Sarah is Skeptical:
I just read your post about talc causing cancer. You said it hasn’t been proven to be unsafe but I’m still not convinced. Therefore, I’m looking for products that use talc alternatives, like cornstarch. What do you think of cornstarch-based powders?
The Right Brain Gets Corny:
Cornstarch is a common ingredient in many powder-based formulations. Depending on what else is in the formula, it can be a good substitute for talc. The only problem with cornstarch is that it will absorb water much more easily than talc so products can cake and stick if they`re not formulated properly.
But the coolest thing about cornstarch is the way it changes its behavior when mixed with water. It forms a paste that flows like a liquid but if you quickly apply force to it, it acts like a solid. You have to see this to believe it, so watch this video. Some wacky students filled a swimming pool with a mix of cornstarch and water made on a concrete mixer truck. When stress is applied to the liquid it exhibits properties of a solid so they’re able to run across the top of it without sinking. But as soon as they stop running, they sink. Geeky? Yes, but very cool in a Beauty Brains kind of way!