Essential Oil Diaper Rash Cream Recipe

Our babies are precious!  And when they are in distress, we feel it too.  So when it comes to trying to alleviate their discomfort naturally, what options do we have?

Infants and children who are still in diapers, are often susceptible to skin irritation on their bottoms.  Many parents, when looking for options to soothe their babies’ skin, look for products that are plant based and minimally processed because they want to make sure that their children are protected from any ingredients that may cause further irritation.

Often conventional creams and lotions, especially diaper creams and lotions, marketed for babies and children, are loaded with synthetic ingredients that have the potential to cause further irritation.  That’s why choosing more natural options, like products made directly from plant ingredients like carrier oils, butters and essential oils can be a better choice that offers quick and amazing results - and can easily be made at home.

This homemade DIY Essential Oil Diaper Rash Cream Recipe is super easy to make, and can offer instant relief when your baby is uncomfortable. It contains a unique blend of carrier oils and butters that are proven to reduce inflammation and bolster the skin’s resiliency, while supporting the skin’s natural ability to heal and restore.  The addition of a few essential oils increases the calming actions of the carrier oils and butters, and also provides a calming aromatherapeutic benefit that will make your baby feel so much better.

Here is a list of the ingredients used in this recipe and a quick description of their benefits:

Shea Butter:

The solid fatty extract pressed from the seed, or nut, of Shea Tree, that grows in areas of Africa. What makes this butter extract solid is its notable percentage of specific fatty acids, like stearic acid and lauric acid, that make it solidify when cooled, and liquify when heated. These same fatty acids have also been shown to have powerful skin reparative and protective properties, and can be applied to the skin to help reduce tissue damages, soothe away inflammation and help nourish and fortify the skin from further damage and irritation.

Carrier Oils:

The liquid fatty extracts pressed from the seeds of a wide variety of plants, like Argan, Jojoba, Marula, Baobab, Tamanu and Castor. They are made up of essential fatty acids, sterols and trace vitamins and minerals. Our skin is very receptive to plant oils because our own skin is made up of these similar constituents, and that means when we apply a plant oil to our skin it is immediately absorbed and integrated into the different layers of our skin and can offer instant therapeutic benefits.

Here are a few of the Carrier Oils we are using in this recipe:

Tamanu:

Expeller pressed from the nuts of the tamanu tree, this carrier oil is a rich green color and contains components that have been shown to be antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and pain relieving.

Jojoba:

Explorer pressed from the bean-like seeds of the jojoba bush, this carrier oil is loaded with components that mimic our own skin’s oil.  And this means it can help support our skin's natural ability to keep in balance, and to soothe away irritation.  It also absorbs quickly and doesn't leave a greasy wet feeling on the surface of the skin.

Baobab:

Expeller pressed from the seed of the Baobab Tree found in Africa, this carrier oil, like jojoba is fast absorbing and doesn’t leave a greasy feeling on the surface of the skin, It’s loaded with components that help reduce puffiness, and calm irritated skin.

Best Essential Oils for Diaper Rash

Lavender:

Steam distilled from the flowers of the lavender plant, lavender is known to be antibacterial, antiseptic and skin soothing. Plus it offers a deeply calming aroma that can quiet a baby's discomfort.

Frankincense:

Steam distilled from the resin of the frankincense tree that grows in India, frankincense essential oil is known for its protective, cell regenerative and fortifying properties.

Geranium:

Steam distilled from the fragrant leaves of the geranium bush, geranium oil shares antibacterial, antimicrobial and tissue reparative properties with lavender and frankincense, and can also offer a calming aroma that will make a baby feel less anxious.

Tapioca Starch:

A powder from the dried cassava root, and it offers balancing to the skin while reducing the greasy and oily feel of the carrier oils. It helps draw away moisture and keep the skin feeling soft and dry.

Now that we understand the different kinds of botanical ingredients that are needed to make an essential oil diaper rash cream, let’s learn how to make one!

Here is what’s you’ll need:

• Heat source, like an electric hotplate or your kitchen stove top - you need this to help slowly melt all the ingredients together.

• A shallow saucepan filled with about 1 inch of water

• A double boiler insert to melt all the ingredients and to use to pour into the molds, something like this is perfect.

• Mixing tools, like a stainless steel spoon, or disposable wooden sticks, like popsicle sticks.

• Various small glass bowls, measuring cups and spoons to place your ingredients in.

• A digital scale that can measure amounts to .00, and has a “tare” feature and can easily switch between grams and ounces.

• 2 empty 2 oz glass jars

• Paper Towel

• Oven Mit

• Parchment Paper

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make a 4 ounces:

• 1 ½ TBSP of Tapioca Starch
• 1 TBSP of Jojoba Carrier Oil.  
• 1 TBSP of Baobab Carrier Oil.  
• 1 ½ tsp of Tamanu Carrier Oil.  
• (40 grams) 3 TBSP of Shea Butter.  We are using Shea Butter for its deeply nutritive and protective properties.
• 10 drops of Vitamin E Oil
• 3 drops of Geranium Essential Oil
• 4 drops of Frankincense Essential Oil
• 7 drops of Lavender Essential Oil

Here is how you make it:

1. Thoroughly clean and disinfect a counter or table top in your kitchen, and line a 18 inch area with parchment paper
2. Carefully clean and sterilize your jars, and set them on top of the parchment paper.
3. Using your digital scale, measure out the beeswax and set aside
4. Measure out all of the carrier oils in separate measuring cups or beakers and set aside.
5. In a small glass cup, or bowl, measuring cup or beaker, mix together all the essential oils and set aside.
6. Set your saucepan filled with about 1 inch of water on your heat source and warm until it starts to steam.
7. Place the double boiler insert into your saucepan, and add the measured shea butter into the double boiler insert and let it melt thoroughly.
8. While it is melting, combine all of the carrier oils with the tapioca starch until well blended, then once the shea butter is completely liquified, pour in the carrier oil tapioca starch mixture and stir thoroughly over the heat until everything is well incorporated. 
9. Turn off heat, and using your oven mit, lift the double boiler insert out of the pan and wipe off the sides and bottom of the double boiler insert of any excess water, so that no water is left dripping.
10. Add your essential oil mixture and Vitamin E drops to the melted mixture and stir well.
11. Carefully pour the mixture into each jar without letting the mixture spill out or ooze out the sides. 
12. Cap tightly and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours to set.
13. Once the cream jars have set, they are ready to use!

How to use Essential Oil Diaper Rash Cream

For your child to reap the best benefits, it's recommended that the essential oil diaper rash cream be applied after thoroughly cleaning and drying your baby’s bottom. We suggest massaging about 1 fingerful into the entire area affected under the diaper, and use it as often as needed.