We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission or other tangible benefit. Optum Store, Optum Perks, and Healthline Media are owned by RVO Health. Here’s our process.
Medical News Today only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.
Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:- Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
- Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
- Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?
People use baby powder for various reasons, including treating diaper rash, reducing friction, and odor control. Various baby powders are available, including organic, fragrance-free, and talc-free options for sensitive skin.
- Best budget: Johnson’s Lavender Powder
- Best for irritated skin: Caldasene Medicated Protecting Powder
- Best organic: Era Organics Organic Baby Powder
- Best sustainable: Burt’s Bees Baby Dusting Powder
- Best fragrance-free: Nature’s Baby Organics Silky Dusting Powder
- Best hypoallergenic: MADE OF Calming Baby Powder
- Best for sensitive skin: Farmstead Apothecary Baby Powder Lavender & Chamomile
- Best scented: California Baby Calming Organic Powder
- Best soothing: MOMiN Greenicare Organic Baby Dusting Powder
- Best multipurpose: Johnson’s Powder with Aloe and Vitamin E
Medical News Today chooses products that meet the following criteria:
- Price: MNT chooses products available for a wide range of budgets.
- Ingredients: MNT chooses products that clearly list all ingredients.
- Skin concerns: Where appropriate, MNT selects products that target a specific skin concern, such as sensitive skin, eczema, or allergies.
- Safety: MNT chooses products that contain ingredients safe for topical use on infants. All baby powders in this article are talc-free.
- Reputable: MNT selects products from businesses that adhere to industry best practices.
Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products. All information presented is purely research-based and correct at the time of publication.
Medical News Today follows a strict product selection and vetting process. Learn more here.
Best budget: Johnson’s Lavender Powder
- Price: Around $5 on Amazon
- Size: 15 oz.
- Fragrance-free: No
- Key ingredients: Cornstarch, lavender, chamomile
- Pros: Hypoallergenic, low cost.
- Cons:Contains fragrance.
Johnson’s Lavender Powder uses cornstarch and an artificial fragrance for a lavender and chamomile scent.
This product may suit people looking for gently scented baby products.
This powder is dermatologically tested. The formulation is free from parabens, dyes, phthalates, and sulfates.
However, people with sensitive skin may react to fragrances and may prefer unscented powders.
Best for irritated skin: Caldasene Medicated Protecting Powder
- Price: Around $7 on Amazon
- Size: 5 oz.
- Fragrance-free: No
- Key ingredients: Corn starch, zinc oxide, aloe vera, chamomile, fragrances
- Pros: Treats and prevents diaper rash, prickly heat, and chafing
- Cons: Some ingredients could cause allergic reactions
Parents can use Caldasene Medicated Protecting Powder in their baby’s diaper to reduce minor skin irritation.
This product is medicated to treat skin irritation and may help prevent diaper rash, heat rash, and chafing.
The manufacturer states that the powder does not contain talc. However, it contains zinc oxide and a fragrance that may cause irritation for some infants.
Best organic: Era Organics Organic Baby Powder
- Price: Around $10 on Amazon
- Size: 3 oz
- Fragrance-free: Yes
- Key ingredients: Corn starch, kaolin clay, organic arrowroot powder, rosemary extract, vitamin E
- Pros: Organic, vegan.
- Cons: Some users report inconsistencies in product quality
Era Organics Organic Baby Powder is a gentle formulation containing organic arrowroot powder and rosemary extract.
This powder has USDA organic certification. The ingredients are plant-based, and the product is cruelty-free.
It is free from sulfates, SLS, parabens, synthetic fragrances, and GMOs.
Era Organics states that this powder may help protect the skin from excess moisture, chafing, rashes, and irritation.
Best sustainable: Burt’s Bees Baby Dusting Powder
- Price: $8.99 (RRP)
- Size: 7.5 oz
- Fragrance-free: No
- Key ingredients: Cornstarch, sodium bicarbonate, bentonite
- Pros: Cruelty-free, hypoallergenic.
- Cons: Some customers dislike the scent.
Burt’s Bees Baby Dusting Powder is free from talc, synthetic fragrance, phthalates, parabens, petrolatum, and SLS.
