Natural Diaper Rash Cream Recipe

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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 natural diaper rash cream variations. After playing around with some recipes I’ve found one that’s far more effective! This homemade diaper rash cream is gentle and nourishing on baby’s skin.

How to Make a Natural Diaper Rash Cream

I chose all the ingredients in this homemade diaper rash cream recipe for a very specific reason. Together they’re really effective at battling baby’s diaper rash. They’re great for little ones with sensitive skin to protect baby’s bum against irritations. And if they do end up with a rash it helps to clear it up quickly.

For this recipe, I use:

  • Shea butter – This is one of the core ingredients in DIY diaper rash cream because it has vitamins A and E. It soothes skin and protects it from drying out thanks to its essential fatty acids.
  • Coconut oil I use coconut oil for most things, but it’s especially helpful for diaper changes. It’s a mild natural antibacterial and anti-fungal. Coconut oil is pretty effective on many types of diaper rash if used alone but it’s even better with other ingredients. Coconut oil has antimicrobial properties but can cause allergies for some. If you notice any skin irritation with coconut oil, then extra virgin olive oil is a good substitute. Just increase the beeswax some in the recipe to maintain the same consistency.
  • Beeswax – This provides a protective barrier on the skin. It also helps to thicken and hold the other ingredients to the skin so they can be effective.
  • Cod Liver Oil – A secret ingredient for helping heal baby’s bottom. Fish oil is often used in store-bought diaper creams but I prefer cod liver oil. This ingredient is optional but helpful.
  • Bentonite Clay – Helps control moisture and fights bacteria on the skin that can make the rash worse.

Zinc Oxide

This is the final ingredient in my homemade diaper rash cream. Used in popular store brands like Desitin, zinc oxide repels wetness and coats the skin. When mixed with the other ingredients, it makes skin waterproof and keeps it from drying out.

Be sure to use non-nano zinc oxide since it’s less likely to absorb into the skin. This is also the main ingredient in my homemade sunscreen.

Want to Buy It?

Not in the mood to DIY or don’t have the time? Here are a few cloth diaper safe, natural diaper rash creams you can buy online.

Cloth Diaper Safe Diaper Rash Cream

If you use cloth diapers then zinc oxide can stain them. The zinc won’t contribute to a leaky diaper, but if you’d rather not have potential stains then you can omit it from the recipe. The diaper cream will be a little less creamy and thinner this way.

The only other ingredient that’s known to be unsafe for cloth diapers is petroleum. Found in products like Vaseline it creates a waterproof layer on the cloth and causes leaks. Thankfully you won’t find any petroleum in this recipe!

This recipe can be safely used as is with cloth diapers, but if you want to avoid stains then omit the zinc.

Herbs and Essential Oils

Adding soothing herbs to this recipe can make it even better for baby’s skin. If you want you can first infuse the coconut oil with herbs like calendula, plantain, and/or lavender. Here are instructions for how to make a solar infused herbal oil.

I also like to add a few drops of essential oils to my diaper rash cream. Only use baby-safe essential oils and be sure to properly dilute first! Chamomile essential oil, tea tree essential oil, and lavender essential oil are all good options. They’re generally considered safe to use at a .25% dilution on infants 4 months and older. This translates to about 1-2 drops for every 2 Tablespoons of carrier oil.

Yeast Rash

We naturally have bacteria and yeast in our gut, but sometimes they can get out of balance. Babies especially have immature immune systems and are prone to yeast infections that cause diaper rashes. According to the Cleveland Clinic, some signs include:

  • Deep red or purple skin patches
  • A shiny rash
  • Fluid-filled bumps
  • Cracked, dry skin
  • Itchy, mildly painful skin

Antifungal ingredients, like tea tree oil, are a great way to fight a yeast diaper rash. It’s also important to change baby more frequently to keep the area dry. And if you’re breastfeeding you may notice thrush (candida overgrowth) on your nipples too.

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Homemade Diaper Rash Cream Recipe

This diaper rash cream is more effective than any other options I've tried. The natural ingredients are great for baby's sensitive skin!
Prep Time4 minutes
Active Time20 minutes
Cooling Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 24 minutes
Yield: 5 ounces
Author: Katie Wells

Materials

Instructions

  • Mix shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax in a double boiler or glass bowl over a small saucepan with some water. Bring the water to a boil.
  • Stir occasionally until everything is melted.
  • Remove from heat and whisk in the cod liver oil, zinc oxide, bentonite clay, and essential oil (if using).
  • 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.
  • Pour the diaper rash cream into your heat-safe container and stir a few more times as it cools.
  • Store in an airtight container like a glass jar in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months. This will last up to 1 year if the cod liver oil is omitted.
  • Use as needed for diaper rash or for prevention.

Notes

If you omit the cod liver oil and/or zinc oxide then reduce the essential oils to 5 drops (if using).

Another easy option is simply using breastmilk! Some studies show breastmilk helps naturally treat infant rashes and eczema even better than a steroid cream.

More Baby Skincare Recipes

Want some more natural baby care recipes? With 6 kids I’ve come up with quite a few baby recipes over the years!

Have you 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.
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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. Kelsey Avatar

    Do you think this could be applied to toddler’s face? He has contact dermatitis— not eczema, though it looks similar. His sweet little cheeks are so red and in the winter dry and chapped. Wondering if the face skin would be too sensitive for it????

  2. Claire A. Avatar
    Claire A.

    I’m doing price comparison with other commercial brands, but I am having an issue figuring out what percentage zinc oxide your cream would contain? Most heavy strength creams contain ~ 40% zinc oxide in their recipes, how much does yours contain? I realize I can change these values as needed, but it’s helpful to know what strength diaper cream I am making with your recipe as a base (minus the cod). Comparing prices with different amounts of an essential ingredient is necessary for my wallet. Thanks!

