The Best Diaper Rash Cream Guide

We were pretty lucky in the diaper rash department, but if your baby is afflicted, you’ll want to find an organic diaper cream without chemicals (common culprits are parabens and BHA).

Do Cloth Diapers Prevent Diaper Rash?

My hunch is that cloth diapers are less likely to cause diaper rash than are disposables because cotton is more breathable than plastic, but I haven’t found studies to support this idea.

Note: If you are using cloth diapers, you’ll want to avoid any diaper rash cream that contains zinc, as it can build up in the diaper and render it less effective. I’ve indicated below which rash treatments have zinc.

Coconut as Cure-All

I tend to think of coconut oil as a reasonable first-try cure for most ailments, and diaper rash is no exception. Try smearing a little on your baby’s bottom with a Q-tip.

If you want a rash treatment more tailored for tushies, Check out the Good Stuff below.

Good Stuff

Babo Botanicals Oatmilk Calendula Soothing Diaper Cream

This popular diaper cream relies on beeswax, watercress, and vitamin E to soothe sore bums and create a moisture barrier. This cream contains contain zinc oxide, but Babo founder Kate Solomon says they have tested the cream on cloth diapers and it rinsed out completely, leaving no residue.

How to Get this Organic Diaper Cream: We now offer Babo in our online store, where you’ll pay $13 for a 3-ounce tube.

Cost per ounce: $4.50

Babo also makes a Healing Baby Ointment that works well as a diaper cream.

Ingredients: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil,Zinc Oxide,Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil,Coconut (Cocos Nucifera) Oil*,Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*,Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax,Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract*,Lecithin,Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*,(Nutri-Soothe™ Complex:) [Calendula (Calendula Officinalis) Flower Extract*,Vegetable Glycerin,Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis) Flower Extract*,Nasturtium Officinale Leaf Extract*,Kudzu (Pueraria Lobata) Root Extract*,Meadowsweet (Spiraea Ulmaria) Extract*]

Babo Botanicals Oatmilk Calendula Soothing Diaper Cream

Badger Zinc Oxide Diaper Cream

Badger makes a great zinc everyday diaper cream for preventing diaper rash before it begins, or treating it once it’s started.

Cost per ounce: 5.17

Ingredients: Mineral Zinc Oxide, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Beeswax, Organic Calendula Extract and Sunflower Vitamin E.

Badger Zinc Oxide Diaper Cream

California Baby Diaper Rash Cream

California Baby Diaper Rash Cream scores a 2 on EWG’s Skin Deep database because it contains lanolin (the others on this list all score a zero if they have been reviewed by EWG.) All the other ingredients in this organic diaper cream are safe, and it’s a long list of them—everything from tea tree oil to wild pansy extract. I am including it here for those of you who are okay with lanolin, which is effective in serious cases of diaper rash. CONTAINS ZINC (which will ruin cloth diapers).

How to Get This Organic Diaper Cream: Amazon. You’ll pay about $18 for a 2.9-ounce tube.

Cost per ounce: $6.20

Ingredients: Zinc Oxide 12% (active); Glyceryl Starch, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ultra-Purified Lanolin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate,Cocos Nucifera(Coconut) Oil,Euphorbia Cerifera(Candelilla) Wax, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate (Licorice),Lavandula Angustifolia(Lavender) Oil,Melaleuca Alternifolia(Tea Tree) Leaf Oil.

California Baby Diaper Rash Cream

Earth Mama Organic Diaper Balm

We love pretty much everything Earth Mama, and this diaper balm is no exception. This new version is 100% organic and cloth-diaper safe.

Cost per ounce: $6.50

Ingredients: Organic Olive (Olea Europaea) Fruit Oil, Organic Shea (Butyrospermum Parkii) Butter, Organic Beeswax (Cera Flava), Organic Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis) Seed Oil, Organic Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) Flower Oil, Organic Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia) Leaf Oil, Organic Calendula (Calendula Officinalis) Flower Extract, Organic St. John’s Wort (Hypericum Perforatum) Extract, Organic Chickweed (Stellaria Media) Extract, Organic Plantain (Plantago Major) Extract

Earth Mama Organic Diaper Balm

Green Goo Baby Balm

Sierra Sage Baby Balm is free of lanolin and all ingredients are organic (including olive oil, calendula, beeswax, and chamomile). This balm doubles as a cradle cap and dry skin treatment, and we have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback, with more than one customer calling it a “miracle” product.

Cost Per Ounce: $8.78

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS (*ORGANIC):
*Achillea Millefolium (Yarrow) Extract, *Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Oil, *Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower, *Symphytum Officinale (Comfrey) Leaf Powder.

INACTIVE INGREDIENTS:
*Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, *Cera Alba (Beeswax), *Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil.

Buy from Amazon
Green Goo Baby Balm

MADE OF Organic Diaper Rash Cream

Made Of’s Organic Diaper Rash Cream uses non-nano zinc oxide to create a protective moisture barrier, and organic soothers like avocado and argan oils to heal irritated skin.

Cost per ounce: $7.20

Active ingredients

Non-Nano Zinc Oxide 14.0%

Inactive ingredients

Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Cera Alba (Beeswax)*, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil*, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil*, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Oil*, Tocopherol *Certified Organic

MADE OF Organic Diaper Rash Cream

Noleo Duo Baby Wipes System

Noleo’s system is an environmentally friendly way to streamline diaper changes. You simply apply the cleanser (made of 5 safe ingredients) and wipe with the organic cotton pads. It leaves a transparent protective layer on your baby’s bottom, and you will see a significant reduction in diaper rash  within just a few uses.

