Natural Diaper Rash Cream Recipe

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Homemade Natural Diaper Cream Recipe
Wellness Mama » Blog » Motherhood » Natural Diaper Rash Cream Recipe

I’ve shared my homemade baby care recipes before but I get a lot of questions about variations of the natural diaper rash cream specifically. I’ve played around with some recipes and settled on one that is by far more effective than any other options I’ve found.

How to Make a Natural Diaper Rash Cream

I chose all of the ingredients for this natural diaper cream recipe for a very specific reason and together they are really effective at battling diaper rash. For this recipe, I use:

Shea Butter – I use this as one of the core ingredients in homemade diaper cream because contains the fat soluble vitamins A and E. It is soothing to the skin and has a natural SPF of about 6. Additionally, it helps protect skin from drying out since it contains five essential fatty acids.

Coconut Oil: I use coconut oil for everything, but it is especially helpful in diaper cream since it is naturally antibacterial and anti-fungal. It is actually pretty effective on many types of diaper rash if used alone but is more effective when combined with these other ingredients.

Beeswax: Provides a protective barrier for the skin and helps hold the other ingredients to the skin so they can be effective.

Fermented Cod Liver Oil Liquid: A secret ingredient for helping heal baby’s bottom. Fish oil is often used in conventional diaper creams but the Weston A. Price foundation recommends fermented cod liver oil as a first food and used on a baby’s bottom since it is a good source of fat soluble vitamins and baby will only absorb what is needed from the skin. This ingredient is optional but helpful. Note that this can go rancid so you won’t want to use this ingredient if you don’t plan to use the cream within about 3 months.

Zinc Oxide: An ingredient in main brands like Desitin and Balmex, zinc oxide is insoluble in water and coats the skin. When mixed with the other ingredients, it makes skin water proof and keeps it from drying out. If you rub a small amount of this cream on your arm, you’ll notice that water beads on top of your skin and won’t absorb.

Bentonite Clay: Helps control moisture and fights bacteria on the skin that can be making the rash worse.

Diaper Cream Ingredients

Diaper Cream Instructions

  1. Mix shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax in a double boiler or glass bowl over a small saucepan with an inch of water. Bring water to a boil and melt the ingredients. I keep a double boiler just for making beauty products since it is difficult to clean dishes after making anything with beeswax or zinc oxide.
  2. Remove from heat and add the Fermented Cod Liver Oil, Zinc Oxide, Bentonite Clay and Essential Oil (if using).
  3. Stir carefully as it starts to cool. I recommend using a popsicle stick or disposable straw to stir so it can be discarded since it is difficult to get the mixture off of dishes.
  4. Pour in to container you are going to use to store it and stir a few more times as it cools.
  5. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.
  6. Use as needed for diaper rash.

Ever made a homemade diaper cream? How did it work? Share below!

This all natural diaper rash cream recipe contains coconut oil, bentonite clay, shea butter, zinc oxide, and fermented cod liver oil.

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

178 responses to “Natural Diaper Rash Cream Recipe”

  1. Kristen Avatar

    Should this be blended in a processor to get the whipped consistency like the picture in this post?

    1. Karen Avatar

      I use an electric mixer to whip mine after it’s cooled down. It comes out beautifully.

  2. Ashley Avatar

    I just bought some Redmond brand bentonite clay and was reading the back, it says it contains trace amounts of lead. I’m wondering if this is still safe to use for diaper rash cream and if this is also the same with other brands?

  3. lolali Avatar

    as per diaper rash is consider, it is harmful for children, ecological diapers are one thing which help in fighting diaper rash.

  4. Pooja Avatar

    I am glad I stumbled upon your bog. I do have a question about this one – can we do without using Fermented Cod Liver Oil and zinc oxide powder? tried to read how that helps but couldn’t find a clear answer. Also for chamomile oil can I replace it with tea tree oil?

  5. Kelli Avatar

    I recently read (in an essential oils book) that you should not use any essential oils on an infant younger than 3 months. I know chamomile is super mild, but just curious if you have ever come across that in your research?

  6. Kelli Avatar

    Hi Wellness Mama,

    I have read that you should not use essential oils on infants 3 months and younger. You suggest chamomile essential oils are optional, but have you ever heard of this?

    1. Lindsey Avatar

      Mine too I was wondering about it. I continue to use my bentontite/water/coconut oil add eo according to preference.
      I doesn’t to remelt this mixture and see if it may somehow help.
      Or is there anything else I can do?

  7. courtney Avatar

    It looks kind of green afterwards – is that normal? Your photo looks so white. Add more zinc oxide?

  8. Ellie Avatar

    I just made this following your recipe pretty close other than J added lavender essential oil and a little rose hip oil but it smells incredibly fishy! Is that how yours turns out? I’m just wondering if maybe the tbsp should be tsp….? Would appreciate you letting us know how youra turns out with the 2 tbsp of fclo. Thanks!! Ellie

  9. jade Avatar

    I made this and it works amazing my question is, mine came out super thick, not creamy until I rub it in, is that correct?

