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. Angelik Avatar

    Hi, my zinc cream got hard and crackly in the jar! Why is this? I followed the recipe and do many DIY home basics but this recipe is the first to not turn out?!

  2. Melissa Avatar
    Melissa

    Hi! Gathering ingredients to make this! I’ve got a super sensitive eczema baby (we’re working on that..labs in the works). I’m done with otc creams making him worse, and am SO happy to find a recipe (WITH LINKS!) from none other than YOU!!

    Anyhoo..Baby Bob can’t tolerate anything coconut for the time being (despite my wishes!) Would you say just omit, or replace with another oil like jojoba or almond? Thinking adding tea tree oil for added anti-everything since we will loose that in the coconut. Thanks!

  3. Linda Avatar

    I tried your diapers cream recipe but when cold it was lumpy, little lump (probably the powder of zinc and clay)…
    Can you kindly tell me if it is normal???
    (Sorry form my English, it is not my mother thong ??)

  4. Jennifer Avatar

    Hi! I made this rash cream and I loved how thick it was! But when I put in on the baby, it like, melted as I was applying it and didn’t cover as well as I hoped it would. 🙁 is there any way to make this not happen?

  5. Jenn Avatar

    Hi there! I have 2 questions. Can this be used on a 5 week old infant? And also, can tea tree oil be used in it instead not chamomile?

  6. Ross Avatar

    dear Katie, I made this cream yesterday because I want to give this as a gift to a friend who is expecting her child in a few days. My friend is awesome, and very much into everything that’s natural, so I hope she will like it.

    I used the following recipe: 1/4c unrefined shea butter (1.2oz), 1/4c organic coconut oil (1.56oz), 1 tbsp beeswax (0.26oz), 1 tbsp Carlson Cod Liver Oil, 2 tbsp Zinc Oxide, 1 tbsp bentonite clay and 5 drops lavender eo.

    I used the cream last night on myself, because I had a rash due to an allergic reaction. The consistency is perfect, very soft and easily spreadable. It felt very SO GOOD on the skin, and today I’m so happy to share with you that the rash is all gone.

    my cream does NOT smell fishy at all (a plus !). This cream is definitely a KEEPER !

    thank you SO MUCH for sharing your knowledge and ideas with all of us. God bless.

  7. Lisa Avatar

    Want to make this diaper cream, but have a baby with nut allergy. Was told not to use products with shea butter because it is from a nut. Can I leave it out or is there something to substitute?

  8. Rachel Avatar

    Hello again,

    I recently posed a similar question regarding your homemade baby wipes, but want to ask it here, as well. About how much would you say this would cost per ounce? Currently, I use Aquaphor (which I thought was good, since my dermatologist recommended it…..), which is about $12 for 14 ounces. I know it’s not all about the cost, but when choosing one that’s homemade with expensive (yet quality) products, versus one that’s already made and has a high rating on EGW (like Attitude’s diaper cream), I want to see what you might know.

    Also, what about simply using coconut oil? Could I get away with only applying that after each change? I’ve tried it once before a long time ago, but it seems hard to apply evenly since it’s chunky….

    I have 2 kids in diapers, and want to find the safest products that are cost efficient. I’ve seen some recipes for cheap ones online that require less expensive items, but I trust you and believe your suggestions will work. Again, it comes down to cost.

    Sorry for being so lengthly. Thanks for your help!

  9. Prudence Avatar
    Prudence

    This looks great.

    Question on the cod liver oil: If I buy the less-expensive brand (Amazon), the linked option comes in lemon or bubble gum flavors. Will that have a negative effect on the cream?

  10. Monica Avatar
    Monica

    hi ! I would love to make for my baby who currently has a bad rash i have all the ingredients except for the cod oil and the clay. I DO have pure european clay (now solutions brand) would this work the same ????? (I’ve tried to research but can’t find any info?)

  11. Ramie Avatar

    This recipe sounds great and I’d love to try it but we use cloth diapers (cotton fitteds) and I just wanted to check whether you think it’s safe to use a diaper cream with beeswax in it with the cloth diapers. It seems to me that beeswax would get on the diaper fibres and wouldn’t wash out. Am I wrong on that or should I just use a disposable liner in the diaper when using this diaper cream? What would you suggest?

  12. LEELA Avatar

    Hi Katie! Thank you for this recipe! I am going to try it. I have all the ingredients. However, my cod is the cinnamon tingle capsule ones. Will it irritate my baby’s skin if I use any-thing other than the original?

  13. Quin Avatar

    I love this recipe. I substituted the cod liver oil for vitamin e or hemp oil (or both). I also have made it with double the zinc and clay (I use kaolin) for a “maximum strength” diaper cream that kicks rashes in the butt! (They’re always gone overnight and make an almost instant improvement in the daytime). I also love that it smells amazing! The coconut oil evens out the smell of the shea for a nice sweet nutty smell.
    This recipe comes out to about 18% zinc, 36% if you double it (minus the trace amounts on the clay).

  14. Christina Avatar
    Christina

    I love this recipe, but it gets really hard during the winter. Is there anything you can add to help soften? More oil perhaps (not coconut though…)?

  15. Jen Avatar

    Will this diaper cream work for cloth diapers, or will it remove the absorbency?

  16. Lucy Avatar

    Hi, I have ready that zinc oxide and fish oil can ruin the reusable nappies – do you know if this is the case please?

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