Why Is Talc Used to Make Baby Powder?

Talc is a soft rock composed of silicon, magnesium and oxygen. Mined throughout the world, talc is used in everything from lipstick to paper to rubber manufacturing. When making baby powder, talc is used due to its softness, absorbency and moisturizing properties. While some health concerns have been raised over its potential as a carcinogen, most research agencies state that talc-based baby powder does not pose a health risk.

Texture

• Calcified talc is an extremely soft rock; it rates a one on the Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness. In contrast, a human fingernail is typically between a two and a three. Talc is composed of tiny, flat particles called microplatelets, and the bonds between each plate are easy to break. This weakness makes talc easy to crush and grind into a fine powder. Once pulverized, talc is incredibly fine-grained and unlikely to scratch delicate surfaces like baby skin.

Absorbency

• When powdered, talc is extremely absorbent. However, while it soaks up moisture when applied to skin, talc also resists caking or forming a paste. The flatness of the individual plates keeps individual particles of talc from sticking together and sticking to other surfaces. This ability to absorb liquid without binding together makes talc ideal for baby powder, since it is important to keep baby skin free of dampness and residue to avoid rashes.

Lubrication

• One of talc's more paradoxical properties is its ability to absorb moisture without losing its own lubricating properties. Talc is used in manufacturing facilities as a component in machinery lubrication, as well as in cosmetics to help makeup glide on to skin smoothly. This composition of the minerals in talc allows it to soak up moisture without drying skin, which is important for infant care as skin must be kept dry enough to prevent rashes but moist enough to keep from chafing or cracking.

Alternatives

• Reports vary as to the health risks posed by talc-based powders. When mined from nature, talc contains cancer-causing asbestos. However, rigorous standards in the United States have been in place since the 1970s and ensure that all powdered talc is free of asbestos. The International Agency for Research on Cancer does not classify asbestos-free talc as a cancer-causing agent. However, cornstarch is comparable to talc in terms of composition and absorbency and can be used as an alternative to talc-based baby powder.