Best Diaper Rash Cream Of 2020

The last thing a parent wants to see is their littlest one suffering from diaper rash. This irritating, sometimes painful condition is known as diaper dermatitis and can be severe enough to need a doctor’s consultation. Fortunately, as a parent, there are a wide variety of great diaper rash options on the market that usually come in a cream form, so which is the best diaper rash cream for baby’s bottom?

Before I show you some great products that can help you fight this condition, let’s take a look at some pre-purchase considerations that you should think about.

What Causes Diaper Rash?

Diaper rash is a real pain for your youngster; this is because their skin is very new and can be vulnerable to the excess moisture that can occur as a result of accumulated stool and urine. As a general rule, it’s imperative that you change your little one’s diaper as much as possible so that diaper rash can be avoided, but I can say that from personal experience, just about every parent will experience having to deal with diaper rash at least once.

According to the Mayo Clinic, this is partial because a baby becomes more vulnerable and prone to getting diaper rash when he or she has more frequent bowel movements as a result of diarrhea. Stool is more likely to cause this type of rash on your baby’s sensitive skin.

Additional causes of diaper rash are chaffed or rubbing the skin, sensitive skin, and even the use antibiotics. In any situation, a good diaper rash cream will help you and your child get through this mini-disaster without much in the way of excess discomfort.

What’s In the Diaper Rash Cream?

The exact formulation of your diaper rash cream will vary from product to product. This also has a major effect on exactly how effective a diaper rash cream is at not just healing the rash, but providing relief for your child as well. As a general rule, many parents like myself like to pick diaper rash creams with zinc oxide because of its overall effectiveness, but let’s take a look at what some of the most popular additives do:

Zinc Oxide

By far the most popular of the bunch, zinc oxide is a synthetic substance that is fully insoluble in water. As a result of this insoluble nature, zinc oxide will actively form a barrier between your baby’s bottom and additional sources of irritation; i.e. urine and stool. This barrier will keep out all moisture so that your child’s sensitive skin can begin the healing process unabated.

Aloe

Aloe is one of those natural plants that has been used for skin health care for thousands of years. As a matter of fact, its usage dates back to the Egyptians who called the cactus-like cactus, the “plant of immortality.” So how does it benefit your child’s diaper rash? Well, despite zinc oxide’s propensity to block bad moisture, your child’s skin does need some of it, and aloe can moisturize your child’s skin safely. As a matter of fact, it even can replenish nutrients.

Dimethicone

Another synthetic ingredient, dimethicone is known an additive that can inhibit the itchiness of diaper rash. It is a very spreadable substance that can also help form a hydrating barrier for baby’s skin.

Calendula

This substance is processed from marigolds, making organic calendula an organic additive. This additive is naturally antibacterial and is a very spreadable oil that works well with most other cream additives.

How to Choose a Diaper Rash Cream

Well, like many features of parenting, this may have a lot to do with personal preference. When my daughter was in the diaper rash stage, I had sampled a few products and found that some left yellowing on her diapers, some had too much fragrance, and some just didn’t feel right on my fingers. As a general rule, don’t necessarily dismiss a diaper rash cream because it’s a bit more expensive; this could mean that the cream has better ingredients that will cure your baby’s irritation faster. This is because natural ingredients like calendula are harder to produce than purely synthetic additives like dimethicone.

Natural vs. Synthetic Creams

This is a very important consideration, not just based on a cream’s environmental impact, but because of the fact that some babies have allergies to synthetic materials. Known synthetic additives like zinc oxide, dimethicone, and boric acid can all cause irritation to some babies, so if your baby’s rash worsens, consult your pediatrician. In addition to this, some of the zinc oxide used in some creams is comprised of nanoparticles. These nanoparticles of zinc oxide have a tendency to be absorbed and not cause a white residue on the skin, but since the structure of the substance can change when it’s absorbed, it’s preferable to grab diaper rash creams that have the non-nanoparticle variety of zinc oxide.

Is the Cream Cloth Diaper Friendly?

Petroleum byproducts like petrolatum can not be compatible with some types of cloth diapers. With this in mind, if you are using cream with synthetic additives that are derived from petroleum, always check to see if the cream states that it is “cloth compatible.” This is because petroleum can break down the natural fibers of cloth diapers, which will greatly decrease their reusability.

