Raw shea butter - Photo courtesy of Mountain Rose Herbs
Coconut oil and raw shea butter are the perfect combination for a safe, natural and simple diaper cream or hand lotion. Shea butter is wonderful for its natural healing and moisturizing properties. It is rich in Vitamins A, E, and F, which help to soothe, hydrate, and balance the skin. Make sure to select raw shea butter, because many companies use bleaches, deodorizers, or chemicals to alter the scent and appearance of shea butter. These processings deplete the product of its healing and medicinal properties, and also destroy the vitamins and minerals present. You will know if it is raw by its distinguished nutty smell. Coconut oil is also very nourishing and moisturizing to the skin and has great anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
This is definitely a powerhouse for defeating yeast infections as well. We love it now! I used to have to switch my babies over to disposables when a rash hit, but with this salve, it heals wonderfully even when wearing cloth diapers. I recommend using a thick doubler/liner when applying this salve if you use cloth diapers to protect their warranty. My dipes are out of warranty, so we use it directly on their bum with the diaper and it has not caused any repealing issues. It washes out beautifully. This recipes works for a awesome natural lotion as well, helping to sooth dry and cracked skin. You may want to add some lavender (or other) essential oil for fragrance for use as hand lotion because shea butter gives it a nutty smell and may not be preferred if you like a real fragrant lotion.
How to make your own?
1/8 cup coconut oil (extra virgin is preferred)
1/4 cup raw shea butter
3-4 Tablespoons talc-free cornstarch or arrowroot power (optional, to thicken) -Learn more about avoiding talc here.
Combine coconut oil and shea butter in a small bowl with a hand mixer or stick blender. You may have to soften the shea butter just slightly over very low heat in order to incorporate them well together, but it should combine well with a mixer. Add cornstarch or arrowroot a tablespoon at a time until you achieve the desired thickness. It will look similar to a whipped icing.That’s it! Transfer to a small covered container and place at your changing station. Keep a small portion in the diaper bag as well. Apply liberally with each diaper change as a preventative and rash salve. There are many more complicated homemade varieties out there, but this simple recipe has done the trick for us! Makes about 1 cup.
We buy our extra virgin coconut oil and raw shea butter from Mountain Rose Herbs. You can use refined coconut oil on the skin as it is a cheaper variety. Unrefined is preferred for eating.
This post is a part of Fight Back Fridays.
I like getting my already made natural lotion from http://www.naturalwayorganics.net. They have a different variety of lotions including baby lotion and it’s without all the harsh chemicals you see in the store. Theirs also relieves itchy and dry skin while providing protection from irritating elements in the air.
I would just like to point out that the American Cancer Association has posted about talc, making your link inaccurate. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/talcum-powder-and-cancer
I would say that the link posted IS accurate unless you are reading one of the links differently than I am . Talc can and may contain asbestos particles shown to cause cancer. Avoiding talc on a baby is a no brainer if you ask me,
Does anyone have any diaper rash cream recipes that don’t use coconut oil? I love coconut oil and use it as a moisturizer and after using it as a baby oil on my son discovered that he is allergic. I’ve been having a hard time finding a recipe that doesn’t use coconut oil.
Hi Lindsay, I just want to know can I use this cream on my baby face also and can I use fractionated coconut oil instead of virgin coconut oil…….Thanks
Thank you SO MUCH. Seriously.
We have 3 kids: a 4-year old son, 2.5 year old daughter, & 6-month old daughter. Our 2.5 year old has had a perpetual rash for the longest time; nothing we’ve tried has really worked, including coconut oil alone. It gets better & worse, but never goes away. Our 6-month old also got a diaper rash, very recently (thanks, new teeth!).
I ordered the necessary ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs; everything arrived on Thursday. I made the diaper rash cream on Friday, and now (it’s Monday)… no diaper rashes to speak of… and pretty much for the whole weekend!!! It worked almost instantaneously. We’ve used it with each diaper change for the girls, to keep the rash from reappearing.
The cream works well on other things, too… our 2.5 year old had some pineapple yesterday; the skin on her cheeks was instantly bright red. I decided to put a little of the cream on… her cheeks went back to normal, & she said they no longer hurt.
I made it just by breaking the coconut oil & shea butter down with a fork in a bowl & mixing it up. I didn’t use the microwave; didn’t melt anything down. It seemed to be the right consistency, so I didn’t add the arrowroot that I’d bought, but the cream has since softened & separated quite a bit, so I think I’ll probably add a little bit, just to thicken it a little.
We’ve had our cloth diapers for a few years, so I’m not worried about staining, but I haven’t had any problems whatsoever.
I am so thrilled to have found this recipe, & so grateful you decided to post it.
