Disclosed are a fluid absorber, a method for preparing a fluid absorber, and a method for absorbing fluid from the skin. The disclosed method for preparing a fluid absorber generally comprises the steps of selecting a starch and an enzyme for hydrolysis of the starch, determining a fluid absorption optimum hydrolysis level for the starch, and ezymatically hydrolyzing the starch to approximately the optimum level thus determined. The starch alternatively may be hydrolyzed with acid hydrolysis without the use of an enzyme catalyst. The disclosed method for absorbing fluid from the skin includes the step of applying a fluid absorbing effective amount of a fluid absorber thus prepared. Absorption properties of the fluid absorber of the invention are comparable to or exceed those of commercially available skin fluid absorbers, such as talc and unmodified corn starch.