Being a baby is hard work. There’s a whole lot of growing and changing in that first couple of years. Having diaper rash makes the journey from birth to childhood a painful one.
This formula was designed to treat mild to moderate diaper rash. It’s not intended to be placed on weeping sores or boils. If your baby’s rash is at this advanced stage, please bring your child to a qualified medical professional. See our post on Diaper Rash in the First Aid section for more information. Check out our recipes for homemade diaper wipes and baby powder as well.
This recipe is based on weight, not volume, so you need a kitchen scale to make it properly. Use our salve making recipe for more complete instructions.
Ingredients
- 3 oz. calendula oil
- 1 oz. beeswax
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops geranium essential oil
- 5 drops frankincense essential oil
- 5 drops tea tree essential oil
- 1 tsp zinc oxide cream (optional)
Equipment
- a kitchen scale
- a spatula
- a double boiler
- a glass jar for containing oils during the weighting process
- a label
- enough small containers with lids to store finished product
Procedure
- Gather the ingredients along with the equipment in a clean, well-lit, workspace.
- Pour the calendula oil into a double boiler and heat.
- When the oil is warm, carefully add the grated beeswax.
- After the beeswax has melted, remove the double boiler from heat and stir in the essential oils.
- Stir in zinc oxide cream if desired.
- Pour the mixture into a few salve containers and cap them securely.
- Label the containers with the name of the salve.
- Give your salve a one-year expiration date as the oils may go rancid.
Storage and Use
This recipe makes approximately 5 one-ounce tins or 10 half-ounce tins. Or, if you’re a little lazy like me, it stores well in a wide-mouth, cup-sized (8 ounces or jelly) canning jar with a tight-fitting lid kept in a dark place, like your bathroom or dresser drawer.