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. 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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