Back in 2011 I was lucky enough to spend about 10 days in Fiji with a big group of friends while I was on an exchange term to Australia. It was a blast! We befriended a bartender at the rather grungy hostel we were staying at, and on his days off he would take all 9 of us on awesome little tours of local gems that we never would have found otherwise. And while, of course, I have many fantastic memories of that trip, one of the things that sticks out most in my mind is the scent of baby powder. Why? Well…

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Fiji!

Fiji!

As I’m sure you can imagine, Fiji is a pretty warm place (yay!). One of the 4 guys in our group had a warm weather trick he swore by—baby powder. For his, err, below the belt bits. I can remember watching them standing in a circle, passing around a bottle of baby powder. Before passing it on, they’d shake large amounts of it down their shorts, and then gently toss everything around to get a full coating. They all swore it was the best thing ever, and they all smelled like sweaty babies for the entire trip. (And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t borrow some for my legs, as I lurve skirts and not skidding thighs).

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So, yeah. This powder is for those hot, sweaty days when your legs (or other bits) are so damp and sticky that walking becomes quite irritating. It’s based around clay, which is fantastically absorbent. I’ve chosen a beige variety as my legs are so pale they can blind drivers who hit them with their headlights unaware, but if you are fortunate enough to have darker, less terrifying skin, I’d recommend selecting a darker clay, like rhassoul or Australian beige.

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A starch of your choice (corn, wheat, or arrowroot) boosts absorption. It’s basically dry shampoo for your skin, I guess.

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And, I am happy to report that this powder works very well. I wore it to the hottest day of the Stampede this year (where denim mini skirts are practically the dress code), and noticed as I walked home a good 5–6 hours after setting out that things were still gliding, rather than skidding and sticking. It isn’t the be-all the end-all—if you are sitting in a hot bar with absolutely no air flow, you will still sweat. But, once you start moving again, things will dry out speedily, and you’ll be back to your comfortable ol’ self.

Anti Summer Stick Powder

2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch
2 tbsp zeolite ultrafine clay or white white kaolin clay (USA / Canada)
1 tsp silk powder (need a substitute?)
½ tsp magnesium stearate
15 drops jojoba oil (USA / Canada)
3 drops lavender essential oil (optional)
2 drops peppermint essential oil (USA / Canada) (optional)

Put on your dust mask to avoid inhaling the fine powders as we whiz them around in a coffee grinder.

Blend the cornstarch, clay, silk powder, and magnesium stearate together in a used-forDIY-only coffee grinder. Add the jojoba oil (USA / Canada) and blend well. If using, add the essential oils—I wouldn’t recommend adding them if you plan on applying this powder to more sensitive areas.

To use, decant into a bottle with a shaker top—an old salt shaker is a good option!

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