  3. Chelsea Avatar

    Have you used witch hazel or aloe for diaper rash? I’ve heard they’re very effective and wanted to know if they would be good additions to this recipe.

  4. Doaa Avatar

    Thank you for the recipe, but doesn’t need a preservative since you put water ?

  5. Olayinka Avatar

    Hey Katie, I only have the following ingredients. Shea butter, coconut oil, beeswax, and bentonite clay. So far I’ve been using just coconut oil, Shea butter, and beeswax but just realized I now have bentonite clay (using it for my new deodorant recipe). I was wondering, would adding the bentonite clay (without the other ingredients) mess up the overall recipe? Since I only use Shea butter coconut oil & beeswax? Or would adding the bentonite clay be ok?

  6. Lauren Avatar

    I’ve been making your diaper cream recipe for a year now for my grandmother, it’s amazing. She just turned 100 years old 🙂 I’m considering adding the optional cod oil, but I have two questions. Does it have a strong odor? And since the recipe only calls for a tablespoon at a time, how long will an open bottle last in the fridge? Thanks, and thank you for all the great information you provide 🙂

  7. Chirag Avatar

    Hi,

    A great post and inspirational for me to start preparing rash cream on my own. I will be a follower.

    I wonder if I can do combinations of ingredients for a given purpose?

    e.g. combine arrow root power + zinc oxide powder half and half for needed quantity (if I want to reduce quantity of zinc oxide)

    What does bentonite clay provide? Will it make this solution much thicker if I add that? Should I decrease arrow root powder if I add bentonite clay?

  8. Emma Avatar

    Thank you so much for this recipe! If I add some Vitamin e and leave out the fish oil, will this extend the shelf life?
    Emma

  9. Muriel Pronk Avatar
    Muriel Pronk

    Hi,
    I love your recipes and have made the nappy rash cream, sunscreen and face cream in the past. my 2 year old daughter has just been diagnosed with an allergy to honey and coconut oil. I too looovvvve coconut oil and put it in everything, but I will have to change that now. What could I use as a replacement for coconut oil in these recipes?
    Thanks so much in advance!

  10. Michelle Avatar
    Michelle

    I would personally use Kaolin Clay instead of the powerful Bentonite Clay for anything going on my baby’s sensitive diaper area. It’s much more gentle and yet has much of the same effects. I think Bentonite is just too harsh for a baby, especially on their genitals and bums. Please take a minute to look into it before deciding which to use.

  11. Niki Avatar

    Hello,
    Great post (again)! Your recipes are so easy to make and turn out great.
    Question: Would this be suitable for daily use or only when there is diaper rash present?
    I whipped up a batch, but didn’t have all the ingredients so had to modify it a bit. I omitted the Zinc (used more clay) and used a coconut/grapeseed oil blend infused with dried calendula flowers (in place of straight coconut oil). The texture seems good, although the colour is poo brown (ha!). Not that I care!
    Thanks again!

  12. Ashley Avatar
    Ashley

    Hi I am wondering if there is another zinc oxide you recommend? The one you recommend is always sold out on amazon lol. I keep missing it! It was available to order this afternoon but i was busy and so i just got on to order it and it says its unavailable now. The other top rated one is from Essential Depot. I also see alot that say they are non nano and uncoated but French pressed? And I see some that are cosmetic grade. Is that the same as pharmaceutical grade?

  13. heidi Avatar

    I just made this and it sat overnight but is still runny. How can I firm it up? Add more shea butter?

  14. Georgi Avatar

    I don’t know if you’ve answered this already or if I got the ratios wrong but the bentonite clay has made my cream gritty with sediment. Is that normal? I feel like it would be uncomfortable for my baby. I’ve tried it on him a couple of times only with mixed results. Unfortunately I quadrupled the formula to make one big batch. Do you have any ideas Wellness Mama? I thought maybe I could try a sieve, except may it have one fine enough to use, and/or change the ingredients like add more beeswax, Shea butter, zinc oxide… What do you think? I also find that olive oil is more nourishing and protective than coconut oil as a moisturiser. Has anyone tried Olive oil?

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      you can defintiely use olive oil too and adding more zinc and mixing with an immersion blender while melted can help. This recipe can be re-melted and strained or blended if you’d like, though the texture has never seemed to bother my kids.

  15. caroline Avatar
    caroline

    Hi Katie, Would you recommend taking the Bentonite Clay OUT in light of the new information about lead in BC (from the Bentonite Me Baby product tests)? As their product is 100% BC I assume all BC could have lead in it, and it could get absorbed through the skin?

  16. Sandi Avatar

    Do you know if this would be safe stored in a mason jar with a metal container even though it contains the clay?

  17. Ryanne Avatar

    I used this recipe minus the fish oil and put it on my daughter tonight. It was ok for a while but then she kept pulling at her diaper and whining. I am not sure what ingredient bothered her but she has only ever had Ava Anderson Non Toxic diaper cream previously and I was trying to make my own. I am wondering if any of your kids reacted this way? She did not have a worse rash or anything, I gave her a bath and then she seemed fine. She is 16 months old.

  18. Michelle Avatar

    You think it would work ok if I substituted organic castor oil and vitamin E for the two fish oils and corn starch for the zinc oxide. I know the difference between the two last items, but saw arrow root in a comment above and that is usually used as a substitute for corn starch. It looks green at the moment. Is that ok? Is it just because of the lack of zinc oxide?

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