Often we buy things by rote, heading down the same aisles in the grocery store to pick up the same purchases, simply because that is what we’ve always done.
While diapering a baby once using his mom’s paraphernalia, I was a bit baffled at part of the ensemble. A bottle of baby powder, labeled “Pure Cornstarch”. Why this mom chose to spend money on cornstarch designated for baby’s bottoms when it was clearly nothing more than pure cornstarch was beyond me for a point, until I realized that she simply was picking up baby equipment in the aisle she had always frequented, even though there was a cheaper, simple alternative.

Corn starch is a great replacement for baby powder. Simply take this common kitchen ingredient, put it in an empty spice shaker (a great way to recycle that “unrecyclable” plastic), and use in place of baby powder.

Uses for Cornstarch “Baby Powder”:

• Absorbing sweat
• to prevent embarrassing spots
• to prevent chafing
• On humid days instead of biker shorts
• On heat rash
• Rub all over baby after a bath to absorb leftover moisture
• On a baby’s bottom to keep it dryer
• Rub on skin before and after a shave

Warning: Don’t use cornstarch on areas suspected of having fungal issues; the cornstarch will feed the yeast, worsening the issue.