, you can even skip this step and put the shoes on straight away.

The powder works to absorb the moisture and get rid of the horrible odour, while keeping your shoes smelling fresh.

Extra cool sheets

Have you ever wished you could slip into cool sheets on your bed for a great night’s sleep?

Yes, having the air-conditioner on would help — but you can also add that extra cool factor by sprinkling a teeny bit of baby powder between your sheets just before you hit the sack.

As you probably know by now, baby powder helps cools things down and will also leave a sweet scent on your bedsheets.

Do take note though not to go overboard with this, especially with your kids' bedsheets — and AVOID doing this to your baby’s bedding.

Please check out the note of advice below.

No more musty wardrobes

Here’s a great tip to freshen up your wardrobes and drawers without spending too much on scented sachets.

Sprinkle a bit of baby powder into a plastic bowl and place it at a corner in your wardrobe/drawer.

The moisture-removing properties of baby powder will eliminate the musty smells and keep your wardrobe/drawer smelling baby fresh.

Natural ant repellent

Got ants and bugs lurking around in your home?

Before reaching for those nasty repellents, try an all-natural approach instead.

First, narrow down your targeted problem areas where the pests are bound to gather.

Next, sprinkle a bit of powder there. The great thing about talc is that the ants and bugs can’t cross the powder marks on the floor.

So mark your boundaries on the floor and get ready to sweep those pests away!

Got mouldy books?

Have you been going through the amazing books you used to read as a kid, only to find that they’ve ‘aged’ gracefully with mould spots all over?

Here’s a great tip to freshen up your books before introducing them to your kids!

First, open up the pages and let the books stand to air dry for a couple of hours.

Then, sprinkle some baby powder between the pages. Stand them upright again and leave to dry overnight.

The following day, brush off the loose powder and you’ll find your beloved books smelling fresh and new — without those nasty mould and mildew.

Solution for sticky gloves

Smoothen out your rubber gloves by sprinkling some baby powder inside before slipping them on to clean or colour your hair at home.

You might also want to sprinkle some on your hands and rub them together.

The reason those rubber gloves stick together in the first place is due to the moisture in the air. The powder helps to remove moisture, and you shouldn’t need to pull and tug the gloves in place before wearing them.

A natural deodorant

Did you just realise that you're out of deodorant?

I’m not sure if you’ve heard of folks using baby powder as a deodorant, but it seems that it really works!

Baby powder gets rid of moisture and sweat, keeping you dry and baby fresh all day long.

Just sprinkle a handful into the palm of your hand and rub it into your underarms — or for a less messy application, use a powder puff.

Remedy for dry, cracked skin

Got rough patches of skin on your feet or elbows?

Use baby powder as a healing moisturiser to soothe extra dry, flaky skin by rubbing a little of it into the affected areas.

This helps to keep your skin feeling fresher, smoother and less irritated.

Baby powder is also a gentler remedy for dealing with cracked heels and skin irritation such as razor burns after shaving.

Written by

Justina Goh

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