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 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.
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!
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.
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 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.