  10. jamey matthias Avatar
    jamey matthias

    Thank you for the awesome recipes! Would those capsules of omega fatty acids work well in the lotion bars too?

  11. Shannon Avatar

    Hi Katie!

    Just wondering if I could use cocoa butter in place of shea butter in the diaper cream recipe? Thanks.

  12. sherry Avatar

    I just use coconut oil. Nothing else 7 months running no problems. Don’t need to use every natural thing under the sun. Just coconut oil.

    1. sherry Avatar

      My 1.6L of coconut oil cost just $12 that’s ask you need for diaper rash creme. Done. Easy simple cheap. This week last you a year plus!

  13. marj Avatar

    Hi Katie,

    thank you very much for your reply. It’s good to know that I can start giving my baby raw milk now. May I ask what particular brand of probiotic do you use and how much do you add to their milk? I want to try adding that too!

    many thanks,
    marj

  14. MARJ Avatar

    Hi Katie,
    I am very new to your incredibly amazing website! And I thank you for sharing your wonderful knowledge to your readers. Anyway, I have a baby boy who just turned one last July and I am wondering if I can give him fresh milk(from grass Fed cow). I am nursing but I have to supplement because my milk supply is low. At the moment I am supplementing him with formula. Any advice you can share?
    thanks a million,
    marj

    1. Katie - Wellness Mama Avatar

      I’d check out the Nourishing Traditions organic formula recipe. I’ve given my kids raw milk at that age, but I usually add probiotics and other ingredients to improve digestion.

  15. Lindsey Avatar

    I was wondering if I can use a 100% beeswax candle insure of the pellets. I found it at a local store.
    I love your Blog and DIY remedies. I don’t use duaper dreamer all since my second child was newborn and had severe diaper rash that got worse with everything I tried otc or rx I ended up switching to cloth diapers after trying to change diaper brands with no results. I used the cloth diapers and put Potato Starch on the bum within 2 days it was clear. My baby was then about 4m old and the rash about 3m.
    Now my 1 year old has a rash and I am using on it coconut oil/lavender and Corn starch. I don’t mind trying something new as long as I know its natural and I did it myself 🙂
    I don’t have cod liver oil though and am sceptixal about the zinc oxide. But the bentonite I would try have had great experience when using it on other skin infections.
    Thank you so much for all your great info and recipes keep it up 🙂

  16. Demi Avatar

    Hello I have been recently looking into how to Change all of my home things into all natural and safe for my unborn baby. She is due in 3 months but I would like to be prepared for when she is here. Is the shelf life only good for 3 months or can I add another ingredient to make it last longer since im in the process of moving and I wont have much time?

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      Wow, look at you being all prepared! That’s awesome! Well, you could leave out the fermented cods liver oil… That’s really what will spoil, and it’s not strictly necessary. It is extra healing for sore rashy bums.

      1. Michelle Avatar
        Michelle

        Could you sub vitamin E for the cod liver and dha? Would it do approximately the same thing?

  17. Sam Avatar

    Hi there, just wondering if this recipe would need to be refridgerated as it contains the cod liver oil? and do you by any chance have a post on nappies if they are good or not? (not the cloth ones just normal ones you buy from the shops) Many thanks, your website is amazing

  18. Kristin Avatar
    Kristin

    I love you site!!! I found it a month before I had my baby 3 months ago when I was looking for a natural barrier diaper ointment that used coconut oil. I stopped using mouthwash, lotion, deodorant, lip balm, and leave in conditioner and now use only straight coconut oil in place of these items. While I was sure the coconut oil would work for diaper changes, it is sometimes nicer to have something a bit thicker that “stays put”! I adjusted the recipe according to what I had on hand and ended up melting 1/2c coconut oil, 1 TBS beeswax pellets, and 1 tsp vitamin E. We absolutely love it!!!! I had a c-section and because I was given antibiotics afterwards and was nursing the baby, she developed a yeast diaper rash. They gave me two different RX ointments to use to get rid of it over the course of 4 weeks and nothing was working. It was so sad. She was developing open ulcer-like sores from the rash getting so bad and the RX creams burned when we applied them. Finally, I decided I would trust my instincts and stop the RX creams and use only the cream I had made. The rash went away in 3 days!!! So now we use the cream after every diaper change and she hasn’t has any kind of rash since! I am getting ready to mix up my next batch of ointment and would like to add chamomile (for the added soothing element) and lavender (just because it smells so wonderful). How many drops of each would you recommend adding? I was thinking 10-15 of each but I didn’t want to add too much. Do you think this ratio would be okay??? Thanks again for your site!!! So much useful info!

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