This post is brought to you by Amanda.
We come from a line of very sensitive skinned, allergy prone folks. We try to live as naturally as possible which got complicated when we began looking at products to use for our kids. I can’t tell you how much the idea of paying $18 for a tiny tube of diaper cream makes me cringe. After buying a few different natural, cloth diaper safe brands of diaper cream I decided to look for a better solution.
Here is a quick, easy, cloth diaper safe, all natural diaper balm you can make yourself in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 oz Beeswax
1 C Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
20 drops each Lavender and Melaleuca Essential Oils
Directions:
Melt the beeswax and the coconut oil using a double boiler method over medium heat until combined.
Remove from heat and add essential oils.
Pour into container of choice for use. When making this for my own use I just use a Pyrex dish and set it on the changing table.
It is as easy as that!
Why use these ingredients?
Coconut oil is antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial/infection fighting, antioxidant, has no harmful or discomforting side effects and is non-toxic to humans and animals. It is soothing and nourishing to an angry baby butt and is safe for cloth diapers. This is where I get mine.
Beeswax is used to thicken the salve and form a nice breathable barrier on baby’s bottom. Excellent emollient and support for moisture. It protects skin from damaging environmental factors and is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-allergenic, germicidal and has antioxidants. I buy my beeswax here.
Melaleuca (Tea Tree) Essential Oil: Is used for many things, in this recipe we are using it for its analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-infections, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiseptic, and tissue regeneration properties. It will soothe skin and promote healing as well as killing any bacterial, viral, fungal or yeast infection in the area.
Lavender Essential Oil: Lavender has many benefits, some of which are: analgesic (reduces pain), anti-fungal, antihistamine, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic, regenerative and sedative oil. It fights any infection in the diaper area and soothes damaged, sore, red and angry skin. It also encourages cellular regeneration and healing. The scent is calming to you and your child helping release emotional and physical tension associated with the rash.
Essential oil quality is very important as impure essential oils can beat best ineffective, at worst harmful to your health. Look for 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils. I get mine here or here.
This balm is very effective and easy to use. Use it at every diaper change as needed. It is cloth diaper safe and very soothing. We have used it on cuts, scrapes, burns, bruises, eczema, and just dry skin. I hope it helps you and your family as much as it has mine.
About Amanda:
Amanda is a mother of two energetic children. After dealing with a lot of health issues, including infertility, she decided to live a more clean and natural life style. Since making some simple lifestyle changes Amanda has had two successful pregnancies resulting in her two beautiful children. Her hobbies include going to the park with the kids, wildcrafting, herbalism,cloth diapering, gaming, re-enactment, reading, and other various nerdy things. Her healing journey can be followed on her website Natural Living Mamma.
Thanks for sharing this Amanda! I bet I can save a ton of money by making this on my own. I’m going to try it out.
How much does this recipe make? Would you recommend doubling (or tripling) this recipe or only making one batch at a time? Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jasmin,
I contacted Amanda, who wrote the guest post, and she should be getting back to me by tomorrow morning!
Is this safe for babies under 1 year? I know that you’re not supposed to give babies honey, but what about the beeswax absorbing in their skin? Is it the same risk of getting botulism?
Yes this is safe for babies under 1.
Hi Jasmin! This recipe makes 9oz of balm, a little over 1c. This will last you a LONG time, so I would probably just make one batch at a time to be sure your baby is getting the freshest balm their cute little baby butt can handle.
I found this and made it for my little one’s butt. She has a bad rash. I’m just wondering if I’m supposed to use my finger to apply it or do I use something else.
Love this recipe, essential oils are so efficient, there is really no need to use more than 5 drops each of tea tree and/or lavender for this amount of beeswax & coconut oil. Lavender also has a drying effect on the skin, keep that in mind when blending…
Please do not say this, it is not true. Essential oils are in no way that strong or efficient, and with tea tree oil in particular, it can cause a lot of problems down the line.
I own a cloth diaper supply manufacturer and it is in my business’s best interest to continue to research my products, particularly the tests/studies done on those products. So I’m fairly familiar with the literature out there.
About 4 years ago they really started testing tea tree oil and its efficacy. Numerous studies have shown that TTO has the same properties as antibiotics, in that, if the TTO is not used at the proper strength, it can cause germ resistance, possibly resulting in “superbugs.”
Most studies settled on amounts around 5% of the solution. So in 8 ounces of product, a minimum .4 oz, or 12 ml should be TTO. 20 drops is roughly 1 ml. This recipe falls far short of the amount needed to effectively treat microorganisms in the cream and surfaces its used on. It’s basically just there for the smell. 🙂 But, on the other hand, it’s an easy fix, and the recipe seems like it would work well for rashes!
