But there have been concerns recently about a possible link between the popular toiletry product and cancer.
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Johnson & Johnson faces roughly 1,200 lawsuits accusing it of not adequately warning consumers about the talc-based products’ cancer risks.
Ristesund, who’s 62, says she used Johnson’s Baby Powder for decades.
So what exactly are we putting on our bodies and how can we make sure we’re safe using it?
Talc is composed of magnesium, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen. They struggled at first to agree whether talc contributed to Ristesund’s ovarian cancer, but in the end sided with the plaintiff. Instead they swapped to corn starch, asbestos-free talc or U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) grade talc which meets the highest quality, purity and compliance standards.
Finally in 2006, the Canadian government under The Hazardous Products Act and associated Controlled Products Regulations classified talc as a “D2A”, “very toxic”, “cancer causing” substance under its Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System.
A woman with two or more close relatives, including mother, sister or daughter, who develop ovarian cancer or breast cancer, have an increased risk of developing the disease.
The American Cancer Society said on its website that research into a potential link between women’s use of talcum powder in the genital area and cancer of the ovary has been “mixed, with some studies reporting a slightly increased risk and some reporting no increase”.
What does the law say?
This verdict comes after a jury from the same court awarded $72 million in February to the family of a woman who died due to ovarian cancer after using J&J talcum powder for feminine hygiene for years.
The complainant, Ristesund, said she used J&J’s talc-based powder products, which include the well-known Baby Powder and Shower to Shower Powder on her genitals for decades. Her lawyers said that she got diagnosed with ovarian cancer and has undergone hysterectomy and linked operations. Ristesund is apparently in cancer remission. On Monday, the state court jurors made a decision to award $5 million in compensation and $50 million in punitive damages to Ristesund.
In February, Johnson & Johnson paid $72m (£51m) in a similar case. The woman, according to family members, was a vegan and lived a healthy lifestyle and regularly used talcum powder.
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In 2009, a coalition of groups called the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics began pressuring the company to “eliminate questionable ingredients from its baby and adult personal care products”. Cosmetic talc powder is purified and does not pose an asbestos risk. Then decant into a clean spice bottle with a shaker lid or an old powder shaker for ease of use.
