Talc Vs. Cornstarch

[vorpal]

Greetings!

I recall the days where they put talc on my neck after a haircut when I was a kid and recently found out about its benefits for shaving so I thought I'd give it a try. A few things first though, I know that Talc in the past was contaminated (heavily) with asbestos, and I think most of us know that the stuff is super nasty, is there a guarantee nowadays that talc is truly asbestos free? Pinaud is one example, there was even a huge lawsuit in the past in the US I believe. I am also curious how the two behave differently.

I recall using cornstarch based baby powder in the past for an issue I had in my crotch area and the stuff was MESSY, I remember having to clean my PC more often as I collected it etc. I mean, using it on a daily basis really contaminated my house, it was everywhere. I know some of you are probably laughing out loud, but it was a menace. Anyway, I have my eyes on the Pinaud Classic or the Whiskey Woods. I am a bit of a traditionalist -- so I'm not sure if I'll dig Whiskey Woods scent.

Lastly, I hear it's good for absorbing moisture/sweat and since I also shave my head, I have a huge issue with sweating during the summer here, I tried alum block but it dries my skin severely and instead of pimples I developed a different type of rash. So maybe it would help with that too?

p.s. ingredient list: classic clearly says Talc, Woods says cornstarch.

 

[santamariasteve]

I'm a serious and active reader of the various shaving blogs and sites. I never see talc discussed. Does that tell us something? I say Yes. Talc is a leftover from the olden days of barbering and shaving. It's irrelevant, obsolete, and unnecessary today.

 

[Alex Jr]

Put me in the like it camp. It’s a nice finish a few minutes after the balm or moisturizer.

I have whiskey woods and it’s awesome.

 

[pierrelortie44]

Talc is much softer and more refined than starch, which feels coarse and gritty.

Some talcs may have been a problem in the past but I don’t think that’s the case now. I rarely use powder, but if I do it’s definitely talc.

This should be an interesting thread. Looking forward to well-informed posts.

 

[Filudo]

Talc is BAD for your lungs

 

[rbscebu]

Talc is BAD for your lungs

So is air. It's full of germs, but we still breath it. Moderation is the key.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Cornstarch is not a good replacement for talc. Try some European talc like Borotalco, which is the real deal. Of course, you don't want to inhale it, so just take care.

 

[Filudo]

Can talcum powder cause lung problems?


Breathing in talcum powder can lead to very serious lung problems, even death. Use caution when using talcum powder on babies. Talc-free baby powder products are available. Workers who have regularly breathed in talcum powder over long periods of time have developed serious lung damage and cancer.

 

[timetofly]

Talc for body use.
Cornstarch is for gravies, pudding, etc.

BTW, Whiskey Woods is a fine AS!

 

[NorthernSoul]

Can talcum powder cause lung problems?


Breathing in talcum powder can lead to very serious lung problems, even death. Use caution when using talcum powder on babies. Talc-free baby powder products are available. Workers who have regularly breathed in talcum powder over long periods of time have developed serious lung damage and cancer.

Occupational exposure is a very different situation. That might be 2000+ hours per year with talc dust flying around everywhere from processing equipment, etc.

 

[South Dakota Guy]

Talc is no longer easy to find in the US. Talc manufactures have paid heavy civil litigation awards for Ovarian Cancer even though several studies say it is safe.

 

[Ravenonrock]

So is air. It's full of germs, but we still breath it. Moderation is the key.

Moderate breathing, not heavy breathing…check.

 

[pierrelortie44]

It’s probably a question of dust quantities in the lungs. Dust is a normal part of the air we breathe and our lungs are made to evacuate normal amounts. Reasonable use of talc should be fine I would think. Like most everything else that goes on in a day.

 

[pierrelortie44]

I'm a serious and active reader of the various shaving blogs and sites. I never see talc discussed. Does that tell us something? I say Yes. Talc is a leftover from the olden days of barbering and shaving. It's irrelevant, obsolete, and unnecessary today.

Talc usefulness hasn’t changed, on the neck after haircut, because of itchy hair bits in the collar.

Otherwise body use, especially groin, maybe feet, to keep dry and reduce chafing. Useful for cycling, although I don’t bother.

 

[musicman1951]

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I occasionally use vintage talc in very small amounts after shaving - Faberge Brut, Shulton Old Spice, Goya Cedarwood, Hai Karate, and some Yardley varieties. In truth the scents have vanished and there is no real benefit in using them, I simply enjoy the process as I remember my Father and my childhood barber using them; that is reason enough for me to continue. Maybe it is the climate in which I live but I have never felt the need to apply talc to my feet or groin. As a benefit to using talc, when you have finished the tin you can fill it with cocoa powder for easy sprinkling on your cappuccino.

 

[RayClem]

Original talcum powder was made using finely ground talc which is a mineral whose crystals are platelets that easily slide over one another. That made talc a great lubricant for minimizing chafing and itching.

Corn starch has a larger particle size than talc. That makes it less easily drawn into the tiny air sacs of the lungs. Thus, it is generally considered to be safer to use than talc. However, you still do not want to be breathing the stuff. Unfortunately, the larger particle size makes starch a less effective lubricant than talc. Another issue is that corn starch is a carbohydrate that can exacerbate yeast infections.

In the States, because of litigation that have made a few lawyers very rich, talcum powder is no longer available for sale. Thus, you no longer have a choice of powders. The choice you still have is whether to use starch power, some other type of product, or none at all.

 

[BigJ]

Interesting discussion! I remember the days when barbers finished with a brush of talc.

Today I am a spectator as I don’t use either product.

 

[ylekot]

Original talcum powder was made using finely ground talc which is a mineral whose crystals are platelets that easily slide over one another. That made talc a great lubricant for minimizing chafing and itching.

Corn starch has a larger particle size than talc. That makes it less easily drawn into the tiny air sacs of the lungs. Thus, it is generally considered to be safer to use than talc. However, you still do not want to be breathing the stuff. Unfortunately, the larger particle size makes starch a less effective lubricant than talc. Another issue is that corn starch is a carbohydrate that can exacerbate yeast infections.

In the States, because of litigation that have made a few lawyers very rich, talcum powder is no longer available for sale. Thus, you no longer have a choice of powders. The choice you still have is whether to use starch power, some other type of product, or none at all.

No more at all in the USA?

 

[Pepin]

Cornstarch is a very poor replacement for talc.
Talc works so much better at everything compared to cornstarch.

Yes, in the past some talc manufacturers sourced their supply from mines that also contained asbestos minerals.
So in today's world of jumping on band-wagons, all talc is branded as bad and avoided.