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How to make your own body powder

Body powder is such a needed body care product during the summer. Unfortunately, most store bought body powders contain questionable ingredients, but you can easily make your own. Learn how in this article

Goodness, it’s hot around these parts! Probably not any hotter than any other June but since we’ve switched from antiperspirant to deodorant I notice the effects of the heat much more. So, Esther and I decided that everyone needed some body powder to help keep us all feeling fresh. 

So, we made some. I’ve made this many times before and it’s super easy and feels so wonderful. Best of all, all the ingredients are things that are safe so I feel really good about making this for everyone in our family, even the little one. 

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Put equal parts of arrowroot, non-gmo corn starch and bentonite clay in a bowl and mix them together. You can use kaolin clay if you want to, it’s a cosmetic clay that is a little finer than bentonite clay, but it’s also more expensive. We reserve kaolin clay for face powder and use bentonite clay for body powder. 

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Put about 1/4 cup of the mixture in a small bowl and add the essential oils you want to use. You will use about 20 drops per 1 cup of total body powder that you have. Esther used a combination of grapefruit and clove bud for hers. I used a combination of lavender and sweet orange oil for mine. You can use a fork or the back of a spoon to fully mix the essential oil into the powder. A mortar and pestle is helpful for this step. 

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Or use a coffee mill that you reserve for herbal preparations. 

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This is what we like to use. Not only does it disperse the essential oils throughout the powder, it also makes the powder a little finer. Over the years I’ve used a lot of different brands of essential oils. I’m now in the process of just using Rocky Mountain Oils. They have quality oils and make each batches GC/MS test results available, they also practice environmental sustainability in harvesting, packaging, and recycling. These are things that are important to me.

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If you’re only making one scent, you can mix the body powder that has the essential oil in it into the body powder that doesn’t. Mix well. 

If you’re making more than one scent you can put the scented body powder into a jar and add more of the unscented powder and mix it together. 

Whip out your coffee mill and make another scent. 

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Here are mine and Esther’s. Esther put her little body powder puff that we made in her jar so her’s isn’t as full. We made the powder puffs and here is the full tutorial.

Body powder is such a needed body care product during the summer. Unfortunately, most store bought body powders contain questionable ingredients, but you can easily make your own. Learn how in this article

What are some of your favorite body care products to make? 

Thanks for sharing with your friends!

melinda weaver

Wednesday 2nd of October 2019

Hi, I am looking for a company to grind and sift a organic powder line for me and am having some difficulty. Any helpful leads would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Melinda

Angi Schneider

Thursday 3rd of October 2019

Hi Melinda, I have no idea who could do that for you.

Kathy Hartman

Thursday 8th of December 2016

I know it's December, but I made your powder recipe back in July. Loved it ! So I thought I'd make up some for Christmas presents. Imagine my horror when I could not find the recipe.. I couldn't remember where I got it from. Went through everything and then Pinterest. I prayed "Lord help me find this recipe" Went through a few pages, and then, Oooooh ! I found you again! Thank you for a wonderful powder. Christmas presents, here we come !!!?

Angi Schneider

Friday 9th of December 2016

Kathy, I'm so glad you loved the powder and that you found the recipe again. I hope your family and friends enjoy it!

Angie

Tuesday 11th of October 2016

Where do you buy the jars from and do they come with lids? Where did you buy the powder puffs from,

R/ Angie

Angi Schneider

Wednesday 12th of October 2016

Hi Angie, the jars are just 4oz canning jars and yes, they come with lids. We made the powder puffs. Here is the tutorial, http://www.schneiderpeeps.com/powder-puff-diy-homemade-sew/

Melissa

Tuesday 19th of July 2016

Is there a replacement for corn powder?

Angi Schneider

Wednesday 20th of July 2016

Hi Melissa, you can just leave it out. I don't always use it, only if I happen to have some (non-gmo) cornstarch on hand.

Wanda Miller

Saturday 25th of June 2016

How do you know if the cornstarch is gmo?

Angi Schneider

Saturday 25th of June 2016

If it doesn't say on the label that it is non-gmo, I would assume it's gmo. Sadly, most corn products are.