This and much more in my sunscreen e-report.

So what’s the difference between a zinc oxide based sunscreen and diaper rash ointment? Not much! Just marketed differently.

The main difference is in the base. Diaper rash ointments have little to no water content and sunscreen base usually has water listed as the first ingredient. If it’s marketed as a water-resistant sunscreen, then it too has little to no water and is practically similar to diaper cream. Also, diaper cream is usually made with conventional zinc oxide (and hence the pasty white look) whereas many commercial zinc oxide based sunscreen is made with micronized zinc oxide.

So yes, the two are interchangeable! Browsing over the cost of the more natural sunscreen and diaper rash ointment base at our local grocery store Central Market, sunscreen is about $2 – $3 per ounce and diaper cream is about $3 – $4 an ounce. Ouch! The more reason to make it yourself. It is surprising to me to find that the diaper cream is more expensive since conventional zinc oxide is cheaper than the micronized version. Then again, anything marketed for babies tend to be more expensive.

All this and more in my upcoming e-report on sun protection.

Oat grains have so many wonderful qualities that make them ideal as a daily facial cleanser. Used in the form of flour, they cleanse your face without the drying effects associated with soap. As with any flour, oatmeal flour absorbs oils readily along with other impurities. It also acts as a gentle exfoliator leaving your skin feeling smooth. It is suitable for all skin types especially dry, sensitive skin. Oats have been clinically proven to relieve dry, itchy, eczema skin and are a common natural ingredient found in bath treatments (Aveeno) and skin care lotions.

Keep it simple and just use plain oatmeal flour. At $2.49/lb for organic oatmeal flour in the bulk bin section of my grocery store, it is worth the time savings to not grind it from rolled oats.

To apply:
• Dampen skin.
• Pour a small amount into the palm of your hands.
• Wet it with your other hand to form a paste and massage onto moistened skin. Note that you don’t have to form a paste but this step keeps the oatmeal flour from getting into your eyes even if you have them shut.
• Wash off.

Store your oatmeal flour in a bottle. As long as you keep it away from water and other contaminants, it will keep for a long time.

Other uses:
Bath treatments and skin care lotions for dry, itchy, eczema skin

These specialty lotions and creams can be pretty expensive, especially if they have to be prescribed by a physician. If you’re willing to try all these products, why not try making them yourself? Look at the ingredients list and see if you can replicate something similar. I bet you can come pretty close. You might even be surprised at how common some of these ingredients are. Leave out all the preservatives since you don’t have to worry about shelf life for your own personal home use.

This is exactly what one reader did. In the simple 3-ingredient moisturizer post, he commented on his experiment which I thought was worthy of posting here. His formulation is partly derived from his positive results using uremol, a Canadian product that contains urea, and udder balm. Between the two products, he derived his ingredients list:

• water: 1/2 c + 2T
• olive oil: 2T
• urea: 4.75t
• stearic acid: 2t
• glycerin:2t
• lanolin:1.5t
• aloe vera gel: 1t
• vitamin e: 3/4 t

I haven’t tried this myself, but many of these ingredients are typically found in lotions for dry, cracked, eczema skin conditions. The only ingredient I’m not familiar with is urea. In addition to uremol, he shares that you can find a 10% urea lotion called Nutraplus. So, if you’ve ever used an urea-based cream or udder balm, give this recipe a try! I know I will (for my daughter’s eczema) and will post my results here.

Ingredients for a 5 oz batch by weight
• 4 oz coconut oil
• 0.5 oz beeswax
• 0.5 oz zinc oxide

2 oz coconut oil, 2 oz almond oil, 0.5 oz beeswax, 0.5 oz zinc oxide

Cooling water bath

Directions
• Combine the olive oil and beeswax in a heatproof container. I prefer either a glass measuring cup or a stainless steel container.
• Heat the oil/wax mixture in a hot-water bath over the stovetop.
• When the mixture has melted, remove the container and whisk in the zinc oxide as it cools.
• To speed up the cooling, place your container in a cool water bath as you stir. Gradually add ice to the water bath to bring down the temperature. If you’re using glass, make sure the temperatures aren’t too drastic or the glass can shatter.

For the water base in many of my recipes, I like to use glycerin. Glycerin is a humectant that draws in moisture, leaving your skin soft and hydrated. In this recipe, the water base is made up of 2 parts water to 1 part glycerin.

Mountain Rose Herbs is one of only a handful of online shops where I like to purchase my ingredients. I simply like the company and their commitment to organic agriculture and sustainable practices. And they have a friendly staff ready to answer all my annoying questions. You can purchase all the ingredients for this lotion at Mountain Rose Herbs.

