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Arrowroot Powder

Maranta Arundinacea Root Powder

Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) adds a silky, matte finish and reduces greasiness in creams—gentle, plant-based, and talc-free.

Arrowroot Powder
The information on this page was compiled by us using research from various sources (included in the references section). It is intended for educational purposes only and is in no way a medical claim about our products.

What is Arrowroot Powder?

Maranta arundinacea Root Powder is the finely ground, starch-rich powder from the arrowroot plant’s rhizome. In cosmetics, it’s valued as a natural absorbent/texture enhancer and a talc alternative, typically supplied as a very fine, white powder. INCI name: Maranta Arundinacea Root Powder.SpecialChemNew Directions Aromatics+1

Key Skin & Formula Benefits (science-informed, safety-first)

1) Absorbs excess oil & moisture → soft, matte finish

Arrowroot’s starch granules effectively take up oil and humidity, helping mattify the skin surface and curb greasiness in leave-on formulas (deodorants, body powders, dry shampoos, balms). Suppliers and formulating references consistently list it as a talc-free absorbent for this purpose.smacollaboratives.comSpecialChemNew Directions Aromatics

2) Improves feel in rich butters/balms

In anhydrous creams, a small percentage of arrowroot reduces the “oily slip”, creating a silkier, quick-dry skin feel while maintaining spreadability—useful in natural body butters and deodorant sticks.New Directions Aromaticsnaturalbulksupplies.com

3) Gentle option for sensitive skin

Arrowroot is a neutral, fragrance-free plant starch widely used in sensitive-skin and baby-care cosmetics as a texturizer/absorbent (it’s also food-grade). While direct clinical studies on arrowroot as a topical active are limited, regulatory/technical sources recognise it as a benign cosmetic raw material.SpecialChem

Behind the texture: Arrowroot is primarily starch (amylose/amylopectin); its granule size/shape underpin its swelling and oil/water-uptake behaviour, which formulators harness for silky powders and creams.Wiley Online LibraryScienceDirect

Newborn & Safety Notes (powders vs. creams)

  • Inhalation caution (any baby powder): Pediatric guidance discourages loose talc or cornstarch-type powders around infants because airborne dust can irritate or injure the lungs. If using powders, avoid the face and keep particles out of the air.HealthyChildren.orgAAP PublicationsTIME
  • Why it’s fine in our cream: In Natural Nine, arrowroot is bound within the cream, not a free powder—so it delivers texture benefits without airborne dust, aligning with cautious baby-care practice. (General baby-powder risk context above.)HealthyChildren.org

How Arrowroot Works in Natural Nine

We use Maranta Arundinacea Root Powder at a low percentage to:

  • Cut greasiness and add a soft-touch, matte finish so the balm feels comfy, not heavy.
  • Balance richer emollients (e.g., shea, tallow, coconut) and the breathable barrier from beeswax, keeping the finish newborn-gentle.New Directions Aromatics

FAQs

Question

Is arrowroot a safer substitute for talc?

Answer

Arrowroot is a talc-free absorbent commonly used in powders and balms. It avoids talc-specific concerns; however, avoid creating airborne dust around babies regardless of the powder base.smacollaboratives.comTIME

Question

Will arrowroot dry my skin out?

Answer

At typical levels it mattifies without over-drying. Very dry skin can prefer lower percentages; your overall emollient blend (shea, oils) offsets dryness.naturalbulksupplies.com

Question

Is arrowroot the same as cornstarch?

Answer

Both are plant starches used as absorbents/thickeners. Arrowroot has distinct granule morphology and swelling behaviour, giving a particularly silky feel in cosmetics.Wiley Online Library

References

  1. INCI & material ID

    SpecialChem INCI page; supplier SDS listing Maranta Arundinacea Root Powder.SpecialChemNew Directions Aromatics

  2. Use in cosmetics

    Supplier/formulator references describing arrowroot as talc alternative, absorbent, texture enhancer in powders, sticks, and emulsions.smacollaboratives.comNew Directions Aromatics

  3. Starch science (context)

    Peer-reviewed work on granule size & properties of arrowroot starch used to explain feel/absorbency.Wiley Online LibraryScienceDirect

  4. Infant powder caution

    AAP consumer guidance + classic Pediatrics note on powder inhalation risk; media explainer aligns with AAP stance.HealthyChildren.orgAAP PublicationsTIME
The information on this page was compiled by us using research from various sources (included in the references section). It is intended for educational purposes only and is in no way a medical claim about our products.