I have always been a huge fan of Desitin, well, since becoming a parent three years ago, that is. That stuff just plain WORKS. We started off using Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, but stopped when it failed to take care of a serious diaper rash that Gabriel had. We switched to Desitin Advanced and haven’t looked back until recently as I’ve become much more educated about all the crazy chemicals that are in absolutely everything that isn’t a natural product, and even those you have to be careful with. So, when our last tub of Desitin ran out a week ago, I set out to make my own diaper rash cream that would have the same power as Desitin, but not be toxic AND work with our cloth diapers. Not only that, but it’s WAY cheaper to make it yourself!
Here’s the recipe and a free printable to stick onto the jar so you don’t have to look up the recipe again! When I first started making my own green products, I was intimidated by all the ingredients and how to buy them. Thankfully, I’ve found everything at Amazon and Mountain Rose Herbs, so it’s super easy to buy my ingredients and concoct my potions!
To print the label, either click on the Print Friendly button at the bottom of this post, or right-click on the label, choose “Save Image As” and choose a place to save it to your computer. Then, print it from your computer. Or, click here to download the document.
Speaking of which, I had no idea just how toxic Desitin actually is! Yikes, check out this report from the EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database (one of my favorite resources for checking toxicity in beauty products). One of the ingredients, BHA, gets a score of 10 (the highest level of toxicity) and causes cancer, endocrine disruption, allergies, organ toxicity, etc. Desitin also contains a paraben, which is a preservative that mimics estrogen in the body and over time, builds up and can contribute to cancers like breast cancer (read more on parabens here). It’s overall score, on a scale from 1 to 10, is a 6. Too high for me to be introducing to my precious babies!
Before we get started, here’s a note about my beeswax. I bought mine on Amazon here for just $2.40 for 5 ounces. Each bar is an ounce so it’s very easy to measure out how much you need!
About Zinc Oxide
So, let’s get to the fun stuff. This recipe I’ve created is all organic, except the zinc oxide. That is the secret ingredient to this cream – it’s like flour as it thickens the oils and creates a thick paste that sticks to the skin and protects it. Now, according to the skin database, zinc oxide does have a small level of toxicity, a level 2, which I didn’t realize until after creating the paste. It is a low-level, so I’m not sure what I think about it. It comes from a naturally occurring mineral, zincite, but it is produced synthetically to create the zinc oxide. If you’d rather not have the zinc oxide, just remove it and add another ounce or two of beeswax to thicken it.
The Recipe for Disposable Diapers (Remove the Zinc Oxide if using with Cloth Diapers)
- 1 cup organic, raw unrefined shea butter (Buy at Mountain Rose Herbs and Amazon)
- 1/2 cup organic, raw coconut oil (Buy at Buy at Tropical Traditions (hand-made!) or Amazon)
- 1 tbsp. pastilles or bar
- 3 tbsp. zinc oxide powder
- 2 tbsp. vegetable glycerine or aloe vera gel (optional, for added nutrients and skin protection)
How to Make It
In a double boiler (or just a small pan inside a larger pan) with water in the bottom of the larger pan, place the shea butter, beeswax, and coconut oil in the top pan and bring to a boil. Leave in the pan long enough to melt all the shea butter and beeswax (5 minutes or less).
Remove from the heat and pour into your mixer. A hand mixer should work just fine, too. Then, add the 3 tbsp. of zinc oxide and the 2 tbsp. of vegetable glycerin and beat for 5 minutes. The beating lets oxygen circulate through the cream to fluff it up and thicken it.
It will look creamy and oily when you’re done, but after several hours it will thicken up A LOT. It’s just as thick as Desitin and way less toxic!
Grayson just so happened to have a nasty rash as I was making this cream and after two applications, the rash dried up and healed. I’m so pleased with the way this turned out!
To learn all there is to know about cloth diapers, see my Complete Cloth Diapering Guide.
This post was featured at Super Link Party at Earning My Cape and at Herbs and Oils World.