As for Mountain Rose Herbs, I can’t say enough good things about them. They were wonderful to deal with (I get so confused about refined/unrefined, etc.); they answered my questions in a truly helpful way. I love that they’re an eco-friendly, sustainable, fair trade, no waste company.
Thank you. So. Much.
Oh, my gosh! I just found this Pinned on Pinterest with no explanation/description, and I thought that was BISCUITS! lol (I thought they looked like awfully white biscuits for a Lindsay recipe!)
I’m glad I clicked through, though, as I was just given a tubful of shea butter and didn’t know what to do with it.
I’ve been making this cream for a while and I love it! it just doesn’t seem to turn out like the “whipped icing” every time. This past time, I ordered the Mountain Rose Herbs shea butter, added 5 tbls of arrowroot and it seems too runny. Any suggestions? Thank you!
Interesting recipe. I make my own ‘diaper butter’ too but admit, I don’t measure as well as the author and I have never thought of using arrow root or cornstarch to thicken (doesn’t corn starch serve as food for yeast?). Refined coconut oil may not have the antibacterial/antifungal properties that the virgin variety does. I might try the author’s recipe when I’m ready for a new batch, but I just made a fresh supply of my own recipe last night so it won’t be for a while.
My child is 2 months away from turning 2 and has NEVER had diaper rash or a yeast infection. I use my homemade diaper butter with every diaper change. When we’re away from home or for baby sitter use, I use Grovia Magic stick. It’s quick, easy, safe for cloth or disposable diapers and the sitter with decorated fingernails loves that she doesn’t have to ‘risk’ her manicure. Each stick is about $14 but lasts a while for me since the baby is usually home with me and not ‘out and about’ or with the sitter much (hopefully this will change when I find a new job!! Been searching 14 months with no luck; I’m a Database Analyst/Executive Secretary).
I USE DISPOSABLE DIAPERS and DO NOT KNOW if the following can be used with the cloth variety. The way I make diaper balm/butter, is I use a 16 oz glass jar (short and fat, resembles the plastic tubs store bought diaper cream comes in – see Lil’ Goat’s Zinc Oxide Cream packaging) ivory, unrefined shea butter, beeswax and a mixture of oils. I fill the 16oz jar just under 1/2 way with the unrefined shea butter, mashing and stirring with a fork until it’s soft (takes a minute or two if that). You may need to add more shea as you stir to ensure the jar is just under 1/2 full when you are done softening. (I always use white/ivory). I heard that while the yellow is similar, it is a different species and the two trees grow in very different climates, thereby having similar but different qualities. The difference seems minor in this application so either will probably do.
I change up the oils I use with my mood or with whatever I have on hand. In last night’s batch, I used Virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil, calendula oil and apricot seed oil. Jojoba and kukuit nut oils work well in place of one or two of the aforementioned oils. Each oil is measured at 1 TBSP, except for the coconut oil. I always use 2 tbsps of that. Sometimes I use 2 tbsps of the calendula oil as well and don’t notice a negative effect in the end result. Last night I didn’t because I’m almost out of the calendula oil. Also, I don’t know how the measurement translates for other calendula oils. I use Weleda, which is premixed with predominently sweet almond oil. You could even use all one oil, but not all coconut imo, because it is temperamental, since it’s a solid at room temperature and below but a liquid around and above 75 degrees. Basically, any six oils you like should work. I use virgin coconut oil in every batch to help ensure the antifungal/antibacterial properties of the batch. I also add a few drops of essential oil as a preservative. Lately I’ve been using tea tree (10 drops or less). If you use ylang ylang (strong) or have sensitive skin, perhaps you’ll need less. My child doesn’t seem to be irritated in any way with the 10 drops of tea tree oil and again, has NEVER had a diaper rash or yeast infection.
Measure your selection of oils into a single cup and set aside. In a double boiler set to medium heat (just set a larger pot on top of a smaller pot filled 1/2 way with water), I put 1 & 1/2 tbsps unrefined beeswax pellets to melt (from Soapgoods.com. It’s labeled as unrefined, but I’m sure it is somewhat refined to create those uniform pellets. They don’t deodorize it, is why I guess they classify it as such). I turned off the heat when the wax was almost completely melted, but kept the large pot on top of the smaller pot. Next, I added the mixture of oils into the melted wax and stirred for one minute to be sure everything was melted, blended and heated.
