Written by Maia, President
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.
My Pick for Best Organic Diaper Rash Cream
I’ve compiled a long list of customer emails from thrilled parents who have tried Green Goo’s Baby Balm. It’s hard to find a natural, organic diaper cream that does the trick, but this one does. It also has the safest list of ingredients of any of the Good Stuff brands.
$14.00Buy Now
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.
The Good Stuff: Organic Diaper Cream
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.
$11.99Buy Now
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.
How to Get this Organic Diaper Cream: Our store, where you’ll pay $13 for a 2-ounce tub.
$12.99Buy Now
Kimberly Parry Organics Bum Butter
Kimberly Parry Organics Bum Butter has an entirely safe list of ingredients, which include natural soothers like olive oil and chamomile. Unfortunately, I can only find it at online retailers.
How to Get this Organic Diaper Cream: Amazon. You’ll pay $20 for a 4-ounce tub.
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 $12 for a 2.9-ounce tube.
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.
Miessence
Miessence makes a Baby Bottom Mist that contains many of the same ingredients as the Kimberly Parry cream. It’s also expensive ($18 for an ounce), but I like that it is sprayed on, sparing sore tushies further abrasion.
How to Get: Online, where you’ll pay $18 for a 1-ounce bottle.
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.
How to Get This Organic Diaper Cream: Gimme the Good Stuff’s online store. You’ll pay $13 for 2 ounces of this cloth-diaper safe cream.
$14.00Buy Now
Mom of 11 Kids
Mom of 11 Kids No Time for Diaper Rash is all natural, with plant-based ingredients like beeswax and coconut oil.
How to Get This Organic Diaper Cream: Amazon
My Baby’s Bottom
My Baby’s Bottom has a formula blend of coconut oil, zinc oxide, and essential oil that helps calm and soothe the skin. Even though it started out as a diaper cream, it’s become a multi-purposed, “life saving miracle worker” for skin issues for people of all ages: psoriasis, eczema, chaffing, jock itch, razor burn, after waxing and minor skin procedures, even athlete’s foot, rosacea, and bug bites. I was sent a sample of this product, which I used on my own arms since I no longer have a baby in diapers! So, while I cannot attest to it’s effectiveness, it had a nice feel and a pleasant smell.
How to Get This Organic Diaper Cream: Amazon
Beautycounter recently added Calming Diaper Rash Cream to their lineup of safe baby products. The primary healer here is non-nano zinc, and the formula also contains natural soothers like jojoba and shea.
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).
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.
$11.99Buy Now
The Bad Stuff
Stay away from Dyprotex Ultra Medicated Diaper Rash Ointment Pads. Fragrance and propylparaben are a couple of good reasons to skip them, despite their effectiveness.
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.
While it’s undeniably an effective rash treatment, the ever-popular Desitin contains BHA, a well-established endocrine disruptor.
Boudreaux’s Butt Paste is made almost entirely of petroleum derivatives, including paraffin, petrolatum, and mineral oil.
The Sneaky Stuff
Avalon Organics makes a diaper balm that contains retinyl palmitate (linked with cancer and reproductive toxicity).
Aveeno‘s diaper cream contains parabens.
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.
Note: Weleda sent me free diaper cream to review. I don’t know if I need to disclose this since I’m giving them a bad review, but I’m covering my butt! Hehe.
Hina says
November 28, 2017 at 5:08 PMI wan to know abt ABDderm products from bioderma.. r they fine?>
Paulette says
January 4, 2018 at 9:01 AMHi! For baby powders, what do you think of the Burt’s bees one? The fragrance it contains is listed as natural, and it contains limonene. Is this okay?
Kelly T. says
January 31, 2018 at 12:33 PMEver heard of Booty Love by Thirsties? Here are the ingredients: Extra Virgin Olive Oil*, Beeswax*, Oregon Grape Root, Myrrh Gum, Yarrow Herb*, Calendula Flower* What are your thoughts?
Karen says
February 25, 2018 at 9:48 PMHave you been able to check on Baby Hugo Naturals Diaper Rash Cream yet? EWG only references an ‘old product’ and referencing the ingredients list on my container, they’re slightly different.
Thanks!
Chris says
April 7, 2018 at 2:18 PMImagine this may be an old article as California Baby Diaper rash scores a 1 not a 2 currently on ewg so you may want to update so people don’t dismiss that product.
Vanessa says
April 11, 2018 at 4:44 PMThoughts on Peas in a Pod Smooth as a Baby’s Bum Balm?
Olea europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Beeswax*, Jojoba oil*, Calendula officinalis (Calendula) Flowers*, Matricaria recutita (Chamomile) Flowers*, Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) Buds*, Rosa centifolia (Rose) Flowers*, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Lavandula officinalis (Lavender) Oil*, Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract*. * = certified organic
Maryam Ahsan-Forgeron says
June 16, 2018 at 7:42 PMI came across Zum Products on the website http://www.indigowild.com. I got it as a baby gift and their Zum Baby line is awesome. I think the Salve for Baby’s Bottom has been an instant miracle at healing rashes. It is worth a look at for review. Ingredients appear to be straight forwards—maybe the only question would be all organic.
Alex says
October 9, 2018 at 7:38 AMHi, is triple paste diaper cream okay to use? THANK YOU!
Lauren says
December 23, 2018 at 9:04 PMNot sure if anyone mentioned but my favorite by far is Puremedy Diaper Rash Salve. It is incredible on regular and yeast diaper rash and wonderful ingredients.
Kavina says
January 17, 2019 at 10:58 PMHi, what are your thoughts on 7th generation diaper cream?
Ingredients: Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, zinc oxide, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, hydrogenated (palm/rapeseed) vegetable oil, lecithin, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract.
Thanks!
Marry says
February 28, 2019 at 7:36 AMWow. Great stuff of Organic Diaper Cream and you’ve really helped out and it is very good as there is just so much stuff to give away. Thanks!