This post was shared at these parties.
I totally need this!!! Umm.. well.. not ME… my daughter! lol
I loved the butt paste with my other kids, but my youngest is sensitive to one of the ingredients in it… not sure which one, but it makes her rashes worse. I have been using Aquaphor, but it doesn’t always do the job. I need to give this a try!
Thanks!
I can’t believe how well it works, Susie. And what’s better for those cubby butts than shea butter and coconut oil?
I don’t have shea butter. And one ofmy family members says she is allergic to it. Could I use just the coconut oil? I love it and use it in everything, including cooking.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Pamela
Hi Pamela! The shea butter is much thicker in consistency than coconut oil. I would suggest using cocoa butter instead as it is considered an equal substitute. I love coconut oil, too! It is wonderful for the body and cooking, I agree.
I mush have come back to this post 5 times already! I still need to get all of the ingredients, but i am definitely trying it!
Thanks for sharing with my Super Link Party!
~Susie~
Mush have? Must have. lol
Anyway… I featured this for this week’s Super Link Party!
Ok quick question. How well does this work with cloth diapers? I’m on baby number 2 he’s 2 now and trying to potty train. my husband and i are thinking of having more kids and switching to cloth. only problem.. both our kids have really sensitive skin (they take after me in this regard) and i was reading your post on cloth diapers and how the destin (which i currently use) doesn’t work well with cloth. is this homemade cream better at rinsing out and just as effective even with the cloth?
Hi Krystal! I’m so sorry – I never saw your comment before (found out all my comments were going to junk mail). So, I hope you get this response. I have found that this recipe is totally cloth diaper safe. It washes right out of my diapers without an extra care – I just throw them in like normal and it comes out! Plus, it works just as well as Desitin, if not better, on healing my children’s skin. I have another lotion recipe with shea butter and the coconut and almond oils and it is also very good at healing skin, so I think it’s those magical ingredients!
Super easy, thanks for the photographs, it helps me understand the directions a lot easier. Wow, imagine the savings ($4.99 per box) plus all the chemicals that aren’t going onto the baby’s bum
Exactly! Cheaper and healthier – can’t get better than that.
What a great looking recipe! And thanks for the pictures
I’m pinning this and can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing at Tiny Tip Tuesday!
This is a great recipe. Very similar to one I use but you need to be clear that this can’t be used on cloth diapered kids as the beeswax will make the diapers water resistant and they will shed pee. I use lanolin instead. It’s not as smooth or velvety, but works as well. I also use it after shaving, as a lip balm and for all other skin care.
Hi Dan! Thanks so much for stopping by. That’s a great idea to use lanolin. I have actually had no problems at all with the cream coming out of the diaper liners and I’ve been using it for 4 months or so – it washes right out! So, as far as I can tell, it’s totally cloth diaper safe.
In your ingredients you list 4 items. Howeve in your instructions you also say to use vegetable glycerin??
I mixed this up tonight, sadly the Shea Butter I ordered is yellow, but whatever. But I noticed the zinc oxide just settles on the bottom is that normal or will mine not set up right? It just seems really odd to me. Thanks for the recipes and blog its great reading.
Hmm, my zinc oxide did not just settle on the bottom. Did you whip it up with a hand mixer or a big mixer?
I didn’t have a mixer at the time so I did it with a fork and a spoon cause I tried mixing it two different times. Looking at it about three hours later I can see three distinct layers, zinc on the bottom then a kind of odd liquid/silty layer, and finally a liquid layer. Any suggestions? Like possibly reheating it and putting it in the big mixer?
Hi Nora! Yes, I would remelt it using a double boiler (one smaller pan inside a larger one is fine) and put it in the mixer. Although, I always put the zinc oxide in once the mixture is cool and before mixing, so I’m not sure if it’ll change the chemical compounds. You could soften it just a bit in the microwave, then use the mixer. Let me know how that works for you!
