Why Not Desitin?
I remember the time when my youngest decided to poop about 2 weeks worth in one diaper. Not really but it was A LOT. Like, just throw her outside and hose her down on the side walk a lot. Don’t worry, I didn’t do it.
As I cleaned her she was screaming, legs shaking-I knew she had the rash. Once I got her in the bath, I washed her bottom with coconut oil. As I’ve stated a lot on this blog, coconut oil is so healing as well as cleansing and moisturizing. I was out of my usual diaper rash cream that works only so so, so I used my homemade Healing Salve.
It worked great, but I decided I would make something that I knew would be even more healing and nourishing and also would create a barrier over the skin to protect.
- DIY Baby Oil
- DIY Baby Lotion
- DIY Talc-Free Baby Powder
- Homemade Belly Oil Serum for Scars & Stretch Marks
UPDATE: I’ve since created 2 more diaper rash recipes. On is a diaper rash spray that comes in handy when diaper rash is painful. By spraying, you don’t have to touch their bottom but you can still deliver ingredients that will sooth and heal.
I also created a clay based diaper rash cream with infused chamomile oil for added soothing and healing action.
Also, don’t miss my DIY baby oil recipe, DIY Baby Lotion as well as my DIY talc-free baby powder recipe!
DIY Diaper Rash Cream
- 1/4 cup organic unrefined shea butter(find it HERE)
- 1/2 cup organic unrefined coconut oil (find it HERE)
- 1 TBSP beeswax(find it HERE)
- 2 tbsp. non-nano zinc oxide (find it HERE)
- 15 drops of Lavender Essential oil(find it HERE) Chamomile and Frankincense are also great choices and very gentle for raw skin.
Directions:
- Fill a medium sized pot 1/2 way full with water.
- Place a glass pyrex bowl with a spout in the water.
- Melt all ingredients except zinc oxide in double boiler.
- Once melted add zinc oxide and mix with stick blender or mixer for 5 minutes.
- Add essential oils.
- Transfer into container.
It will be very watery but after a few hours it will thicken up. It will thicken up in the weeks after making it even. Make sure you put it in a container you can get it out of.
I put it in a squeeze bottle (see first pic) which helps to keep it fresh longer. Zinc Oxide is what creates the consistency of the cream to make it more like Desitin. It works with the beeswax, helping provide a barrier that will protects the bottom from wetness. However, it can be omitted.
Remember-Your DIY is only as effective and pure as the ingredients you use. The ingredients I link are tried and true. They are from companies I trust and are ingredients I have used over and over. When it comes to babies skin and DIY ventures-always go with organic, pure ingredients.
Good luck! Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions-I’ve treated many bouts of diaper rash!!
xx, Jenni
Jennifer Phillips worked as a licensed aesthetician for over 8 years before creating the DIY skincare blog, Jenni Raincloud and her natural skin care line, J. Raincloud Organics. Jennifer has been blogging full time for 16 years and loves to gain and share knowledge on how to achieve beautiful skin the natural way.
What is the shelf life of this?
Tanna-The shelf life is about 3 mos. Probably more but 3 mos. is safe!
I noticed the zinc you recommend is a nano +20% size which means it has nano size and some larger non-nano size in it. Anything that goes on the skin should be completely non-nano zinc so that it doesn’t absorb into the skin (bad juju!).
Great recipe and works very well though!
Christina-Thanks for sharing that!!
I was wondering if you can use this cream with cloth diapers?
Melissa-I never used cloth diapers so I’m not too sure what the protocol is-This has the same consistency as Desitin so if you can use that, I believe you could use this cream. Thanks!
Thanks for posting wonderful post. i think Ecoloical diaper can be used as safe source to protect children from rashes. Most of parents only think that diaper is only to protect house clothes from getting wet
Thank you for posting a wonderful post. I think Ecoloical Diaper can be used as a source of safe protect children from rashes. Most parents think only a diaper is only to protect the clothes were keeping dry too
Love the post however the cream keeps turning grainy on me, any suggestions? Thanks
Rachael-It happens with coconut oil. I’ve not found a remedy or way to avoid it. It doesn’t always happen either so it’s hard to pin point. A reader found an article and I can’t seem to find it at the moment but it was equating the graininess to the temp of the coconut oil. I think it said that if you heat it at a bit of a higher temp. for longer it will nix the grainy texture. I’ll continue to look and see if there was a solution. I do find that if I rub it in my hands it does smooth out.
Hello, does the recipe call for 15 drops *each* of the essential oils listed, or is that a total?
Thanks!
Tamara-Hi! I meant 15 drops all together. I used lavender but the other 2 were other suggestions that were soothing.
Thank you!!
Hi,
Can a preservative be added to make this recipe last longer?
Author
Latia-Since there is no water added, there is no need for a preservative-it will last up to 6 mos. You don’t want a natural product to last more then that or it won’t be fresh and won’t be as effective.
First, thank you for this! I love this recipe and it had helped my little ones diaper rash immensely! What could I add more or less of to make the consistency about creamer? The first batch I made was impossible to get out of a squeeze bottle. Just wondering so I don’t have to use a container where my fingers are constantly touching the mixture. Thanks again!!!
*a bit more creamer š
Author
Amanda-I’m not 100% sure because so many of the ingredients are thick but I would use 1/2 the beeswax and see if that works. It should be thinner. Hope this helps!!
Hi Jenni,
Love this recipe and the ease in making it.
I made this cream for my mother in law who wears adult diapers. It is getting rid of her rash very nicely. I was wondering if she can apply this on a daily basis to prevent future rashes or should she apply something else?
I donāt see a picture of a squeeze bottle anywhere in this postā¦..
Just a question: Since your recipes include the link in the name of the ingredient, why do you add it after saying āFind it HEREā? it takes up a lot of printer ink to do all of that repetitive wording. Couldnāt you just say above the recipe that links are in the words of the ingredient?
Iām going to try this out on myself. Due to meds Iām taking, I have a permanent yeast infection, which causes VERY sore ānether partsāā¦Iām hoping this might alleviate some of the itch/pain.
Thank you for the recipe!
Author
Carol-I have a spray diaper rash cream too you might find helpful. Find it HERE.
I removed the pictures of the squeeze bottle when I originally made the recipe because this post is super old and the pictures were blurry. Since my “babies” aren’t babies anymore, I didn’t remake it for more pics.
I add the Find it HERE because some people don’t realize the words are linked. It helps boost some commissions.
I omit the bee-wax and essential oils, but this is the recipe to use if you want to make your own diaper cream. My baby is 9 months old and has never had a diaper rash. We use this instead of lotion. I was paranoid as a first time parent about the ingredients in most lotions and this has been such a blessing. Iāve made three batches so far, this last one being my largest so I can gift a couple jars. Everyone Iāve given this too has asked me for the recipe. I couldnāt recommend this recipe enough!
Author
Megan-That’s so good to hear! My “babies” are now 13 and 16 so I sometimes wonder if my baby recipes are still working well!
Hey! Wanted to pop in from 2026 to say this recipe still works beautifully! Iāve been using it since my little guy was about 3 months and heās never had diaper rash, but when we used Desitin? It felt like a never ending fight.. thank you so so much! Going on 2 years of making it and I use it for tons of stuff now! Melting it for longer fixes the grain issue for me, and putting in less beeswax and 1.5 tablespoons of zinc yields a very creamy consistency, I store it in old baby food jars š
Author
Emily-Thank you for sharing!! It’s been a long time since I’ve needed to make this diaper rash cream-it’s a really old recipe. I love to hear that it’s still useful for someone!! I love that you store it in baby food jars-perfect!!