I then poured half the hot mixture into the shea butter, mixed well, and then added the rest of the hot mixture to the shea butter and stirred again (shea will melt). I put the lid on the jar and set it undisturbed for 24 hours. It can be used at that point but will continue to harden and be as hard as it will get in 48 hours. Some people put similar mixtures into the freezer or fridge to speed up the process but I’ve never tried that so I can’t say whether or not it changes the final product. If the mixture is too soft after 48 hours, melt additional beeswax using the double boiler method (1 teaspoon has been adequate increase for me in the past but may vary. Lately, I’ve not had this issue, the 1&1/2 tbsps works well), then scoop the already prepared mixture into the melted beeswax (heat is off at this point but keep the larger pot on the smaller pot for the duration of the process. The residual heat is enough to complete the process) and stir for about 1 minute until hot (not boiling). Pour back into the jar and let it set up again. If the mixture was too hard, increase the amount of oils you use and next time you make the mixture, decrease the amount of beeswax used. I’ve not had this happen, so I don’t know what measurement to give on the decrease. The types of oils used make a difference as to how hard or soft the mixture gets, as well as how exacting your measurements are. I’m loose with mine so my results vary slightly but not so much as to make me measure any more accurately. Sometimes, my mixture is perfect, a seemingly hard butter/cream but is easily scooped and instantly melts when it touches baby’s bottom. Other times, my mixture feels slightly gritty, but is as easy to scoop and melts as readily and completely when smeared on skin so no sweat. I forgot to mention that sometimes, I put in a few drops of fragrant oil in for a light influence on the scent. Not too much though, you don’t want to cause irritation to baby’s skin and the mixture really does smell nice (imo) as is. Still, sometimes I add mango frangrance oil or lemon grass essential oil to it. I’ve even added dark chocolate fragrance oil to mimick cocoa butter. Very few drops though (I get them also from soapgoods.com).
If anyone tries this recipe, let me know how well you liked it (or hated it) and any improvements you suggest are welcome. Happy mixing.
Don’t heat the shea butter at all. It only takes a minute or two of working it with a metal fork to soften. I use shea butter in all kinds of concoctions, sometimes adding it to already heated mixtures but never actually heating it up itself. You could also try increasing the shea butter. It seems the basic concept for both the author’s cream and mine are that I use beeswax to harden and the Lindsay uses arrow root/cornstarch to thicken. Since I’ve experimented with just a mixture of shea butter and oil (loved all of those experiments), I think I will try Lindsay’s, but maybe with clay like another poster recommended (Tia). I will admit, I don’t always get my cream as smooth as I want consistently. That’s the main reason I want to try Lindsay’s recipe.
The secret, is probably that I have to stop being lazy and be more careful with my measuring. Mixer blending would likely alter my results for the better. I don’t currently have one and am satisfied enough with my results to dismiss purchasing one. LOL
RECIPE CORRECTION.
If the diaper butter is not set or too soft, instead of remelting and adding more beeswax, add shea butter instead. Soften 1/4 cup of shea butter in a bowl by mashing and stirring with a fork. DO NOT MELT and DO NOT MICROWAVE! This will take about 1 minute. Then, add 1/2 of the jar of partially set diaper butter to the shea butter and stire well. Add the rest of the diaper butter and stir until thoroughly mixed.
Spoon back into the jar and it will set almost immediately. Useable in about 10-15 minutes but will continue to harden over the next 24 hours.
I am really LOVING this modification!!
Hi! I was wondering about how many ounces do you purchase at a time?
How many ounces of the Shea butter I mean…
Just wanted to mention that those who have babies who struggle with yeast or thrush should opt for arrrowroot instead of cornstarch if using a thickener. Cornstarch can aggravate yeast or fungal conditions by providing nourishment.
If you have been using cornstarch powder as a talc alternative on your baby and yourself, consider switching to a product made with clay, or just buy some bulk bentonite or green clay which is typically available at health food stores. Clay has amazing healing and drying properties, and is safe to use on infants.
Excellent tip with the clay. I just replied a LONG response today, which is likely at the top of this thread with a recipe I came up with myself that i like. I just made a fresh batch of it so I won’t make this author’s version any time soon, but when/if I do, I will use clay instead of the cornstarch/arrow root. I agree about the corn startch at least, being food for the yeast. Not familiar with arrow root so I can’t comment on that.
My baby has always been diapered with my concoction. Aside from when we’re out and about or the baby goes to the sitter (I use Grovia Magic Stick for those occasions), every change and with disposable diapers; baby has NEVER had a yeast infection or diaper rash and is two months away from being a 2 year old. I’m SO grateful and I hope the trend continues during potty training (we’re just starting but baby is not speaking fluently yet, mostly ‘jibber jabber’ and a few recognizable words.
I made this & used it for about a month on my baby’s tush
…didn’t care for it cause she always seemed red
Hi! Just wanted to let you know how much I love this cream, we use it for so much more than diaper rashes, which I will add, my CD’s are out of warranty and I never use a liner, no issues. I’ve used it on burns, scrapes, as a lotion, and just applied it to my fresh sunburn and it instantly feels soothed and and less irritated! Thanks for posting!
Hi, Lindsay! I only have the refined coconut oil from Tropical Traditions. Does it still have all of the anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties as the virgin oil, or is it lost in processing? My daughter has recurrent yeast rashes, and I’d like to make some of this.