Love the recipe print label, so cute! I almost made this this morning until I read the vegetable glycerin. Most people are not bothered by it but just as a tip if your baby is suffering with any type of yeast infection avoid the glycerin it is very sugary and will feed the yeast. I learned this the hard way
Hi Joanna! Wow, didn’t know that about glycerin. It is not necessary in this recipe, I just threw it in because I had it and it’s has added skin softening properties.
you can also add a table spoon of powdered probiotics to help with /and to prevent yeast. add after it is cool to the touch. works wonders!
How much does this make? 8oz? 4oz?
It makes 12 to 16 ounces, actually!
Hi there! Love that I found this recipe! I too have become super paranoid about chemicals in products. Could you re-explain directions for just using the beeswax without the Zinc Oxide? I wasn’t sure if that changes the steps at all.
Thanks!
Lauren recently posted..10 Ways to Go Green in 2013
Hi Lauren! Sure, you could actually replace the zinc oxide with cornstarch, a few of my readers have done that. I’m not exactly sure how much beeswax you’d need to replace it, but I’d guess about 1/2 ounce, or 1/2 stick.
http://www.amazon.com/Nutiva-Organic-Virgin-Coconut-15-Ounce/dp/B001EO5Q64/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1356961581&sr=8-2&keywords=organic+raw+coconut+oil&tag=mymemeli-20
Is this an acceptable coconut oil? I am lost when it comes to buying coconut oil bc they usually say “cooking oil” on the label and I am not sure if I am buying the right thing or not.
Yes! That one is great. You want it to be virgin and organic, and this is both.
Hi! My question is: Is this cream a very “tough to remove” cream? Is is hard to wipe off the skin? I am looking for something that is super thick and doesn’t just rub off on the diaper. I have been using the Walmart brand 40% Zinc cream in a jar and that stuff if amazing. It is retained on the skin even after 12-14 hours of sleeping and peeing through the night…(yes, my twin 16 month old girls sleep that long, all the way through the night, every night, but not without consequences if we don’t use the right butt cream…). Name brand Desitin (max) strength just doesn’t work for us. It wipes off on the diaper as soon as the diaper is placed. I’m hopeful that this cream can replace the walmart brand in the fact that its (properties) will be very comparable… I just need something that sticks and works… If this isn’t a super thick cream, can it be made thicker? By adding more Zinc? Or beeswax? Thanks in advance!!!
Kendra, this is a super thick cream and once it’s rubbed on, it really gets absorbed into the skin. It doesn’t stay on like Desitin does because it gets more absorbed. However, like you thought, adding more zinc oxide will make it stickier. However, the cream is already so thick that adding more ZO will dry it out, so I suggest adding more ZO (like 1/2 tablespoon) and add more coconut oil or shea butter as well. It may take some experimenting to get it as thick as you want, but I’m confident you’ll be able to make this cream to your liking!
Hi again! I am ordering all of the products to make this today. I have just one more question. Can this be used with every diaper change? I just want to make sure that this is going to be the exact thing we need. Oh, and have you ever had it go rancid or mold before you could use it up? Thanks for your patience! I really do appreciate your time! I am totally new to the organic and greener ways of doing things…Again, THANKS!!
Yes, absolutely! You can use it all the time. I have never had it go bad or rancid – the last batch I made I doubled it, thinking I’d use all of it, and one jar sat for 6 months before being used. It was a little dried out, but not at all spoiled. I just added some more coconut oil to it and stirred it in. Best of luck on your greener journey!
I LOVE just plain ol’ coconut oil. I like to add some EO, so I melt it in the microwave, add one drop of lavender and two drops of tea tree oils (this is in one of the small old orange tupperware containers, so probably like 4 oz or so). Coconut oil is proven to be as effective of an antifungal as any ‘prescription’ (ie: chemical) cream while being completely natural and moisturizing. After reading the comments here, I think I’m also going to try it with the contents of a probiotic capsule as well. We use it with every diaper change and it works great, even with our cloth diapers. Baby boy is 4 1/2 months old now and it seems to keep his bum soft and clear (unless we use too many disposables).
