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Talc - Do you use it?

(35 Posts)
merlotgran Tue 12-Feb-13 18:15:25

Top of my mother's shopping list today was talcum powder. I haven't used it for years and can't remember why I stopped. It probably had something to do with the mess it made in the bathroom but when did it go out of fashion?

Forzanonna Wed 13-Feb-13 15:28:07

Can't remember the last time I used talc - never on my children, for reasons above. Loved it when I was a teenager - remember my father telling me off for leaving layers on the bathroom floor - we had black tiles!! Nice scent though.

numberplease Wed 13-Feb-13 15:15:06

Deedaa, I`m one of the grown women who like to smell like a baby then, I love using Johnsons baby powder, even at my advanced age!

Marelli Wed 13-Feb-13 11:28:31

Anno - Floris still do Stephanotis, I think. smile

glassortwo Wed 13-Feb-13 11:18:02

This is like a scratch and smell thread as I can smell the J Baby powder smile brings back memories.

Only use talc to put a tiny amount in GC swimming caps so it doesn't pull hair as you yank it on.

harrigran Wed 13-Feb-13 11:10:17

We used to use talc but it did make a mess of the bathroom. Stopped when DS developed eczema at 16 months. DH and I used it after baths but I started to get sore in awkward places and put it down to the talc. I keep a small talc in the bathroom cabinet for putting in latex gloves.

celebgran Wed 13-Feb-13 11:05:28

Girdle oh gosh wht awful thought petal us I remember Pantene girdles and fat bulged over top well mine did!

Yes pretty boxes with powder puff posh perfumed talc dus everywhere!

annodomini Wed 13-Feb-13 10:26:32

I remember giving boxes of dusting powder to aunties for Christmas and birthdays. Lavender and lily of the valley were favourites. I have tracked down some stephanotis talcum powder which I must have bought before Culpeper's closed many years ago. It still smells gorgeous. I was so disappointed when I could no longer get their stephanotis toilet water.

Ariadne Wed 13-Feb-13 10:16:22

Do you remember "dusting powder"? It came in a pretty tub with a big powder puff, and as a teenager I yearned for the whole package.

petallus Tue 12-Feb-13 21:49:12

I haven't used talc in years but at one time always did. It was good for stopping chafing (er, chaffing?)

I particularly remember using a liberal sprinkling of Johnson's when trying to wriggle into my Playtex girdle which went from waist to top of thigh.

celebgran Tue 12-Feb-13 21:35:47

Gosh was it that long ! Yes was something like that my poor mum had ovarian cancer so guess worried me lets face it can't worry over everything!

Deedaa Tue 12-Feb-13 21:29:53

I never used talc on my two because of the danger of inhaling it and my daughter doesn't use it on hers. I use just a little in a couple of hard to dry creases. I was put right off Johnson's baby powder by my mother in law. She always used shed loads as it was easier than drying herself. You could literally chip the dried powder off the bathroom walls! Also I couldn't understand why a grown woman wanted to smell like a baby.

Marelli Tue 12-Feb-13 21:27:44

That's right, celebgran. I remember now - there was a newspaper article where a gynaecologist had said that he wouldn't 'allow' his wife and daughters to use it. That was way back in the 70's I think.

celebgran Tue 12-Feb-13 21:21:12

Marelli There was scare about ovarian cancer and talc not sure how true it was a use sparingly baby powder or cutiura also like fengal.

To my mind always some scare.

numberplease Tue 12-Feb-13 21:19:17

I use talc after my baths, stand on a large towel so I don`t mess the floor up. I used it on all my little `uns, sprinkled it on my hands and rubbed it on them, the scare came about after they`d grown out of using baby powder.

Grannyknot Tue 12-Feb-13 20:53:00

I love using talc (sparingly, of course you don't have to create clouds!) - I believe that it helps to stop skin tags caused by friction e.g. where bottom of bra rubs under boobs, or under arms etc. (am open to being corrected though).

I spoil myself with really nice different talcs e.g. from Neal's Yard, their talcs are natural and divine.

granjura Tue 12-Feb-13 20:04:08

When I first got to the UK, it was a real surprise to find British people us talc - as I had never come across it before. In those days, pink boxes with big pink feather puffs!

The latest advice is that it is not a good idea as it holds on to moisture and can make matters worse in 'closed' areas, like between toes ... or wherever wink.

One lady at our pool used liberal amounts in the changing room every day, making a huge mess over a large area- and I must say most other users were pretty fed up about this and regularly complained (to no avail).

GillieB Tue 12-Feb-13 20:01:32

I used it on my children and I still use it on me now - just feel happier puting my clothes on if I have some talc on. I do know that my DD does not and never has used on my DGS.

RINKY Tue 12-Feb-13 19:56:23

Cuticura for my feet and other bits occasionally.

Love the smell of baby powder, but no, I didn't use it on my kids because of the lung thing which seemed to make sense at the time and my youngest is 30. ..... OMG! Makes me feel old writing that down.

FlicketyB Tue 12-Feb-13 19:35:42

Loathe it, and always have done. I cannot bear the feel of flour on my hands (have to use a mixer to make pastry) and talc feels exactly like flour (shudder)

Roseyk Tue 12-Feb-13 19:17:19

I remember using powder and it did seem to go out of fashion, I think it may have had something to do with the concern that it produced dry skin, but it does bring back happy memories. Powder smelt so nice we were younger.

Marelli Tue 12-Feb-13 19:16:13

Ariadne, I shall use it on those bits too, then.....smile

j08 Tue 12-Feb-13 19:09:26

Ohhh! The smell of Johnsons. Gorgeous.

Was told by a nurse when I was a child that talcum powder blocks your pores. Doubt if that's true though.

You have to put in on the palm of your hand for babies don't you. And then apply carefully so no cloud to be breathed in.

Ariadne Tue 12-Feb-13 19:05:41

No, not the bits upon which I use it (doesn't grammar get annoying?)

Marelli Tue 12-Feb-13 18:58:32

Does it not dry out your skin, though, Ariadne?

Gally Tue 12-Feb-13 18:58:02

My girls have never used talc on their babies. They have been told that it's bad for the baby's lungs - new one on me......(I used to put it on my babies bottoms wink)