When I was pregnant with my first child, friends and relatives literally gave me 11 bottles of baby lotion. The smell reminded me of my childhood. I liked the fact that it was specially formulated for babies, so of course the ingredients had to be natural and safe. right?
… And I actually read the ingredients.
What’s in baby lotion?
Ingredients like petroleum, artificial fragrances, and propylene glycol are not what I want on my baby’s skin. I searched for natural baby balm options and found some great products. If you’re not in the mood for DIY, you now have more options.
Mother Love’s Everyday Baby Balm and Badger’s product have clean ingredients and are effective. Still, I preferred making my own baby balm because I could easily customize the ingredients and it was much cheaper.
Choosing Natural Ingredients for Baby Balm
I decided to make my own using food-safe ingredients. And I already had many of the ingredients I needed to make homemade lotion bars and other beauty products.
This baby balm recipe uses:
- cocoa butter – Rich in antioxidants and skin-moisturizing fatty acids. It leaves a barrier on the skin, preventing moisture loss and preventing substances such as urine from irritating sensitive skin.
- shea butter – A natural source of vitamin A and other nutrients, shea butter is nutritious and protects your skin.
- olive oil– Attracts moisture to the skin and restores damaged skin. It is also a major source of plant-based squalene, a lipid that skin cells make to lubricate and protect the skin.
- castor oil– High in ricinoleic acid and protects the skin.
- essential oil – You can use your favorite diluted baby-safe essential oil, but I use frankincense, chamomile, and rose.
Important notes about essential oil safety and babies
I love essential oils and use them daily for cleaning, aromatherapy, skincare, etc. However, because these essential oils are highly concentrated, not all essential oils are safe or suitable for all purposes.
Frankincense, lavender, chamomile, and rose are all gentle choices and are generally considered safe for babies 3 months and older. Essential oils should always be diluted for children, usually no more than 0.25% of the recipe. For this recipe you will need about 7 drops of essential oil. gun.
herbal infused oil
If you have a baby under 3 months old or want to skip essential oils, herbal baby balms can be a great alternative. Here are detailed instructions on how to make herbal infused oil:
Many herbs work well in baby balm, but here are some of my favorites. It has natural skin soothing and healing properties and is safe for babies (except for allergies).
Here’s how to make my favorite homemade baby balm!
Homemade Baby Balm Recipe
This is a moisturizing baby balm that protects baby’s delicate skin with natural ingredients.
produce: 5 oz.
Combine all ingredients (except the essential oils) in a double boiler, mason jar, or bowl and heat over a small pan of boiling water.
Stir carefully until dissolved.
Remove from heat and add essential oils, if using.
Pour into a glass jar and chill in the refrigerator for several hours or until solid.
Store at room temperature and use in small amounts on baby’s skin (or adult’s skin) as needed.
If desired, make the recipe using herb-infused olive oil. Check out our article for ideas on what to use.
Expiration date and storage
Because this baby balm is oil-based, it has a much longer shelf life than baby lotions with water-soluble ingredients. If stored away from direct sunlight and heat, it will last for 1-2 years.
Baby balm takes a few minutes to absorb into the skin and you only need to use very little. I have had friends tell me that it is very helpful for their eczema and skin issues as well.
What did you use for the younger children? Have you ever made one yourself? Share below!
