Talc is having a pretty bad week. In an unprecedented case, a Missouri court has ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $72 million to a woman who claimed that the talc in her baby powder caused fatal ovarian cancer.
Whether you believe it’s a bad ingredient or not, Farmaesthetics High Cotton Body Dust ($27) does so many amazing—and multitasking—things…plus, it’s talc-free to boot (it also doesn’t have zinc stearate, which doesn’t harm skin if topically applied, but can be harmful if inhaled). Founder (and seventh-generation farmer) Brenda Brock created the formula for her grandmother to use in the humid Texas heat to keep her “high and dry.”
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The herbal portion has a really soft, clean, feminine scent and is powered by ground-up lavender buds, thyme flowers and sage, all of which pack natural antimicrobial, antifungal and antiperspirant properties. It also works really well as a body-dusting powder to keep skin dry, an underarm deodorant and even a foot powder. It’s so easy to use (there’s no clouds of powder going everywhere) that you can discreetly reapply during the day or post-workout.
