How to Make an Effective Diaper Rash Salve

It was not until I had my first child that I became a sort of fanatic about making my own baby skin care products. Babies are so small and their skin so delicate, particularly newborns. I wanted to give my daughter her best shot at starting life with as few irritations as possible, whether it was physical or emotional. Off I went on a little adventure of discovering do-it-yourself baby skin care recipes because it is important to me to know what exactly is in each product I use on her. Luckily, I did not have to search for too many recipes because my husband and I haven’t needed to use but just a few products to keep our daughter’s skin in top shape.

The recipe that sticks out the most in my mind and has been a true blessing thus far is the diaper rash ointment. We apply a very thin layer of the ointment to her diaper area with just about every diaper change, even if there is no rash present. If she does have a diaper rash flare-up, we slather on a dime-sized amount to the affected area. I truly believe she has had minimal diaper rash issues because of our homemade diaper rash concoction.

Here is the breakdown of the ingredients and their benefits:

· Beeswax: Natural beeswax is almost entirely made up of fatty acids and chain alcohols, and it also contains large amounts of oleate esters, hydroxypalmitate, palmitate, and palmitoleate. This is key because the blend of these ingredients is what maintains skin texture and health. The natural protective barrier that beeswax provides keeps irritants at bay and soothes the skin. It holds in moisture to reduce dryness and chapping of the skin, and its high vitamin A content stimulates the production of new skin cells.

· Olive oil: Loaded with antiinflammatory properties, olive oil reduces itching and skin irritation associated with diaper rash. It also protects the baby’s skin from bacteria and skin infections due to its antimicrobial properties. Olive oil is able to penetrate deep into the baby’s skin to help soothe and moisturize the diaper area, and just like beeswax it creates a protective barrier, keeping urine and feces from doing further damage.

· Coconut oil: This oil is especially helpful in preventing or treating diaper rash because it is naturally antifungal and antibacterial. Also, just like beeswax and olive oil, coconut oil creates a protective barrier between a soiled diaper and the rashy skin.

· Lavender essential oil: This oil helps disinfect the skin and enhances blood circulation, which promotes faster healing.

· Lemon essential oil: An oil with antiseptic properties.

· Tea tree essential oil: This oil is also a powerful disinfectant with strong anti-fungal, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties.

Please note that one recipe will fill four 4-ounce glass jars, so we usually cut our recipe by a quarter so we only make one jar at a time. I can see how multiple jars could be helpful though.

Homemade Diaper Rash Salve recipe:

1 cup coconut oil

1 cup olive oil

4 tablespoons beeswax pastilles

8 drops lavender essential oil

6 drops lemon essential oil

4 drop tea tree essential oil

1. Slowly melt the coconut oil, olive oil, and beeswax in a warm bath, stirring with a knife every few minutes until melted.

2. While waiting for the oil and beeswax to melt, line up your four jars and add the appropriate amount of lavender, lemon, and tea tree essential oils to each jar. You want to use undiluted, 100% pure, and therapeutic grade essential oils.

3. Pour the melted oil and beeswax mixture into each jar, stopping a half inch from the rim.

4. Let cool until the salve hardens. Top with a paper towel while cooling.

5. Secure lid tightly after the salve hardens.

This recipe is forgiving, so do not fret too much about whether you will mess it up or not. I hope you find this diaper rash ointment useful for the little kiddo in your life.