DIY Diaper Rash Cream
This DIY diaper rash cream recipe combines gentle herbs and moisturizing oils to help soothe your baby’s bottom.
Please note this recipe is not evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to cure, treat, or manage any disease. Please always consult with your child’s healthcare provider before using this or any product with your child. See my full disclosure here.
Why make your own diaper rash cream?
Unfortunately, diaper rashes are a thing, whether you use cloth or disposable, no matter how clean you keep your baby’s butt, etc. Making your own diaper rash cream is easy and many of the ingredients in it can be reused for other homemade skincare recipes. When you break down the cost of ingredients it is less than a dollar for one pot of this. Plus a little goes a long way!
Another benefit of making your own homemade diaper cream is you can truly customize the ingredients. You can experiment with different herbs, butters, oils, natural additives, etc. until you get the best diaper rash cream that works perfectly on your baby’s skin. You can be sure there are no toxic ingredients or mystery additives when you make it yourself.
What causes diaper rash?
There are many things that can cause your baby’s bum to become irritated. Excess moisture can cause their skin to get red. This can be remedies by frequent diaper changes and also letting baby keep their little bottom naked to the air for a while during diaper changes.
Baby wipes that might have fragrance or other additives can cause a rash.
In some cases your baby might have an actual skin condition, but largely it is a shortterm irritation that can be remedied with an easy diaper rash cream recipe.
Ingredients for DIY Diaper Rash Cream
I will share a fairly simple recipe with the most essential parts of a rash cream. I’ll also include a few extra ingredients you might want to experiment with. I recommend using organic ingredients whenever possible, especially on a baby’s sensitive skin.
Herbs
Natural ingredients are key in this recipe. We will be using a mix of herbs that are well known for their amazing healing abilities for a variety of skin conditions.
Calendula
This flower is not only lovely but it has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It is widely used for treating rashes, sores, infections, burns, and so on. If you have no other herbs available or simply want to make as affordable a rash recipe as possible, this is the herb you should buy. If you are harvesting this yourself, simple harvest and DRY the blossoms before adding to your oil.
Comfrey Leaf
Comfrey has been used for centuries to aid in the healing of skallantoin. in injuries and broken bones. Its healing properties stem from a substance called
St. John’s Wort
The flowers and buds of this plant are used in the recipe for their antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties. This is another key herb used for treating all manner of skin maladies.
Where to Buy Herbs
I am a fan (and also an affiliate, meaning I get a small comission on sales) for Starwest Botanicals. I love their organic herbs that are always high quality.
Vitamin E Oil
This provides extra nourishment for baby’s skin and also acts as a stabilizer to the other oils. It will help extend the shelf life of your cream.
Beeswax
Beeswax is basically a miracle of nature. It is naturally antibacterial and also provides a moisture barrier on the rash, helping to lock in those nourishing herbs and oils in the recipe.
Carrier Oils
It is important when making this recipe that you are selective about what carrier oil you use to infuse herbs. Extra virgin olive oil, for example, is high in oleic acid and can cause damage to skin of babies under 6 weeks. The same is true of sunflower oil. Here are the best oils I would recommend you use:
Almond Oil
Almond oil has a high fatty acid content which allows it to be easily absorbed by the skin. It is good for most skin types. Please do not use this oil if your baby has tree nut allergies.
Coconut Oil
Highly moisturizing and generally seen as a safe oil, this is great for little bums.
Grapeseed Oil
Another oil often used in baby products. It is highly moisturizing, has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, and is generally seen as safe for babes.
Butters
It isn’t necessary to add butters to this recipe, but I like to add just a few tablespoons of shea butter to this recipe to increase the creaminess of the texture.
Supplies for DIY Diaper Rash Cream
- Double Boiler
- Jar
- Mesh Strainer
- Cheesecloth
- Rubber Spatula
How to Make Diaper Rash Cream
Infuse the Oil
First you will need to infuse your carrier oil of choice. There are a few different methods for making infused herbal oils. I have full instructions for those here. In this case we will be using the stovetop method as it is the quickest. When you want something to help your baby we want it as quickly as possible.
Place 1/4 cup each of calendula, St. John’s wort, and comfrey in the double boiler. Pour oil over them to cover about an inch. This should be about X amount of oil. Next, bring the double boiler up to a boil. Your oil and herbs should not boil, but gently simmer at most. The herbs should not be cooking or browning, only infusing.
After an hour, the oil should turn greenish and start to smell “herby”.
Strain the oil through the strainer lined with a cheesecloth.
Return the oil to the double boiler.
Combining Ingredients
Add in 1/4 cup beeswax to the double boiler and allow it to melt.
Turn off the heat.
Add in two tablespoons of shea butter or cocoa butter.
Stir this around to allow it to melt.
Lastly, add in 1/2 teaspoon of vitamin e oil.
Stir thoroughly.
Pour
Next, you can pour the mixture into metal tin or heat-safe glass containers. Allow them to cool completely before placing the lid on.
That’s all there is to it! Easy peasy.
Storing Diaper Rash Cream
This diaper rash cream will keep for months or even years! I like to keep mine in metal tins so you can toss them in your purse or diaper bag and not be worried about it breaking.
How to use Homemade Diaper Rash Cream
You can apply this several times a day to baby’s diaper rash until it starts to clear up. I typically apply more at every diaper change. If after applying the rash ointment you notice any sort of additional skin irritation, please do not continue using it. Baby might have sensitivities to the type of oil you are using or even the herbs. However, these herbs rarely have contraindications and are generally seen as very safe for babies.
This cream should be used topically only.
Is this safe for cloth diapers?
Yes! This cream is perfectly safe to use with cloth diapers and won’t cause any absorbency issues. Since this uses such a small amount of beeswax relative to the amount of other ingredients, and you are only using a small amount on your baby’s bottom at a time, you should be good to go. Of course it is also fine to use with disposable diapers.
Can I add essential oils?
Yes, but it’s not something I typically use with babies. Essential oil use is generally not recommended for children under the age of two. The real healing comes from the herb-infused oil.
If you do want to include some, lavender essential oil and chamomile essential oil are considered safe essential oils in general for babies and children under age two. You should use a 1% dilution rate, meaning no more than 1% of the total weight of your mixture should be essential oils.
If you just want the cream to smell nice you can add 1-2 drops of either oil and that should give you the nice aroma you are looking for with minimal risk.
Can breast milk be added to this?
Yes and no. Breast milk if not preserved properly will spoil in a mixture, even if refrigerated.
You can if you want put a little rash cream in your hand, add a few drops of breast milk, and mix it together in your hands. Honestly though this sounds like a pain to me.
I would rather just add expired frozen milk straight to baby’s bath water