Best Diaper Rash Cream Reviews

Grandma El’s Diaper Rash Remedy & Prevention Baby Ointment Jar

Many parents avoid diaper rash creams that can cause thread weakening on cloth diapers, so it’s fortunate that Grandma El’s diaper rash remedy is designed to work well with most cloth diaper brands. While this isn’t all encompassing, I’ve completely ruined cloth diapers in the past in a single sitting, which won’t happen with these.

Grandma El’s also has a great, fruity scent that is very pleasant, and the formulation also ensures that this product is a somewhat clear ointment that doesn’t leave the whitish residue that other brands can. Additionally, it is one of the diaper rash cream brands that doesn’t use zinc oxide.

What We Liked

• This product is cloth diaper compatible, but to be safe, I would use a liner.
• Grandma El’s doesn’t use zinc oxide, which can be good for parents looking to avoid potential nanoparticle issues.
• This diaper rash cream has Vitamin E, lanolin, and petrolatum for the sealing off of moisture and the healing of your baby’s skin.
• Additionally, the formulation is also a salve for minor burns, eczema, and cradle cap.
• You can completely avoid the white residue, because of Grandma El’s, unlike other products of its type, goes on semi-clear.

What We Didn’t Like

• Petrolatum is a petroleum byproduct, which can be a deal-breaker for some parents.
• This doesn’t work 100 percent well with all brands and types of cloth diapers. This is because petrolatum can degrade some natural fibers.
• This diaper rash cream is mostly clear, but it does have a yellow tint, which can stain some white cloth diapers that color.
• This diaper rash cream is also somewhat thick when you apply it, which can be clumpy when you apply it on your baby.
• This product serves better as a preventative solution to diaper rash than a curative solution, though it does moderately well at getting rid of milder cases of diaper rash.

Boudreaux’s Butt Paste Diaper Rash Ointment

As our first zinc oxide product, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste is a very effective option for getting rid of the annoyance that is diaper rash. Since it uses zinc oxide, it provides an excellent barrier against the rash. Additionally, while some zinc oxide products have a tendency to leave a white film, the Butt Paste doesn’t seem to have this issue.

This product also does its level best to avoid some of the harsher additives like phthalates, though it does use some more questionable ingredients like boric acid and mineral oil. That being said, success is a good indicator of quality in this case; this paste has been used for over 40 years.

What We Liked

• This product uses zinc oxide to provide an insoluble barrier that prevents waste from contacting directly with your baby’s sensitive skin.
• Boudreaux’s Butt Paste is very easy to clean off between changes, which can’t be said of all products of this type.
• The formulation of Boudreaux’s is very thick, which provides a great barrier for moisture.
• It doesn’t have an overpowering scent.
• There’s nothing too harsh insofar as additives for Boudreaux’s; they skipped the use of parabens, phthalates, and even talc.
• This product has been used for 40 years to treat diaper rash. This type of history is a good indicator of its quality.

What We Didn’t Like

• Despite not having harsh additives, it does use some questionable ones like boric acid, castor oil, and white wax.
• If you are looking to avoid petroleum byproducts that can wreck cloth diapers, this one has petrolatum in it, which can degrade cloth fibers.
• This product contains Peruvian balsam, which is a known ingredient that can be an allergen for babies with sensitive skin. As a matter of fact, this is one of the top five ingredients that a baby can have an allergic reaction to.
• As this goes on thick, it can also be somewhat difficult to remove from your baby’s bottom.
• This cream can burn your child if he or she has any open pressure sores.
• The mineral oil in this product can coat the skin and disrupt the skin’s natural immune barrier.

Mummy’s Miracle Moringa Baby Vitamin A & D Diaper Ointment All Natural Cream

Mummy’s Miracle Moringa is probably one of the best diaper rash creams on the market that uses 100 percent natural ingredients. It does this by using a solution derived from the Moringa tree, which is also known as the drumstick tree. This substance serves as a great alternative to zinc oxide, and it also provides natural nutrients for your baby’s sensitive skin.

The natural ingredients also heal skin abrasions, so if your child has a sore, this cream will help it to heal. When my child was this age, I wish that I had this cream because the Desitin that I used to use left my baby’s skin feeling somewhat rougher during the recovery process. Mummy’s Miracle sidesteps this by incorporating vitamins A and D, which will leave the area softer.

