Ever since the Little Guy was itty bitty, he has struggled with diaper rash. And that rash has struck whether he wore disposable diapers or cloth diapers. The only thing that would help it to go away was store-bought butt balms. However, I didn’t appreciate many of the ingredients in those rash ointments, not to mention a vast majority of them weren’t cloth diaper safe (they caused the cloth diapers to repel–definitely don’t want that!). Which led me to using natural, cloth diaper safe rash creams. Which worked well, but they were quite a bit more expensive.
So, to combat his diaper rash and to keep within budget, plus to know exactly what was going onto my little boy’s bum, I decided to start making my own.
The recipe that I developed had quite a bit of research go into it. Here is a break down of the individual ingredients and the benefits of each (and why I put them in the rash cream):
- Beeswax. Besides helping to thicken the cream, beeswax soothes irritated skin and resists bacteria. Beeswax (unlike microcrystalline or paraffin wax) is cloth diaper safe, but be sure it is unbleached/natural.
- Coconut oil. Coconut oil nourishes and soothes the skin. It also resists diaper rash-causing yeast like Candida.
- Shea butter. Shea butter consists of beneficial vegetable fats that improve circulation, promote cell regeneration, and helps mend cuts and rashes.
- Oatmeal. The proteins in oatmeal assist in preserving the skin’s natural barrier function, warding off anything on the outside from getting to the inside. Oatmeal also contains saponins which help to remove unwanted oils and dirt from the pores. The oatmeal also helps towards thickening up the cream a bit. Be sure to use old-fashioned (slow cook) oats.
- Lavender essential oil. Lavender is a classic, gentle essential oil that used in many skin products. Be sure to use a therapeutic-grade oil (not the super cheap version found at health stores; these have been adulterated and can cause harm rather than good). I much prefer the Young Living brand because their oils are pure.
This rash ointment is very simple, easy, and inexpensive to make. It is very healthful, full of all-natural ingredients, and, in my experience, very effective at healing up baby’s diaper rash (unfortunately, I can’t guarantee it’ll work on every baby as each one is different, so use at your own risk). Plus it is cloth diaper safe.
Oh, and before I delve into the recipe, here are a couple of diaper rash cream application tips:
- Using a dry cloth wipe or a clean wash cloth (or some other clean, dry cloth), gently pat your baby’s bum dry prior to applying the rash cream. Throw the cloth in the hamper afterwards.
- Only scoop the rash cream out with a clean finger. No “double dipping” as this will deposit germs into the cream, which can re-contaminate your child or cause the cream to go bad. No “double dipping” is especially important if you have more than one child whose bum you’re trying to heal.
- Use your ring finger to scoop up and apply the cream. I do this because I’m germophobic and don’t want to touch my child, the new diaper, or his clothes with a yucky finger. After applying the cream with my ring finger, I’m careful not to touch him with that finger, but am able to safely move him because my stronger fingers on that hand are still available to use.
- Immediately after applying the rash cream, place your wee one down in a safe place so you can go wash your hands.
Also, don’t forget to check out my recipe for Homemade All-natural Cloth Diaper Detergent!
Oatmeal Diaper Rash Cream
Ingredients
- 1/3 c.
extra virgin coconut oil - 2 oz.
(1/4 c.) shea butter - 1/2 oz.
(1 tbsp.) natural, unbleached beeswax - 3 tbsp.
old-fashioned (slow cook) rolled oats, finely ground - 25 drops Young Living lavender essential oil, optional
- other Young Living essential oil(s) (optional)*
Instructions
- In a medium glass bowl, add the coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax. Place the bowl over a saucepan with some water (making a double boiler) or pop in the microwave. Heat until everything is liquified. Remove from heat.
- Allow the liquid to cool for about an hour. Meanwhile, prepare the oatmeal by running it through a coffee grinder or some other device to grind it into a fine powder.
- Once the liquid has cooled for about an hour, add in the ground oatmeal (it might bubble a little) and any essential oils. Whisk for 2 to 5 minutes manually or with an electric mixer to make sure everything successfully mixes and that the oatmeal doesn't settle to the bottom.
- Pour into an 8-ounce mason jar and allow to cool completely.
- To use, scoop some onto your finger and rub gently over affected areas; wash hands afterwards.
Perfect! I love recipes with SIMPLE ingredients that I have around already.
When do you add the olive oil which is in the ingredient’s list but not into the instructions?
My mistake, I misread.It was coconut oil.
This sounds absolutely perfect. My daughter would get diaper rash so easily when she was a newborn. I used a lot of coconut oil and Earth Mama Angel Baby rash cream. I may try making this to keep on hand for the occasional diaper rash that still shows up.
Love it! I just just coconut oil, but it doesnt seem to help, as soon as I use the icky stuff (with a liner) it goes right away!
I bet this would work on all kinds of rashes, not just diaper rash! I had no idea that beeswax was CD safe. Very good to know. Thanks!