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Jen! Always helps to know what is working for someone else.
Hello! Quick question! I am ordering all the supplies right now & a lot of them are all blk which lead me to wonderin how to store it all which thenlead me to wondering what the shelf life of this concoction is?? Will it go bad if at all?? My boys’ skin is very sensitive so I’m sure I will be using this up fast BUT just in case, I’d really like to know.
Hi Kayla! I have yet to have this go bad and I made it last summer (it’s now Feb!). I made 2 batches of the diaper rash cream and it’s lasted THAT long – no mold or anything weird in it AND it still smells nicely of shea butter! As far as I can tell, the shelf life is very long!
You can also replace the zinc oxide with arrowroot. Many other natural diaper rash creams include arrowroot or cornstarch!
I haven’t tried that yet, Ginny, but I would imagine you could. It’s just that zinc oxide provides a REALLY good, thick barrier between the skin and moisture, so I like using it.
Thanks for the recipe! I’m making it and sharing it on my blog this weekend
Jen recently posted..Cloth Diapers, one day. Reusable wipes? Yes Please!
I’m making this right now. Do you let it cool before mixing or do you mix it straight after you remove it from the heat? The directions above lead me to believe that you mix it immediately, but in the comments above you said you let it cool before adding the zinc oxide. Right now mine is super melty from the heat and mixing it for 5 minutes didn’t make it look like yours. Help please! Thanks!
Nevermind. I let it sit for a while and it started thickening up. I put it in the refridgerator to speed things up. Can’t wait to try it out!
Hi Casey! Great, I’m glad you got it figured out. Yes, let it cool and refrigerate. It needs to reharden before you start to mix it in your mixer.
You should try corn starch instead of zinc powder! Works really well for diaper rashes. Love your site BTW!
Any suggestions for making a homemade diaper rash cream without coconut oil for those with coconut allergies?
Yes! You could use cocoa butter, lanolin, or just replace it with more shea butter.
This is great! I already have my own diaper cream recipe that I have been making and using for my daughter for about a year now. It too has zinc in it, although I also added aloe vera powder, vitamin e, and infused herbs known for their healing properties. Your recipe is simple, sweet, and I’m sure very effective, which is what many, many people are looking for. I love your website and all the recipes you post on there. Thank you for all your help, it has encouraged me to make my own recipes, and even try to sell my products. You are amazing! Thank you.
This is awesome! I’m going to make some for my new grandbaby and send to my daughter with all the supplies for her to make more. Thanks!
So, how does this compare in price to buying the All Natural Butt Paste? Cost per ounce for example…
Thanks!
I’m not sure, Charlene. I’d have to know which brand you’re referring to and how much it is. It is WAY cheaper than all natural diaper creams with the same pure, raw ingredients. Most creams, even “natural” ones do not have organic ingredients and contain preservatives.
I made this a couple of days ago and it is very grainy. It is not smooth nor does it create a moisture barrier. Any suggestions? I followed the directions and used vegetable glycerin not the aloe vera.
Hi Ginny! I once had a little graininess after a few months, but that was because it had dried out a little. So, I added some room temperature coconut oil (so it was really soft and easy to mix together). Also, it can be grainy if you haven’t mixed it long enough. Mine does protect my boys from rashes, so you might need more zinc oxide or cornstarch, whichever you’re using. Let me know how that works out!
Thanks, I’ll try this tomorrow. I used zinc oxide.
Hi! Wonderful recipe, thank you! Have you considered using arrowroot as the thickener instead of zinc oxide?
Hi just want to share that you can remove the zinc and add arrowroot powder. It is a lot like cornstarch the way it feels and the way it work. But I believe it would thicken it with out being toxic. Just thought I would add some help. Also arrowroot is safe to use on cloth diapers yay.
Thanks, Keri! I need to add that to the post as many have asked about it. Glad to know it worked for you, and I didn’t know that arrowroot powder is safe for cloth diapers! How did you find that out?