(Sorry to be such a stickler. I’ve been cding since 2007, and I’ve heard “oh, I just use a few drops of TTO in the wash” so much, and I really don’t want people to have the trouble that could start from a superbug living in the diapers with a weepy or open rash – what a nightmare that would be! So I’ve set out to stick my nose in other people’s business to point out what I’ve read in journal-published studies on the use of TTO.)
Actually a pure and potent therapeutic brand of TTO only has to be 1-2% of the solution to be effective. It has also been shown numerous times to fight anti-biotic resistant bacteria in multiple clinical studies.
One of the great things about plant medicine is that it retains all of its constituents therefore, instead of fighting an infection on one front, it is “smart” enough to fight it on multiple fronts and is quite effective in this salve.
I do agree that just throwing some TTO in the wash is an ineffective way to get rid of yeast in diapers BUT as a diaper cream this works very well.
Here are some good studies for you: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1360273/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15813697 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11553113
So based on these comments, is 20 drops of TTO sufficient for this recipe or does it need to be modified?
I made this tonight for the first time, it is amazing! I’ve tried it so far on my own skin, and at first it seems a bit greasy, but once it soaks in, skin is soft and smooth.
Also, it smells AWESOME. Can’t wait to try make more stuff using coconut oil!
Can I freeze this recipe? I’m a FTM and am not due for another 6 weeks. I want to be prepared and have this butt balm ready in advance. Would it be ok if I prepared as directed and stuck it in the freezer until my little one gets here?
Jessica, you do not have to freeze it. It should keep up to a year. Make it and have it ready for that new baby!
I LOVE this butt cream. Been using it for 4 months and not a single rash on baby’s bottom. My only question is depending on the temp obviously the consistency changes. Somedays it’s hard, others more like a soft gel. I was thinking maybe adding aloe liquid could keep it more soft. What do you think or is there a better ingredient to keep it soft. Thanks!
Hi Candice,
You can add 1-2 tbsp of a carrier oil like olive or jojoba to soften it up a bit. That is the problem with coconut oil, when it is cold it is more solid, when it is hot (over 76 degrees) it is more liquid. A little extra carrier oil will give it that extra softness.
I’m 35 weeks pregnant and will be cloth diapering for the first time with this baby. I’ve been looking for an affordable option for diaper rash ointment and this is exactly what I was looking for. Do you need to add a liner when using this or is it ok to use directly against the diaper?
No you don’t have to use a liner as long as you rub it in well. I don’t ever use liners and never had issues with it making the diaper less absorbent. Neither have a lot of my clients.
That being said check your warranty on your diapers. Some won’t stay valid if you use any diaper cream at all.
Is there another way I can heat this up? I don’t have a double boil pan. I have a regular pan and a microwave.
to double boil, just bring a couple of inches of water to a simmer in your regular pan. Then, use a Pyrex or stainless steel bowl that will fit into that pan, but rest on the edges so that the bottom does not quite touch the water. Does that make sense? You want to trap in the steam, but you don’t want to actually be touching the boiling water.
Thanks! This is great! I have just started using coconut oil (straight) for her diaper rash, and it has been excellent! The problem I’m trying to combat is the consistency. . . I’d like for it to be a little more smooth, instead of lumpy coconut oil turning liquid as soon as it touches your fingers / her skin. So I was looking to find out if beeswax is cloth diaper safe or not, since I had found several recipes for lip balm made with coconut oil and beeswax, it seems like the beeswax will make it a sturdier consistency. This is exactly what I was looking for!
My only question is, would it be ok to heat to melt in the microwave for a few seconds at a time instead of the double boiler method? I know you’d have to watch it and only do it maybe 15 seconds at a time.
We also LOVE Melaleuca Alternifolia T36C5 oil (from Melaleuca). I know it is the best, so I’m sure just a few drops will at least have some healing properties in here, even if it is not “as much” as it is supposed to be. (and will make it smell great too – I probably won’t even bother getting lavender oil)
My son is 8 months old and a few months ago he developed a rash on his arms, legs and cheeks. We took him to the doc and she was kinda dismissive and said it was just dry skin and it will go away. Well it hasn’t…i’ve tried ammens powder, calendula moisturizer and straight coconut oil and it hasn’t cleared up. Do you think this balm could help clear it up?
I will check with the girl who wrote the guest post, but I would think it could possibly help.
Hi, thanks for this great recipe. Is this balm suitable for a newborn? Also can you add Shea butter to it? Thank you!
Essential oils should never be used on children under 12 months of age. No trained aromatherapist will recommend using essential oils for use with children under 12 months of age.
My lo is allergic to coconut so could I use Shea butter instead? Also I’m allergic to tea tree what should be a good sub?
Hello, I’m considering making this cream to us for my soon to arrive newborn however i was wondering does the consistency change once it cools. I definitely want something that’s less oily and more like a lotion.
Thanks!