No, that is great to use. It is just not as beneficial to consume in your diet, but is great for skin care products.
Hello,
May i ask is there a way to make the shea butter lotion without a oil? my daughter has eczema and everything seems to irratate her.
I have experience with children with eczema,
Go ahead and use the coconut oil, it will do amazing things for the eczema, it should actually help her not harm her and I bet you will will find she has less flare ups if you start using the coconut oil.
Best of luck!
use organic sesame oil. it is revered in ayurveda. im sure it will not cause any issues
I hope this isn’t a repeat question, with a little one I don’t have a lot of time to read through and find out! What do you use as a liner in your cloth diapers? I have been wondering.
Actually, I just use cloth wipes most of the time.
Hi, I read that you said this was cloth diaper safe, but then you said to use a liner. It said that it wouldn’t cause repelling, but it may cause staining? I’m just looking to clarify…thanks!
If you are using cloth diapers, you should always use a liner (cloth wipe or whatever) with any diaper cream. It’s more to protect your warranty on the diapers and to prevent staining.
If you use tri-folds and aren’t worried about a warranty, don’t worry about the liners and don’t worry about whether diaper creams might affect the pure cotton cloth. It barely makes a difference. Staining to me is irrelevant, but if having pure white diapers every time is important to you, you are probably stuck using bleach anyway (which will work on diaper creams, including the fishy ones).
We use a diaper service with tri-folds/”prefolds” inside Bummis brand or the old school style Thirsties diaper covers. We are very, very happy with this setup.
My little guy rarely gets diaper rashes. We use simple Butt Paste frequently, just as a barrier. He’s got an actual rash right now and I’m mixing up my own lotion using raw organic cacao butter. I don’t have shea butter, arrowroot, or zinc, so I’m trying to figure out whether to try corn starch. it sounds risky, with the yeast factor.
Can we add Calendula infused Olive Oil instead of the Shea Butter? Would I have to add beeswax to make stiffer? I love the healing properties of Calendula! I am looking for something to use on my niece and the 62 year old lady I take care of, they are Down Syndrome and thier skin gets very dry and chapped.
Raw shea butter is essential for its moisturizing healing properties especially when dealing with a yeast rash. If you want to add olive oil, then I might switch it out for the coconut oil instead or do half and half with coconut oil. It will affect the texture so you would have to experiment.
You can also infuse calendula or another healing herb into coconut oil, then mix that with the shea butter. Just heat your dried herbs in the coconut oil over a double boiler or the lowest possible heat in a regular pot for an hour or two, then strain.
Eep! I just read the article about Talc. I had a minor panic until I remembered that Mom insisted I only use pure cornstarch on my baby’s tush. We are switching to cloth diapers (yes using up the remainder of our disposables yet testing out cloth diapers). She has been having rashes lately so I have been looking up cloth friendly remedies while heavily relying on her cornstarch. But now I am seriously thinking about combing through all of her hygeine items to make sure there is nothing harmful.
Have you ever tried adding essential oils to make it a nice hand lotion? If so, where would you add them?
Hi
I was just wondering if it’s ok to melt all the ingredients in a double boiler so they mix nicely or is it best to just mix with too much heating?
Sure…but I would be extra careful to preserve the raw properties of the shea butter for best results.
is there any stores that sell raw shea butter or just shea butter?
hi lindsay, i just made this recipe today and i’d say i like the smell of it. Thank you so much for posting this on the website. i hope it works on my little one’s skin. oh can this be used for both disposable and cloth daipers?
You can use it on cloth diapers as long as you use some sort of liner to protect from staining the diapers.
Hi Lindsay! Thank you for sharing this recipe with your readers. All of the products you can buy are rather expensive and I like that this is so simple, as well. I also tried the deodorant recipe and it works so well! I appreciate your heart and love your site.
How long does this cream last? If it’s refridgerated will it last longer?
At least a year.
I am due November 1st and planning to use bumgenius AIO diapers. My question is if you have had any staining or repelling on the BG due to the coconut oil diaper cream? I know they say not to use other creams because that is the case.
It is recommended to use some sort of liner when using any sort of diaper cream, this recipe included. I always tried to use a liner so as not to void the warranty.
PI am very excited to try this out, mixing some up after kids go to bed! Was curious if you had a cloth wipe recipe? Thanks!
How long will this cream last (shelf life) and does it need to be refrigerated?
Is this okay to use if the rash may be eczema?
Is this okay to use for eczema too?
Certainly. Shea butter and coconut oil are the best things for eczema.
Thanks for the info =) Also, if this is used on a yeast rash, is talc free cornstarch okay? Or is arrowroot powder better?
Either one is suitable.