It does contain natural fragrance, which may irritate very sensitive skin.
The ingredients are plant-based. This product is cruelty-free and hypoallergenic.
Bur’s Bees is a carbon-neutral company that does not contribute to landfill. The packaging of this powder is recyclable.
Best fragrance-free: Nature’s Baby Organics Silky Dusting Powder
- Price: $10.95 (RRP)
- Size: 4 oz
- Fragrance-free: Yes
- Key ingredients: Tapioca starch, aloe, chamomile, echinacea
- Pros: 100% organic ingredients, vegan, suitable for adults.
- Cons: Some users dislike the grainy texture.
Nature’s Baby Organics Silky Dusting Powder is fragrance-free and suitable for sensitive skin.
It contains calming ingredients such as aloe, chamomile, and echinacea. All the ingredients are 100% organic, and the powder is vegan-friendly.
This powder is free from fragrance, talc, corn, parabens, alcohol, phthalates, gluten, GMOs, and SLS.
Nature’s Baby suggests that this powder is suitable for preventing diaper rash. Adults can use it to prevent chafing or to absorb moisture, such as sweat, after a long day or workout.
Best hypoallergenic: MADE OF Calming Baby Powder
- Price: $14 (RRP)
- Size: 3.4 oz
- Fragrance-free: Yes
- Key ingredients: Kaolin clay, corn starch, argan oil, vitamin E, aloe vera, arrowroot powder, sodium bicarbonate
- Pros: Suitable for eczema-prone skin, hypoallergenic, vegan.
- Cons: Some users dislike the grainy texture. Higher cost than other options.
This baby powder has NSF organic certification. MADE OF states that it commits to transparency about the ingredients in all its products.
MADE OF Calming powder contains aloe and argan oil to help prevent irritation, alongside kaolin clay and corn starch to absorb moisture.
It is hypoallergenic and free from GMOs, synthetic ingredients, sulfates, parabens, soy, talc, and fragrance.
It is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive or eczema-prone skin.
Best for sensitive skin: Farmstead Apothecary Baby Powder Lavender & Chamomile
- Price: $12.99 (RRP)
- Size: 4 oz
- Fragrance-free: No
- Key ingredients: Tapioca starch, lavender, chamomile, calendula
- Pros: Suitable for sensitive skin, vegans.
- Cons: Higher cost than other options. Some complaints about packaging.
This baby powder is cruelty-free and uses organic, plant-based ingredients.
The powder contains only four ingredients; tapioca starch, lavender, chamomile, and calendula. It is free from talc, synthetic fragrance, GMOs, and toxins.
Farmstead Apothecary describes this product as nontoxic and suitable for sensitive skin. The packaging is plastic-free.
Best scented: California Baby Calming Organic Powder
- Price: $14.49 (RRP)
- Size: 2.5 oz
- Fragrance-free: No
- Key ingredients: Corn and tapioca starches, kaolin clay, French lavender, tea tree, and clary sage essential oils
- Pros: Vegan, organic.
- Cons: Higher cost than other options. Essential oils may cause irritation.
This baby powder uses organic ingredients. It is free from talc, gluten, soy, oats, dairy, and nuts.
This powder contains essential oils for natural fragrance, which may irritate sensitive skin.
California Baby states that this product is suitable for infants and adults to prevent chafing and absorb excess moisture on the skin.
Best soothing: MOMiN Greenicare Organic Baby Dusting Powder
- Price: Around $15 on Amazon.
- Size: 2.5 oz
- Fragrance-free: No
- Key ingredients: Corn starch, coconut oil, chamomile, calendula, arrowroot
- Pros: Organic, cruelty-free.
- Cons: Some users dislike the grainy texture. Higher cost than other options.
This baby powder uses organic ingredients and has USDA organic certification.
Ingredients include chamomile and calendula to soothe skin, coconut oil to protect, and corn starch and arrowroot powder to absorb excess moisture.
It is free from talc, synthetic fragrance, parabens, phthalates, and other potential irritants.
