We're cloth diapering, which we also made ourselves (and before you get all judge-y, they are AS EASY TO USE AS DISPOSABLE DIAPERS and save us A LOT of money. Like $2,500 per year.) But as it turns out, you can't use just any diaper cream with cloth diapers because it can ruin them. So I got a whole lot of suggestions and recommendations from my new mommy friends, the wise midwives of SLP, and of course, Dr. Internet.
After much research, I found several recipes. I had some basic ingredients at home already including olive oil, coconut oil, and some essential oils. I also searched the local co-ops and health food stores for some shea-butter, cocoa-butter, and beeswax, which were surprisingly cheap. I tried a combination of 3 different recipes as follows:
1) I used THIS recipe, but I infused the olive oil with Chamomile, Plantain, and Calendula Flowers (more on that below). I also left out the eucalyptus oil because my mom is super allergic to it.
2) I used THE SAME RECIPE AS ABOVE and the infused olive oil, but I added 1Tbsp potato starch and a few squirts of the calendula extract. (FYI: You CAN'T use starch on bottoms that have yeast infections.)
3) I made my own recipe:
2 ounces Olive Oil
2 ounces Coconut Oil
1 Tbsp Shea Butter
1/2 Tbsp Vitamin E Oil
10 dropper squirts of Calendula Extract
3/4 ounce Beeswax
20 drops Tea Tree Oil
10 drops Lavender Oil
3 drops Grapefruit Oil
I haven't tried them on Avadya yet, so I don't know which one I like the most, but I did like the consistency and smell of my own recipe the best thus far. Here is the basic process of what I did:
Step 1: Place dried herbs in jar.
I used (top to bottom) Chamomile Flowers, Plantain, and Calendula Flowers.
Step 2: I added Olive Oil until it completely covered the dried herbs. You can let it sit for 2-4 weeks on your windowsill, shaking everyday, OR you can place jar in water that is a low simmer to WARM the oil (you don't want the oil to get too hot... it can fry the herbs!). You can do this for 10 minutes up to 5 hours --according to Dr. Internet. I let mine warm for 2 hours and then I covered it to sit overnight after it cooled.
Step 3: I drained the olive oil from the herbs using a cheesecloth. I let it sit for an hour or so to drain and then I squeezed out the oil the remained.
Step 4: Gather the rest of the ingredients.
Step 5: Place everything except essential oils, vitamin E oil, and/or calendula extract into jar. Place in simmering water. Again, you don't want the oil to burn, but everything needs to melt.
Step 6: (No picture) I transferred the melted oil to a bowl. I let is cool for a few minutes then added the essential oils and/or vitamin E and/or calendula extract. I then beat on high with a hand mixer. (Which happened to be the hand mixer my great aunts used to own... never though it'd be used for tushy cream!) The oil will transfer into a cream as its mixed and cools.
Step 7: Transfer to jars/tins and label. Store in a cool, dry place up to a year!
Step 8: Store the remaining Infused Olive Oil in a cool dry place in a jar for up to a year.