I’m totally going to try this! You are such a life saver! I have to switch my daughter over to disposable diapers when she gets a rash, and I hate having to do it. Most of the cloth diaper friendly creams are expensive, too. I have been thinking about making my own cream for a wile now, so I can’t tell you how excited I was when I read your post. Thanks again!
I reacted to the homemade deodorant. (horrible rash) Could my child get a bad rash as well.. I guess I should ask, could there be any sensitivity issues?
The rash problems with the deodorant are due to the baking soda content. This cream does not contain that ingredient.
Okay thanks! I’ve been leary of trying the deodorant recipe again w/less baking soda because of the horrible rash. One day… one day. Altho, i think I do still have cream from the dr just in case!
just made a batch tonight for my ds w/a slight rash accompanying strep throat-so smooth and silky-thanks L!
I made this last night and am trying it on my twin 16 mo. old girls. One is really prone to rashes… and it’s pimpley, so I’m thinking it’s yeast in nature. We cloth diaper , but when they get bad rashes, I use disposies to slather OTC cream on them, but it really doesn’t help much. I couldn’t find the arrowroot powder, and didn’t add the cornstarch since I think I’m dealing with a yeast rash. It’s pretty thin, but if feels silky and good. I hope it helps us! Plus, it smells tons better than desitin!
Lindsay, Would this recipe help to cure adult male yeast infections? I’ve been prescribed antibiotics which seems to make it worse and since then have started to take Acidophilus twice a day. I have also been on the “Candida Diet” which has helped some. I’ve come to the point where I’m really getting tired of the symptoms and would love for the problem to end. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Eat raw unrefined coconut oil (1 or 2 tablespoons in oatmeal or something) everyday and it will (God willing) clear up in a week or two. Also remember to keep eating yogurt. you can get the coconut oil from Mountain Rose Herbs.
I am ready to make some of this for my little girl who keeps getting diaper rashes from all of the new foods she is trying. I am guessing most of you use cloth diapers (I know you do Lindsay), do you need to put a liner in the diaper every time you use this like regular creams or does it wash out easily?
Also, I am having a hard time finding a good cloth diaper detergent in stores. I have been using the Country Save powder but it leaves my prefolds (which I use for burp cloths now, went to the AIO for my baby) very rough to the touch. I can’t find a store up here who carries the liquid… any other ideas? I have a front loader so I think that it is just not getting all of the powder out or something… Anyone have ideas?
If your daughter is getting rashes from trying new food it sounds like she has some allergies. My son has several allergies, some life threatening but most just cause a but of rash or eczema flare up. he should grow out of most in a few years. You may want to check with your doctor about how to tell if it is allergies. It could save your daughter a lot of discomfort.
It could be allergies to food or to something topical you are putting on the skin. For example, I was all excited about a homemade diaper cream until I realized it had coconut in the recipe. My son is allergic to nuts (coconut is classified as a tree nut) & even putting it on his skin would likely be a trip to the hospital.
Update! I bought some of the Charlie’s Soap! LOVE IT! And I use it for everything now. Found out my girl’s rash was from not drinking enough water… more of a burn, poor thing. After making this cream if she does get a real diaper rash it is gone within an hour or so!
I also have a front loader, I use some white vinegar in my bleach holder & run a second rinse. This has helped to soften the diapers.
Nicole, I use Norwex laundry detergent in a front loader, and it works very well. The package directions say to use a teaspoon for a load, but I use about a tablespoon instead (personal preference). We live in an apartment, so we’re limited in laundry settings, but I often select extra washing and rinsing time (again, personal preference–I don’t want to have to pay for an extra load because I find out the hard way that it didn’t rinse out. I haven’t had it happen yet, even with triple the recommended amount.). I use G-diapers, and even when I don’t put the inserts in the drier, the softer side is still soft enough to use against my baby’s bum. Incidentally, I purchased the detergent early last March for $31, have done about 2-3 loads per week, on average, and I’m only running out now. I’ve also used it for handwashing unmentionables or diaper inserts nearly every day, and it’s great.
Thank you so very much for this wonderful cream. My 10mo daughter has been suffering from a yeast diaper rash for about two months. Many visits to the doctor, and three prescriptions later, no lasting results. I used your lotion for the first time yesterday, and her rash looks much better. Thank you!
Question: Do you think it would be a good idea to add Castor Oil? I read this on an Ayuravedic herbal website: “It is a potent adversary of Candia albicans, the well known yeast-like fungi.”
I have to thank you for this recipe. I have been using it for a month now on my 2 month old and it works wonders. Before using this he had a terrible bleeding diaper rash and nothing I got at the store worked. The first week I wasn’t sure about it since he still looked red, so don’t give up using it after just a few days. Now his skin is so healthy, without any signs of rash. This is the only thing I will use from now on. Thanks!
i just made a batch of the lotion and it was pretty greasy…is that normal? what did i do wrong? thanks!
