I was in Walgreens today and a grandmother and her grandson (I’d say like 13 or 14) were there.
The conversation went something like this:
I’m sorry but it cracked me up. I know what powders are, and I can imagine what the grandson thought when he’d see grandma opening the package of powder.
So my questions is do you know what “powders” would mean, at least to an older person?
BC Powders, for headaches, right? I’ve been around old people.
Aspirin
Never heard of this. If anything, it sounds like a euphemism, like ‘powder room’. (Which I thought was something different than a washroom.)
Headache powders, naturally.
Oops I said yes after reading the thread title, but not the poll title. But I have never heard of powders in that sense.
I was thinking of powders being “powder skis”. They are extra-wide skis for floating through powder show, as opposed to normal skinny carving skis.
Yeah, my grandparents use 'em.
Sad to say I learned this from watching NASCAR. Goodys spokesperson was Richard Petty.
not a damn clue. never heard of them before this.
Without the medical context, I tend to think of powders as being either “make-up” or “ammunition propellant”.
They still sell those? I thought that sort of thing went out with the vapors.
That’s what I thought, something to do with the ‘powder room’.
Never heard of it before.
I’m amazed. Even the local 7/11 carries them. I agree that’s only considered a “young people’s” product if they also contain caffeine, but still.
Marge: Maggie! We’ve got a surprise for you.
[brings in the cake. Everyone takes photos of her, and
Maggie gets frightened by the flashbulbs, candle flame, and
darkened room. She whimpers]
Abe: Ooh! Put some Lister’s Carbolic Unguent on a wad of cotton,
and stick it in her ear! That’ll stop them shakes.
Jackie: No, no. What she needs is a balsam specific.
Abe: Balsam specific?! Oof! While we’re burning money, why
don’t we give her a curative galvanic belt too.
Bart: [raspy] Don’t forget to give her Smeckler’s Powder.
Abe+Jackie: Don’t make fun!
– “Lady Bouvier’s Lover”
Before reading the OP, I thought this thread would be about makeup.
I know that’s what they are, and that Goody’s is the most popular brand, but not how you take them. Put them in a drink? Pour them on your tongue? Og, I hope it’s the former…
I grew up with BC Powdered aspirin. It’s great when your throat is closed up and you have trouble swallowing.
It’s BC or Goody’s powder. The crushed aspirin powder used to kill a headache, or whatever ails ya.
Best taken by pouring diet coke into the back of your throat and dumping it into the held volume then swallowing.
Even better taken with bourbon, one shot every 30 mins until no pain is felt. 
ETA - if what ails ya is a heartache then you can skip the aspirin.
Same here. I thought it had to do with ladies going off to “powder their noses.”
I don’t get the connection of Aspirin=powder. Aspirin’s a pill.
Unless, you know, it’s powdered.