Easy All-Natural Homemade Nappy Rash Cream Recipe

Soothe your baby’s bum that all-natural way with this easy homemade nappy rash cream recipe.

I am excited to share with you today this really easy and effective tutorial for homemade nappy rash cream. It’s been created for Moral Fibres readers by Summer Edwards, an eco-living enthusiast. Over to Summer:

Why I Make Homemade Nappy Rash Cream

As a mum with an interest in sustainability and natural health, I am constantly looking for ways that I can reduce the environmental impact of my family’s lifestyle. I’m also keen to minimise my toddler’s exposure to harsh chemicals.

When my son was born, I invested in a few natural products to help prevent nappy rash. Nappy rash can occur whether you use reusable nappies or disposable nappies, so I wanted to be prepared.

I naively assumed that the products I had chosen – which used natural healing herbs such as calendula and pawpaw extract – would be petrochemical and fragrance-free. They were marketed as natural after all. Why would you make a natural product that contains these harmful ingredients?

Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed when I read the ingredients list more closely and discovered I was wrong.

Many products marketed as “natural” still contain petroleum-based ingredients, artificial fragrances, or preservatives that can irritate delicate skin. Some “natural” options only include a token drop of plant extract, while the bulk of the formula is made from synthetic ingredients.

I realised that if I wanted to guarantee that the nappy rash cream I used on my baby’s bottom was completely toxin-free, then I would need to make it myself.

I was already dabbling in making natural beauty treatments for myself. As such, I had gone completely toxin-free in my own beauty regime. Therefore, I knew I could experiment with my own recipe for nappy rash cream and come up with something better than the products I was being sold.

How to Make Homemade Nappy Rash Cream

After some experimentation with different formulas, I finally landed on something that I was happy with. I am so pleased to share this recipe for homemade nappy rash cream with you. You too can keep your baby’s bottom toxin-free and use only nourishing, natural ingredients.

Here’s everything you need to know to help prevent nappy rash the natural way.

Ingredients

You can find the ingredients for this recipe at health food shops or online. I’ve included links to the products on Etsy if you’re having problems sourcing them.

If you want to simplify the recipe, you can leave out the avocado oil and replace it with almond oil instead (although watch out for nut allergies). You could also substitute both oils for olive oil if you wish. I’d also recommend using organic oils if possible:

• 8 tbsp. of beeswax small pellets.
• ¾ cup of sweet almond oil. I’ve linked to Etsy, but here are lots more places to buy sweet almond oil.
• ¼ cup of avocado oil.
• 1 tbsp. of raw unpasteurised honey. I’ve linked to a jar of this at Holland & Barrett, or try your local farm shop, if you have one.
• 30 drops of tea tree essential oil (available at Tisserand).

Equipment

• 1 small heat-proof glass bowl or small saucepan
• A medium saucepan
• 1 metal spoon for stirring
• 2-4 clean small glass jars – baby food jars or anything slightly larger than that are perfect for storing your homemade nappy rash cream. The jars should be small enough that you can scrape your finger right to the bottom of the jar easily.

Instructions

• Heat the medium saucepan half-filled with water on the stove.
• Place the glass bowl (or small saucepan) filled with beeswax on the heating water as a double-boiler. Keep the stove on a medium to low heat to ensure that the water does not boil too vigorously. The beeswax will take about 20 minutes to melt. Take care not to spill water into the melting beeswax.
• Once melted, remove the bowl (or small saucepan) from the heat to allow the beeswax to cool for 5 minutes. If the beeswax looks like it is starting to solidify, you needn’t keep waiting the full 5 minutes.
• Once the beeswax has cooled, add the avocado and almond oil. Then stir through the honey until it has completely dissolved.
• Add the 30 drops of tea tree oil, stirring it in well.
• Whilst the mixture is still liquid, pour it into jars. You will have about 300ml of mixture, so the number of jars you fill will depend on their size.
• Once in the jars, the mixture will begin to set. Sometimes the honey can settle to the bottom of the mixture, so you might like to stir each jar occasionally as the balm sets.
• When the balm has completely cooled, it will have a waxy cream-like consistency. It will be easy to apply to your baby’s bottom after each nappy change.

Directions For Use

Before you use any new product on your baby, natural or otherwise, it’s always best to patch test it. All you need to do is apply a small amount to a very small area of your baby’s skin, and wait 24 hours to see if the cream causes any reaction.

As long as there is no reaction, you can apply this homemade nappy rash cream after each nappy change to help prevent nappy rash. Less is definitely more. A thin layer at each nappy change is usually all that’s needed, applied to clean, dry skin.

I’d recommend always using clean, dry hands or keeping a little spatula or spoon to scoop it out, because introducing water or bacteria can shorten its life.

Storage

This cream should last around 3 to 6 months if it’s stored well – preferably somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight.

You’ll know it’s past its best if it develops an odd smell or the texture changes. If that’s the case, you should discard it and remake it.

Explanations

The reason this cream works is all down to the nourishing natural ingredients used:

• The beeswax provides a natural barrier to help protect your baby’s bottom. 
• Almond and avocado oil will nourish the skin.
• Tea tree oil and honey are both natural antiseptics. They both have strong healing elements and can help to heal mild nappy rash if it occurs.

When To See A GP

While natural remedies can help to prevent or help clear up mild nappy rash, there are times when professional advice is best. If the rash is severe, spreading, or not improving after a couple of days of care, it’s worth seeing your local pharmacist or making an appointment with a GP or health visitor for more specific treatment.

More Green Parenting Resources

If you’re looking for more sustainable parenting resources, I’ve got lots:

• Need more nappy rash top tips? Try my chamomile nappy rash remedy that my health visitor shared with me when my daughter was a tiny baby.
• Try my sustainable parenting tips for more ideas on how to be a green parent.
• And if you have any beeswax pellets left over, then do try out my beeswax food wrap DIY. It’s a great way to preserve food without plastic.