It is a naturally somewhat greasy, but it absorbs quickly into the skin and does not leave a greasy appearance. If you want it less so, increase the shea butter over the coconut oil content.
I went to the Mountain Rose Herb site and found the Shea Butter is out of stock. Do you have any suggestions?
I found a local store with the NOW brand. It says it is “Our butter is entirely cold pressed with no solvents used in the extraction process.” The NOW site adds “Contains no: chemical preservatives or artificial colors.” Would you find this to be an acceptable option until the shea butter is in stock at Mountain Rose Herb again? Or would you look for something that directly states is as raw and/or unrefined?
That alternative sounds like a good option for the meantime.
You can purchase a large amount of this, it is unrefined and from africa….it is at Coastalscents.com It is under “Butters & Soaps” Very cheap and great.
i cannot wait to make this lotion! is there a way to incorporate cocoa butter into this recipe? if so how much should i put?
Sure. I would probably add a small quantity because you don’t want to overpower the benefits of the shea butter. Maybe 1/4 cup?
hi lindsey. i was wondering if you made your own baby wash/shampoo? if so, do you mind sharing the recipe? thanks! brooke
No, I keep it pretty simple and just use a bar of natural bath soap for all of us for both soap and shampoo. Works great! Right now we use Dr. Bronner’s lavendar soap bars and they are delightful.
I made this on Monday night and it is GRITTY. Really strange. Have you ever had that happen before? I can’t figure out why. I used raw shea butter from Mountain Rose Herbs, Nutiva EV coconut oil, and about 3.5 T of cornstarch. I’m still using it…but it sure doesn’t feel very nice to rub onto my little guy’s skin. He’s had a rash on and off for several weeks and I was really hoping this would be the magic answer.
from what i have heard regarding the grittiness is that the shea butter is crystalizing due to a climate change, shea butter comes from really warm climates and when bringing it to a foriegn cooler climate it crystalizes.
I make homemade body butters, and have had issues with this once or twice. Make sure to melt the oils/butters slowly, on low/simmer. If you re-melt it, that should get rid of the grittiness.
I made one batch of the lotion today! Oh, what fun!!!
When you make your lotion, do you have the coconut oil melted or do you leave it solid? I used the arrowroot powder and it turned the lotion a grey color. Do you add scents? If so, what are some of your favorites? Have you ever tried adding other ingredients to this (aloe, jojoba oil, palm oil, etc)?
I mix it while it is in it’s solid state. I would skip the arrowroot if it is changing the color…it really is not necessary. I love lavender to scent it! Lovely! Another reader recommended adding aloe vera to make it more spreadable for facial use in particular.
When you add lavender, do you use lavender essential oil and if so how much? I’m hoping to make some for Christmas gifts and would love to make it smell better, but I’ve never used essential oils for just us.
Hi Lindsay. Thanks for this recipe! I tweaked it a bit and am now using it as my body lotion. It is working wonders on my skin (I have eczema). Thanks again!
Oh and by the way, I linked to your recipe from my blog. Thanks again!
I have recently found that a nice way to use coconut oil on the face is to combine equal parts coconut oil and aloe vera gel. (I found this on the web from something Sally Fallon had written.) It makes the coconut oil more spreadable and a little lighter for use on the face.
Just wanted to let you know we tried it too and LOVE it! We haven’t had to use it on a yeast rash (thankfully!) but it has cleared up my son’s regular diaper irritations nicely. I love that I can use it too after I shave – I have tried coconut oil in the past but it is difficult to put on. My husband is loving it as his hands often crack in the winter and I also love it b/c when my children have dry skin Aquafor was the only thing I could find that would coat and not absorb right away to protect their skin but this works just as well.
So happy! Thanks for the tip!
I love this!!! We love coconut oil and try to use it as lotion, but it doesn’t have the right consistency. My son has eczema and I think this will be great! Balmex actually works great on his cheeks etc. for eczema, but it has a lot of stuff like mineral oil and a paraben in it. So I was looking for a natural solution. Thanks!
Anyone else have remedies or advice for eczema or very sensitive skin?
I made this cream! I actually made it in a bowl and just mixed it up with a spoon/fork. I had a 4 oz container of raw shea butter, but when I measured out 1/4 cup it was only half of the container so you may want to correct that in the recipe. A quarter cup of shea butter is only 2 ounces. So I have another 2 oz of butter left to make another batch of this stuff! It has worked better for me so far than any other diaper cream I’ve tried! I am SO impressed! My son had an open (gaping really), weeping and bleeding diaper rash and this was my last resort before taking much more drastic measures as we’ve been dealing with this particularly nasty rash for some time now. But now- just a week or so later- it is dramatically improved! I attribute it to the diaper rash cream and I am SO glad I tried it! Thank you so much for sharing this!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It’s really helpful. It makes a luscious and soothing massage and body oil for dry and or damaged skin, and this is proven by many. Very informative post.