Best multipurpose: Johnson’s Powder with Aloe and Vitamin E
- Price: Around $6 on Amazon
- Size: 15 oz
- Fragrance-free: No
- Key ingredients: Cornstarch, phosphate, fragrance, vitamin E
- Pros: Suitable for all ages with sensitive skin
- Cons: Some customers report allergic reactions
Johnson’s Powder with Aloe and Vitamin E uses cornstarch as one of the main ingredients.
The aloe and vitamin E extracts may help soothe and protect irritated skin.
This powder is free from parabens, phthalates, dyes, and sulfates. Johnson’s states that this product is hypoallergenic, but it contains fragrance, which may irritate some infants.
Johnson’s states that adults can also use this powder for the skin or as dry shampoo.
The table below compares the baby powders listed above on key features:
| Price | Size | Price per oz. | Talc-free? | Fragrance-free? | Skin type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson’s Lavender | around $5 | 15 oz | $0.31 | Yes | No | Sensitive |
| Caldasene | around $7 | 5 oz | $1.34 | Yes | No | Irritated |
| Era Organics | around $10 | 3 oz | $3.32 | Yes | Yes | All |
| Burt’s Bees | $8.99 (RRP) | 7.5 oz | $1.19 | Yes | No | All |
| Nature’s Baby | $10.95 (RRP) | 4 oz | $2.74 | Yes | Yes | Sensitive |
| MADE OF | $14 | 3.4 oz | $4.11 | Yes | Yes | All |
| Farmstead Apothecary | $12.99 | 4 oz | $3.24 | Yes | No | Sensitive |
| California Baby | $14.49 | 2.5 oz | $5.79 | Yes | No | Sensitive |
| MOMiN Greenicare | around $15 | 4.5 oz | $3.24 | Yes | No | All |
| Johnson’s Aloe and vitamin E | around $6 | 22 oz | $0.40 | Yes | No | All |
When choosing the best baby powder for an infant, people should consider various factors:
- Skin concerns: Babies with known skin conditions, such as eczema, require products tailored to meet their needs. Look for products specifying that they are suitable for sensitive skin.
- Allergies: If an infant has known allergies, check ingredients carefully to ensure products do not contain those allergens. Look for products that are hypoallergenic and double-check ingredient labeling.
- Price: Baby powders are available at many different price points. Some people may prefer to bulk buy or subscribe to certain products for a cost reduction.
- Talc: People with concerns about the health effects of talc should look for powders that do not contain it.
A pediatrician may be able to advise on choosing a suitable baby powder, particularly if a person is hoping to address a certain need, such as preventing diaper rash, or has concerns about skin conditions, such as eczema.
A doctor may suggest alternatives to baby powder or recommend specific products.
Talc is a mineral that manufacturers use to make talcum powder. Talcum powder is a substance found in many household products, including deodorants, makeup, and some baby powders.
According to Consumer Notice, companies use talc to help absorb moisture and prevent the caking of various products.
According to the
They also note that although some studies have found a link between talc and lung cancer, others have not, so researchers need to carry out more studies on this topic.
It is also important to note that the
Learn more about research looking into the relationship between talc powder and cancer here.
The following are common questions and answers about baby powders:
Which baby powder is safest?
Generally, talc-free baby powder is considered safest. This is due to ongoing concerns about a potential link between the use of
People with concerns about ingredient safety may prefer to use talc-free baby powders that are also:
- fragrance-free
- hypoallergenic
- organic
With all baby powders, there is a risk of inhalation. Use caution when using baby powder with infants by avoiding their face and using small amounts.
What can I use instead of baby powder?
Alternatives to baby powder may include absorbent powders and flours, such as:
- corn starch
- kaolin clay
- arrowroot
- tapioca starch
However, people should speak to a pediatrician about putting any product on an infant. If a baby has a skin condition such as eczema, baby powder and similar alternatives could be potential irritants.
Is baby powder necessary?
It is not necessary to use baby powder on an infant.
People may use baby powder as a preventive or treatment for diaper rash, prickly heat, and chafing. However, unless a pediatrician advises, many infants do not require skin products such as lotions, powders, or ointments.
Baby powders could contain natural, organic, or synthetic materials. A person should consider what is important to them when choosing a baby powder, including ingredients used, potential safety concerns, and price.