What We Liked

• This product has zero petrochemicals or parabens, which makes it a great option for parents who want to use cloth diapers.
• It’s also made with 100 percent organic ingredients so that children with chemical allergies won’t break out.
• Rather than use zinc oxide, this product uses all-natural moringa oil, which is cultivated from the moringa oleifera plant. This oil provides a barrier against moisture and is also antiseptic and anti-inflammatory.
• It has vitamin A and D, which will soften and condition your little one’s skin.

What We Didn’t Like

• You only get about 6.2 ounces per bottle, which can go fast.
• Since it is comprised of several oils, there can be some separation inside the bottle.
• The fragrance is a little strong for parents who don’t want to add too much perfume to their children.
• This is a thicker diaper rash cream, which means that you’ll have to clean it off thoroughly every use.

Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Diaper Ointment

There are few brands out there that are known to embrace natural formulations in their products like Burt’s Bees. This means that you’ll never have to be concerned about harsher chemicals being applied to your baby’s bottom like phthalates and sodium laurel sulfate. As another product that doesn’t use the decidedly synthetic zinc oxide, this ointment does a great job of sealing away moisture, so that true healing is fostered.

While there have been complaints about granules forming inside of this ointment, these don’t tend to be too much of an issue if you rub it on your hands before rubbing it on your child’s bum. If you use cloth diapers, you might want to be wary of this product; it can leave a white residue.

What We Liked

• This product comes from Burt’s Bees, which is a very trusted brand.
• This product doesn’t use harsh chemicals like phthalates, petrolatum, or other petrochemicals.
• It does use natural ingredients like almond oil and vitamin D, which will soften your child’s skin.
• Without any irritants, this Burt’s Bees product is perfect for youngsters who have sensitive skin.
• “A dab will do ya,” which means that this is a very cost-effective product; smear on a little, and you’ll be using a single tub for years.

What We Didn’t Like

• As a result of its all-natural composition, this product isn’t very strong. If the diaper rash is severe, you may have to find a more effective diaper rash cream.
• You can find hard granules inside the mix of this product; always rub it between your fingers before application.
• While it’s purportedly cloth diaper safe, it can leave a white residue inside your cloth diapers.
• Your child can still be allergic to this if they have sensitive skin.
• Its consistency can be a bit hard.

Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment, Advanced Therapy

As a healing ointment, this Aquaphor product can be used to treat other abrasions and rashes outside of simply being used as a diaper rash cream. This makes this a great option that lends it a bit of value after your child has left his or her diaper stage. If you need a preventative measure against diaper rash, this is an excellent option as it provides a nice barrier from infection.

While it does feel a little greasy, it’s effectiveness is well-documented; few products work as well as this Advanced Therapy product against diaper rash. In fact, in clinical trials, this product has performed well; it typically can heal diaper rash within six hours or so.

What We Liked

• Aquaphor has many uses, including the treatment of cuts and scrapes.
• It can also heal burns eczema and can actively prevent diaper rash once it starts forming,
• It doesn’t use zinc oxide but still provides a barrier from further infection, while also preventing excess dryness.
• This product is clinically proven to cure diaper rash within six hours of application.
• The fact that this product can be used in other parts of the body adds to its overall value.

What We Didn’t Like

• It can feel greasy; and as a result, it can be hard to get off of the fingers or skin.
• This uses petrolatum, panthenol, and glycerin, which can all cause skin irritation.
• This product is not safe for cloth diapers.
• It doesn’t relieve itching as well as it should.
• This product goes on very thick; as a matter of fact, it has a very similar consistency and looks to Vaseline.

Conclusion

The products that we’ve featured in this list will provide relief from the irritations that are caused by diaper rash for your child. If I were to select a clear winner, I would say that the best diaper rash cream on this list would be the Mummy’s Miracle Moringa Baby Vitamin A & D Diaper Ointment.

First, this product uses all natural ingredients, which can heal your child faster. It also seals away the skin from dangerous sources of moisture but doesn’t use zinc oxide. Additionally, you can use this once your child has left the diaper stage to heal abrasions, relieve eczema, and even minor burns.