I am wondering where I can get other ideas like this one? I’ve been experimenting in making my own body care projects (with the help of products from Mountain Rose Herbs, actually!) and I’d love more recipes!
Lindsey, have you found any more baby care products to be helpful?
Thanks!
Beth, if you check around my blog you will find many homemade body care products that I have concocted. I make my own deodorant for one that works wonders. You can find most of them under the Recipes tag above. For babies, I don’t use much. Coconut oil has solved most of my issues. Cradle cap, dry skin, rashes, etc. What are you looking for specifically?
Hello,
I love your website! saw the recipe for the rash cream and wonder if I could use jojoba oil instead of coconut oil and use on my daughters hair as a finishing cream?
Oh I love this idea! And I love your site here! Lots of good info! I had to follow your site so I wouldn’t miss anything from now on!
I just wanted to say that I tried your conconction of the shea/coconut oil on this terrbile yeast rash my newborn has…. and it’s gone!!! Gone gone gone!! So I wanted to say keep up the posts, people like me that live out in the boonies learn alot and home remedies are so much better than going to the doctor all the time. Thanks again!!
I love your site!!! Its like everything I envisioned before I ran out of time on my own natural/health blog. LOVE the things you are writing about! I buy the Expeller-pressed coconut oil since I dont like the taste of coconut – is that what you mean by refined? and it still has yeast-fighting properties even when refined? We are battling a little thrush here so Id love to know .thanks!
Yes, refined is usually the same thing as expeller pressed. I am not sure if it has as high of yeast-fighting properties as the unrefined version.
Thanks for sharing this. I bet it smells good!
Thanks!
Does this stink? And do you think it would be effective for mama’s yeast infections?
No, it doesn’t stink…it is just not my favorite fragrance.
I am not sure if it would be effective on a mama’s yeast infection, but you could definitely give it a try!
I use odor-free garlic capsules, prick them, and squeeze out the oil. I like garlic, but I don’t think my babies should smell like an Italian bistro.
Garlic is great for mama’s yeast infections too! I take a clove of garlic (poke a hole through it and tie a string through) and insert like a tampon. Works like a charm….takes a day or two to clear.
Lindsay, I also wanted to add that one great thing for yeast rashes is garlic oil. My littles have only been on antibiotics a few times, but they tend to get yeast despite the probiotics. Garlic oil could be added to your concotion for babies prone to yeast.
thanks for the garlic oil tip!
Lindsay, I’m not sure where to reply to the “What I’m Doing” comments, but please know that you have my utmost sympathy and empathy for your insomnia. I have been afflicted with sleep deprivation for the last two years. Both of my littles are terrible sleepers, as they both suffer from severe reflux. My son was often up every 40-60 minutes for months on end, and in between getting up with him, I couldn’t sleep, and I was often still awake when he woke again. Sleep deprivation colors everything in your life. I was diagnosed with post-partum depression. Insomnia is both a symptom AND a worsener of PPD. I don’t like who I am when I don’t sleep. I hope you can get help for it.
Lindsay…I read your blog periodically, a friend recently sent it to me. I was reading today that you are going through excactly what I am. My baby boy was born March 13th and I have an older child as well. I am having horrific sleep problems. I know exactly how difficult it is to keep going during the day with only two hours of sleep. It is hard to keep the faith…but I will be praying for you tonight!! May we both see an end to this very soon!
Erica
I had no idea bout the benefits of Shea Butter! I’m so excited to make this. Thanks, again Lindsay for the information.
Great post, Lindsay! I started using coconut oil on my son after reading your previous post about it. In fact, we use coconut oil for all sorts of things now, and LOVE it! My son is prone to yeast rashes, especially in the California summer heat, and the only thing that worked was a prescription anti-fungal cream that I hated using. The coconut oil works wonderfully, so much so that I’m ready to stop using disposables for overnight. I love the idea of adding Shea butter, and will be trying that this week. I do have one question, though: because of the heat, my coconut oil is always liquid, and in other recipes (deodorant) it separates, making it necessary to stir before each use. Does this happen with Shea butter as well? Thanks!
No, the shea butter will actually stay thick. I have started to add it to my deodorant as well and it definitely helps it from liquefying,
I added Shea butter to my deodorant today, and it works great! I may actually be able to put it into a deodorant container without it making a huge mess now. Thank you! Now I’m wondering if I should mix a little with the coconut oil for hair conditioner. It may be worth a try.
I’ve been following your blog for months, and finally wanted to tell you how much I love, Love, LOVE your blog. So much great information! I read it faithfully and have tried many things and plan to try many more things you post about. BIG THANKS!
