A diaper rash ointment is simply a cream with zinc oxide as the active ingredient. Zinc oxide is a naturally ocurring mineral. When used to treat diaper rash, it creates a barrier that keeps moisture and other irritants from your baby’s skin.
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!
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