This new talc-free baby powder is seriously good at oil control
A lot of us might fondly recall using baby powder as the first "makeup" product we’ve ever used. Before I discovered the world of oil-control primers and long-wearing powders, I would shake out a small amount onto my palm (dispensing just the right amount was a special skill!) and smooth the powder all over my face to deal with my super oily skin. It made my face look chalk white but at least I wasn't as shiny!
It's been ages since I've done that trick and it's just as well because talc, the main ingredient in a lot of baby powder products, has been found to be a cause for respiratory problems in infants. There are many setting powder options available now, including some very affordable ones ,but what if you 1.) actually have a baby and 2.) wanted a powder product that you can safely share with them?
Thankfully, there are talc-free alternatives like the new Belo Baby Talc-Free Powder (P220 for 65g, available at groceries). Its main ingredients are rice starch and corn starch. Rice is very absorbent, and is actually in some oil control powders. Ever on a quest to find products that will keep my oiliness at bay, I decided to grab a tub and find out: can I use this as a setting powder?
I first tried the product on my hand, and immediately noticed that the powder has a somewhat gritty and rough texture. It doesn't feel as finely ground as other powders, and it made buffing the powder onto my skin take a little bit longer than usual. My skin also felt a bit rough after application. The powder also has a delicate fragrance that I find to be quite nice.
The packaging includes a puff, which is very convenient, but I decided to use a powder brush to better approximate how I usually apply my setting powder. For my first application, I used around the same amount of powder as I would with my everyday setting powder. That was a mistake because I looked espasol white even though I have relatively fair skin (MAC NC20)! The powder also tends to cake when I apply too much.
Swatch
Too much powder
I lessened the amount of powder for the second trial, taking only a tiny amount at a time and buffing it in little by little to apply only a thin layer of product. I found that this is the best way to apply it, as the powder has large particles that need to be layered thinly to sort of break it down.
Here are my before and after photos. In the first picture, I am just wearing foundation and some spot concealer with three-week-old eyelash extensions. In the second picture, I applied a very sheer layer of Belo Baby Powder. I was surprised by how nice it looks in photographs! It blurred the appearance of my pores and made my skin look smoother. In person though, the powder still gave my face a white cast and looked too heavy and powdery. So in the third photo, I sprayed on some facial mist to it tone down.
I wore it throughout the day and was impressed by how well it was able to keep my oily skin shine-free. On a normal day, I’d be ready to blot my entire face by the third hour, but with this powder, only my nose was shiny. I actually waited until the seventh hour to blot my face, and even then, I looked like I was only on my fourth hour of not blotting! The verdict: it really does work!
That said, I would only recommend using this as a setting powder if you:
- Have oily skin
- Have a fair to light skin tone
- Don’t mind the added step of using a facial mist
Skip this if you:
- Have normal to dry skin (it emphasizes dry patches like nobody’s business)
- Have a medium to dark skin tone
- Need to apply makeup in a rush and don't have time to carefully blend out the powder
Tip: You can mix this powder with your regular setting powder for extra oil control help, or just apply it first before putting on your liquid foundation. This helps correct the color somewhat.
Overall, this 220-peso baby powder absorbs oil better than a lot of oil control powders out there, but it’s not without its pitfalls. As for me, I will still continue to use this, mixed in with my current setting powder. Even when mixed with another powder, I find that it still keeps me shine-free longer. I would probably be able to use this for an entire year or so, too!
Did you ever use baby powder on your face? What do you think of this discovery - are you willing to try it yourself?
Editor's Note: This powder is actually in stock at Sample Room right now, so you can get it for almost free if you have points. FYI! - Liz