I have no little ones (yet) BUT I am definitely going to make this to give as gifts to some good friends who are about to have babies. I do have a question though. I read somewhere, I think it was on People’s Pharmacy (I’ll have to backtrack to see where I read it), that lavender essential oil mimics estrogen in boys and men (I don’t know about girls), thus causing them to suffer from things like gynecomastia (formation of breasts on a male). Have you read anything on this, and if you have what is your opinion?
Yes, that has been a rumor that has filtered around for a long time. There unfortunately was not solid proof behind the one study that was completed on it. You can read more detail on it here.
Thank you so much! I’ll be trying this soon. My 4yo daughter has a weird rash (she only wears cloth training pants at night) and I’m hoping this will do the trick! Also, my 4mo son just got over what appeared to be a yeast infection and I’d love to have something like this on hand for him. We live in a dry climate, so I’m sure I’ll find plenty of other uses for this, too!
Since you mentioned this cream could be used as an all-purpose lotion, I’m wondering if you’ve heard of coconut oil having any sunscreen properties? I found an article that claims coconut oil is the “original sunscreen”, but that it does not block UV-B rays, which are supposed to be good for immune function. Have you heard of this? I was reading this article to do research on whether coconut oil is beneficial for MS patients. Here is the link: http://www.coconut-oil-central.com/coconut-oil-multiple-sclerosis.html
Yes, we actually discussed it previously in my Safe Suncreen post. I believe it is effective for short duration but I tried it one day this summer for a longer outdoor outing and I got burned, so I wouldn’t recommend using it alone unless it is just a short time in the sun.
do you think it would be okay if I added a little almond oil for fragrance sake?
Go for it!
When my daughter was a baby she had yeast diaper rash all the time. We used disposable diapers. The only way I could keep her from having a rash was to use cloth diapers, which were much easier than I thought. Interesting that cloth diapers had the opposite effect for your baby.
I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your website. I’m getting ready to give birth to my first child and am just learning so much about going more natural in all our household routines and saving money (we’re trusting the Lord to make it possible for me to stay home), etc…and I keep saving little peices from your site..like this one..that I know I’m going to want to refer to later.
Thanks sooooo much…what a blessing!!! 
My poor son has suffered from a diaper rash since birth. I finally started using a product used for chapped cow udders and it’s the only thing that’s moderately worked. I will get some shea butter immediately and see if this concoction will help. It got so bad for him that I took him to the doctor about it recently. I’m pretty much at a loss about what else I can try.
Where do you get the raw shea butter?
I provided my source at the bottom of the post. Mountain Rose Herbs.
I don’t use diaper cream on my daughter. I just use straight cornstarch!! It’s natural and very frugal!!
I was buying the $5 tubes of cream and forgot it one day when we traveled to my mothers. My sister then put cornstarch on the diaper rash that I had been putting cream on for 3 days. It was gone overnight. Never used cream ever since!!
Just beware that you definitely want to avoid cornstarch with yeast rashes. That is why I recommended talc-free. IT will only feed the yeast.
Actually, this was my question-if you have a baby bottom prone to yeast rashes, will talc-free make a difference? I heard it was the starch in the cornstarch that feed the rash??? So, would that mean arrowroot powder would be better? Thanks soo much for posting this! I am almost out and am looking forward to trying this.
I cannot remember exactly what I had learned on this matter, so I would recommend avoiding the cornstarch all together if you have a yeast infection.
okay. i just need to read better. haha. now i read how you mixed it:P
oh man! i am so excited about this simple recipe! how’d you mix it all up? in your vitamix or food processor??? and what a GREAT gift this would make for expecting mamas or anybody, really!
hmm…i’ve also been thinking what would happen if you added plantain and calendula to it?
You can definitely add anything to it! I just keep it real simple and cheap with the oil & butter, but this definitely can be a starting point for many exciting options!
Beautiful! The next time I have a wee one in diapers, I’m definitely making my own cream.
Thanks for sharing.
~KristenM
(AKA FoodRenegade)
This could be exactly what I am looking for! So when you say it works great on yeast rashes, you mean those rashes that start out as little dots and if worsen will turn into open sores? That is what I have chronic issues with for my son – he is my first cloth diapered baby (now a toddler) and he has this very bad habit of having a dirty diaper most mornings and the culmulative effect is that it often turns into a yeast rash. I have been using disposables at night and even and antifungal cream otherwise his poor bum becomes a painful situation. I don’t like using the anti fungal’s at all but wasn’t sure of an effective alternative and didn’t want him to be in pain while I experimented.
Thanks for the post!
Yes, yeast rashes look like little pimples actually. They can open up and start bleeding. My daughter had a lot of trouble with them. We used disposables at night as well with my daughter to keep it away. Sometimes that is necessary…but you may want to give this recipe a try and see if it helps. Make sure to always air out the bottom area with each diaper change as well. We used a hair blow dryer after each change and that would always help.