# What is the scent of baby powder? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 2008, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-scent-of-baby-powder/471769 "2008-11-08T04:28:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-scent-of-baby-powder/471769/1 "2008-11-08T04:28:42Z")
Another thread about scented candles got me to thinking about this. Everyone can recognize the smell of baby powder as being unique. I know it’s just talcum powder with a fragrence added. But can anyone identify the source of the scent? A particular flower? Spice? Herb? Combination of any or all of these? I googled it but all I got was advertisements and warnings about talcum powder being a carcinogen. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-scent-of-baby-powder/471769/2 "2008-11-08T05:08:56Z")
I don’t know, but googling for the answer learnt they sell Zwitsal _perfume_. Zwitsal is the Dutch/European brand of baby scented skin care stuff, much like Johnsons is in the USA. [http://cgi.ebay.nl/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120324196456#ebayphotohosting](http://cgi.ebay.nl/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120324196456#ebayphotohosting) So whatever it is, it can be bottled. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-scent-of-baby-powder/471769/3 "2008-11-08T16:16:23Z")
I think it’s a blend of rose and vanilla, or perhaps another floral/vanilla. I made blackberry/vanilla candles once, and they smelled like a really expensive, high-end baby powder. I have no idea where I got this info, but I read it along the way somewhere as a candlemaker. karol ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-scent-of-baby-powder/471769/4 "2008-11-08T16:39:13Z")
Johnson and Johnson’s Baby Powder scent is a proprietary blend. It’s a huge secret, so huge that knowing it was one of the reasons my father couldn’t get a job with Kimberly Clark. But that’s another story. Trying to duplicate it in aromatherapy class, I came up with a blend of synthetic voilet, peru balsam (which smells more vanilla-y than vanilla does), tonka bean absolute and synthetic musk. According to [this article](http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/04/16/baby-perfume.html), I was on the right track. (Peru balsam and tonka bean have coumarin in them.) ---
**Author:** ![mvdh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@mvdh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mvdh)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-scent-of-baby-powder/471769/5 "2015-12-31T22:29:24Z")
Heliotropium arborescens ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-scent-of-baby-powder/471769/6 "2015-12-31T22:46:19Z")
I don’t know about J&J, but pure baby powder is made from ground babies (knock-off varieties are made with sky babies). ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2016, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-scent-of-baby-powder/471769/7 "2016-01-01T01:57:42Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > I don’t know about J&J, but pure baby powder is made from ground babies (knock-off varieties are made with sky babies). Don’t forget to extract the baby oil first or the grinder will get all gummed up. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47774/32.png) [@quiltguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2016, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-scent-of-baby-powder/471769/8 "2016-01-01T03:18:35Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > Don’t forget to extract the baby oil first or the grinder will get all gummed up. Same holds true for emus.