Shopping list for at least 2 years worth of lotion for our family of four plus friends and relatives: ~$70
• 1 gal coconut oil (2 yrs shelf life) $22 (refined) or $41 (unrefined) – split it amongst your friends or keep up with my blog for future posts with ideas on how to use up this wonderful stuff. We never reach the shelf life!
• Two 1 lb bag of emulsifying wax (2 yrs max shelf life) $11.80
• 1 gal glycerin (2-3 yrs shelf life) $33. Glycerin also has many uses and we never reach its shelf life either.

Ingredients for a 30 oz batch:
• 4.5 oz coconut oil
• 1.5 oz emulsifying wax
• 16 oz water (boiled)
• 8 oz glycerin

Follow the instructions here.

Ingredients
• witch hazel extract
• citronella essential oil
• peppermint essential oil

Directions
• fill a spray bottle with witch hazel extract. For a diluted version, use equal parts witch hazel extract and water.
• add one drop each of the citronella and peppermint essential oil for each fl oz of liquid

Over-the-counter diaper rash creams contain anywhere from 10% to 40% zinc oxide (by weight). They’re not very expensive and for many babies, they work well. But along with the protectant zinc oxide, you’re also getting methylparaben, propylparaben, dimethicone, petrolatum, paraffin, and fragrance to name a few. That’s not what I would choose to slab on my baby’s sensitive skin!

There are all-natural alternatives such as Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Diaper Ointment but you’re paying over $7 for a small tube that may last a week. It is a great product so let’s look at its ingredients: several different types of oils and extracts, beeswax, and zinc oxide. That’s all! So forget the extracts and let’s start simple. And cheap. Here’s my pared down version using just olive oil, beeswax, and zinc oxide. All measurements are by weight.

Ingredients
• 3.5 oz olive oil
• 1 oz beeswax
• 0.5 oz zinc oxide

Directions
• Combine the olive oil and beeswax in a heatproof container. I prefer either a glass measuring cup or a stainless steel container.
• Heat the oil/wax mixture in a hot-water bath over the stovetop.
• When the mixture has melted, remove the container and whisk in the zinc oxide as it cools.

Did I mention this diaper rash cream is cloth diaper friendly? At least for the cotton diapers like Kissaluvs, it washes right off with any detergent. I don’t have any experience with this cream on polyester microfleece such as Fuzzi Bunz. If you do, post your results here!

Ever wondered which ingredient makes up the largest percentage in lotions? Water! If you look at the ingredients list on product labels, you will notice that water is almost always listed first, meaning it is the most predominant ingredient in the product. And, it is also ‘free’ and readily available. So what all are you paying for?

For less than a dollar and using common kitchen equipment, I want to show you how you can make a 12 oz batch of moisturizing lotion. That’s even cheaper than your Wal-mart petroleum-based generic brand. Best of all, it is easy and fun!

Skin care lotion is nothing more than an emulsion of oil and water. As an introduction to this wonderful and useful craft, let’s make a simple lotion with just olive oil, water, and emulsifying wax. Here’s what you need to make approximately a 12 fl oz batch:

Tools
• 1-cup glass measuring cup
• 2-cup glass measuring cup
• saucepan just large enough to fit the 1-cup measurer

Ingredients
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup emulsifying wax, available at some craft stores or online.

Directions
• Fill a small saucepan with water and set it on medium low to use as a water bath.
• Combine the oil and e. wax into the heatproof 1-cup measurer and melt the mixture in the water bath.
• Fill the 2-cup measurer with water and heat it in the microwave on high for 2 minutes or until it boils. Alternatively, boil water on the stove and pour it into the measurer.
• When the oil/wax mixture has melted, pour it into the water. Your lotion should now have the consistency of skim milk.
• Let it cool slightly, stir with a spoon or chopstick and pour the lotion into a bottle while it’s still warm and pourable. Otherwise, it would be hard to get the lotion into its container. If you’re using a wide mouth jar, then this is not an issue.
• Leave the cap off to let it cool completely, but occasionally cap the lotion and give it a quick shake to help blend the mixture.

That’s IT!!!

As is, this plain, scent-free lotion is great for babies and people with sensitive skin. But this recipe is very forgiving and you can easily vary it. Here are some suggestions:

• Substitute 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the water with glycerin to make a hydrating lotion.
• Substitute or combine the olive oil with other oils such as almond oil or coconut oil
• Add essential oils. Use 1 – 2 drops per fl oz of lotion

Previously, I had recommended 3 months shelf life based on my own personal experience over the last several years. Noting the many factors that can affect shelf life and that I cannot guarantee the ingredients you use and the cleanliness of your equipment, I am no longer recommending a shelf life. Instead, I will only present what I do to get my lotions to last three months. Your results will vary. Click here for up to date shelf life information and click here for more in depth discussion.