It should, yes. It probably could be used as a moisturizing cream too, lol. 🙂 It’s amazing how versatile things are when you make them yourself. 😀
This sounds so simple! My family doesn’t use animal products though, is there anything you can think of instead of the beeswax or do you think it would be thick enough if I omit that? Thanks!
Hi, Jil! It’d definitely be runnier without beeswax, but let me know how it goes if you try it. 🙂
Hi I tried this recipe and I love the concept but even though I ground the oatmeal to a powder, it’s like it didn’t dissolve. It is grainy on the skin. Is it supposed to be that way or should I try heating the mixture again to soften or kind of “cook” the oatmeal?
Hi, Shelley! It ought to get soft on its own after sitting in the moisture of the cream, but if it’s giving you troubles, yes, definitely cook it a bit. You could heat the whole recipe of cream in the microwave (in a microwave safe container, obviously) until everything’s mostly melted and that should help to “cook” it a bit. You might need to stir it as it sets, too, in case the oatmeal sinks to the bottom.
I was wondering, after the cream is made, how long does it stay good ( and safe for baby)? And do you need to keep it in a dark or cool place ?
It lasts at least 4 months, that’s about how long it takes for us to go through a batch (but my poor little boy has horrible rash troubles on and off!). It should be okay until it starts growing something or smelling off. Maybe keep it no more than about 6 months. It would fare best in a cool, dark area. We keep ours in the drawer of our changing table and it does ok. Optimal would be to store it in the fridge, but no baby’s going to want cold cream on their rear, lol. If you’d like to, you could add probably a teaspoon of vitamin E oil (or burst vitamin E capsules until you get about a teaspoon) and add that to it. That’s also good for the skin and acts as a preserver (it’d probably be good for a year with vitamin E in it).
Just a thought, as I can see a lot of care and love went into you coming up with this, but a lot of dermatologists and estheticians say that essential oils can be very irritating to adult skin so obviously it can be for children and babies as well. I wonder if you omitted that part if your kiddo’s rash frequency would slow down? Just my two cents and love the recipe! My son as eczema and because of that is more prone to bad diaper rash which is sometimes gets when someone forgets to put a cream on at every change. I’m definitely going to try this out, sans essential oils, and see how it works! Thanks for sharing this!
Hey, May. Aromatherapist here. With as diluted as the oils are in this recipe, as long as you’re not using a cheap like Walmart oil, this perfectly fine on a baby. It is a small amount compared to the other ingredients.
Thank you for this recipe! It came together nicely, but required refrigeration to harden (otherwise lotion-ny texture). Could br the bonus olive oil I added. The tip about the vit e oil was much appreciated. Now if I can get the scrubby oatmeal to soften🤦🏾. Also, if I keep the unused portion in the fridge does it need to be in an opaque container?
I was wondering if I could do this without the oatmeal and what difference it would make. I just don’t think the grainy-ness of the oats would work for my boy, and I want to try putting in some tea tree oil instead. Would that be a good trade?
The oatmeal softens in the moisture of the cream (in my experience), so it shouldn’t be grainy at all (mine never has been). You could grind the oats then cook them before adding to the mixture to double ensure they’ll be soft. As for tea tree oil, I’d research it further via Google, but in my research I’ve learned that it’s not the best thing to put near baby’s nether parts. Hope this helps. 🙂
Fantastic post! Thanks for taking the time out to write about this. It’s really very informative and useful for all parents!
We have coconut allergies in my family, what would you suggest as a substitute to coconut oil?
Shea butter might work. Otherwise, I’d try googling for a different cream recipe that doesn’t include coconut oil. 🙂
Do you have recommendation on where to get all the ingredients in one place?
My son has a really nad diaper rash and the oatmeal&honey baths arent helping him as quickly as i need.
Amazon. We live deep in the country so I get pretty much everything off of Amazon. We have prime so we get 2-day free shipping. Otherwise, if you have a health food store nearby, you could try there.
I don’t have any essential oils in the house since I don’t normally use them, so I skipped the lavender oil and just made the cream with the remaining ingredients. It smells like a dessert! I’ve never had to fight the urge to eat diaper cream before. The struggle is real… Now I just hope it works!
I’m visiting this site again to get the recipe to make my second batch of this “butt balm.” This is my fourth baby, and since my first, I’d used the California Baby cloth diaper-safe diaper rash cream. It’s SO EXPENSIVE. Let me just say that this butt balm works better than the California Baby, and it works better than Desitin (which my wife used on herself at times, lol). I LOVE it and will continue to use it. I do skip the essential oils because I only have the cheap stuff (for scent only). I put the oatmeal in when I melt everything else to help it soften up really well, and I just stir it with a fork every so often while it hardens up so all my oatmeal isn’t at the bottom of the jar. It works perfectly! Thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe!!!
Hi
Can I use more coconut oil instead of shea butter? I’m not finding any shea butter that isn’t loaded with other things
How long is this recipe good for once made? I mean how long until the cream expires it it is not all used?