Budget Botanical Baby Bum Balm

All three of my kiddos had super sensitive skin as babies. We went through lots and lots of Desitin, diaper rash abounded. I used cloth diapers pretty exclusively when they were really young, and while it helped they would still get bad diaper rash on a pretty consistent basis. On a whim, I bought a tube of Burt's Bee's diaper ointment. Miracle cream I tell you, it seriously worked like magic. No more diaper rash! But at $9 a tube, it was an expensive miracle and after several tubes I decided to try and make it myself.
So I read the label on the back of the tube to get an idea of what all was in it. Seemed like it was fairly easy stuff to get my hands on, a few things required a trip to the health foods store but not hard to find.

I bought tea tree oil, calendula oil, lavender oil, vitamin e and vitamin a capsules, jojoba oil and a few tubes of diaper cream. Yes, my initial investment was more expensive than just buying a tube of cream. But you use very small amounts of each, and all the essential oils (tea tree, calendula and lavender) have a myriad of other uses. Make sure you buy "essential" oils and not fragrance oils either, as fragrance oils are cheaper and not make for cosmetic use.

I took two tubes of diaper cream and placed it in a bowl. I bought the off brand at Target, get the highest percentage of zinc oxide you can, the higher the better. I added 4 drops of tea tree oil, 6 each of the calendula, lavender and jojoba oil and five capsules each of the vitamin a and e oil. Mixed it all together and put it in a large opaque container with a screw top lid. Make sure your container is opaque (not see through) as light can't hit the cream or it'll break down the components.

I would say my initial investments of the "ingredients" (not including the diaper cream) was probably $30-$40. However I have made countless batches of this cream and still have plenty left. You can use tea tree oil as an astringent, disinfectant, shampoo additive (for dandruff) among other things. Just be careful with tea tree oil and boys, because it mimics the estrogen hormone if used in excess and we don't want that with our little guys. I've used the lavender oil as an additive in cleaning solutions, lotions and just for aromatherapy. The calendula oil can be added to petroleum jelly and used as a boo boo cream among other things.

I'm telling you, if your kids suffer from diaper rash this stuff is a must. Also, if you or you family suffer from heat rash or chaffing this stuff works wonders too. It also makes an AWESOME and much appreciated shower gift.

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