Cost per ounce: $2.81

Ingredients: Water, Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Organic Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Beeswax, Calcium Hydroxide

Noleo Duo Baby Wipes System

Poofy Happy Tush Diaper Balm

Like other Poofy products, their Happy Tush diaper balm contains organic apricot oil and lots of cocoa and shea butters. Fans say that you can use it on eczema, too. (Poofy also makes a Tush Stick that’s safe for cloth diapers).

Use code: MAIAJAMES for 10% off

Cost per ounce: $9.00

Ingredients: Organic Beeswax, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Unrefined Shea Butter, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Zinc Oxide (non-nano), Organic Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) Essential Oil, Organic Roman Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis) Essential Oil, Organic Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) Essential Oil.

Poofy Happy Tush Diaper Balm

Bad Stuff

Dyprotex Ultra Medicated Diaper Rash Ointment Pads

Stay away from Dyprotex Ultra Medicated Diaper Rash Ointment PadsFragrance and propylparaben are a couple of good reasons to skip them, despite their effectiveness.


Palmer’s Diaper Rash Cream and Bottom Butter

Palmer’s Diaper Rash Cream and Bottom Butter, including the cocoa butter formulation, contains fragrance, but aluminum starch octenylsuccinate is a bigger concern (it’s linked to developmental, reproductive, organ system, and neural toxicity). Palmer’s products also contain many of the usual suspects, such as parabens.


Desitin

While it’s undeniably an effective rash treatment, the ever-popular Desitin contains BHA, a well-established endocrine disruptor.


Boudreaux’s Butt Paste

Boudreaux’s Butt Paste is made almost entirely of petroleum derivatives, including paraffin, petrolatum, and mineral oil.

Sneaky Stuff

Avalon Organics Diaper Balm

Avalon Organics makes a diaper balm that contains retinyl palmitate (linked with cancer and reproductive toxicity).


Aveeno Baby

Aveeno‘s diaper cream contains parabens.


Weleda Diaper Cream

What a disappointment to those of us who forever trusted Weleda to learn that their Calendula Diaper Care contains a handful of toxic ingredients (like limonene and geraniol, along with lanolin), and is rated a 4 out of 10 (“moderately hazardous”) on Skin Deep.

Author's Signature

Author's Signature

Maia, Founder & CEO

Tags:Baby Skincare & Diapering

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171 comments

Maia James

yes.

Maia James

Yes, the Good Stuff diaper creams are fine on his penis.
The two ingredients lists you pasted look fine to me. There are lots of essential oils in both of these, but if your son doesn’t react to them, should be okay.

Maia James

Yes, it’s Good Stuff:)

Maia James

I personally feel okay with this list, but some people won’t like the sodium borate (borax).

Maia James

I’m really torn on Weleda. The only ingredients of concern are the essential oils they’ve chosen to impart that distinctive scent (like limonene and geraniol).

Yelena

Hi Maia,

What do you think of Weleda Calendula diaper rash cream? And also Weleda Skin Food moisturizer? Are those good stuff? What do you think of the Weleda brand in general?

Stephanie Kerr

It’s perfectly fine to use a zinc diaper cream on cloth diapers. It might stain but it won’t ruin them. The only ingredient in diaper creams that will cause repelling is petroleum.

Jessica

Have you heard of Little Calendula’s Baby Bee Balm Cream? (ingredients on bottle: cold pressed extra virgin olea Europaea, cera alba, purified aqua, organic calendula officinalis, lavendula officinalis, essential oil, CO2 extract of vanilla planifolia, and sodium borate). Thanks!

Brie

Hello. Wondering if Earth Mama Angel Baby bottom balm is still a go to? Thanks!

Renee SL

Silly question, but I"m first time mom here, and first time my son is getting diaper rash at 16 months….teething with 4 teeth starting to pop through, so his diapers have been very loose and even though we change him immediately after he goes, he’s still red and irritated. Question is, can I put any of the “Good Stuff” diaper creams on his penis? I just want to make sure that it’s safe and won’t burn him or anything. Thank you! :)

Also, what do you think of this cream? Ingredients Cocos nucifera (Coconut) oil, Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) butter, Olea europaea (Olive) oil, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Almond) oil, Beeswax, Triticum vulgare (Wheat) germ oil, Santalum paniculatum (Royal Hawaiian sandalwood) wood oil†, Coriandrum sativum (Coriander) seed oil†, Chamaemelum nobile (Roman Chamomile) flower oil†, Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) oil†, Boswellia carterii (Frankincense) oil†, Citrus aurantium bergamia (Bergamot) peel oil (Furocoumarin-free)†, Cistus ladanifer (Cistus) oil†, Cananga odorata (Ylang Ylang) flower oil†, Pelargonium graveolens (Geranium) flower oil††100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential oil and also this kids bath wash: Deionized water, Decly Polyglucose, Vegetable Glycerin, Sorbitol, Dimethyl Sulfone, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, PG-Hydroxyethylcellulose Cocodimonium Chloride, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Extract, Aleurites Moluccana (Kiwi) Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Dimethicone PEG-8 Meadowfoamate, Cedrus Atlantica†(Cedarwood) Bark Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens†Flower Oil, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Linoleic Acid, and Linolenic Acid. Thank you!!