When I was pregnant with my first child, my friends and relatives literally gave me 11 bottles of baby lotion. The smell reminded me of my own childhood. I loved that it was specially formulated for babies, so of course, the ingredients had to be natural and safe. Right?

… and then I actually read the ingredients.

What’s in Baby Lotion?

Ingredients like petroleum, artificial fragrances, and propylene glycol weren’t something I wanted on my baby’s skin. I searched for natural baby balm options and found a few great ones. There are even more options available now if you’re not in the DIY mood. 

This Everyday Baby Balm from Motherlove or this one from Badger have clean ingredients and work well. I still preferred making my own baby balm though because I could easily customize the ingredients and it was a lot cheaper. 

Choosing Natural Ingredients For Baby Balm

I decided to make my own from food-safe ingredients. And I even had many of the ingredients on hand already for my homemade lotion bars and other beauty products.

This baby balm recipe uses:

• Cocoa Butter – High in antioxidants and skin moisturizing fatty acids. It leaves a barrier on the skin to help prevent moisture loss and keep things like urine from irritating sensitive skin. 
• Shea Butter – A natural source of vitamin A and other nutrients, shea butter is highly nourishing and protective to the skin.
• Olive Oil– Attracts moisture to the skin and repairs damaged skin. It’s also a major source of plant-based squalene, a lipid our skin cells make to lubricate and protect the skin. 
• Castor Oil– High in ricinoleic acid and skin protective. 
• Essential Oils – You can use any diluted baby-safe essential oils you prefer, but I use frankincense, chamomile, and rose. 

Important Note on Essential Oil Safety and Babies

I love essential oils and use them daily for cleaning, aromatherapy, skincare, and more. They are highly concentrated though and not every essential oil is safe or appropriate for every purpose. 

Frankincense, lavender, chamomile, and rose are all gentle options and generally considered safe for babies 3 months and older. Essential oils should always be diluted for little ones and generally should not be more than .25% of the recipe. For this recipe that translates to about 7 drops of essential oils total. 

Herbal Infused Oil

If you have a baby under 3 months or just prefer to skip the essential oils, then an herb-infused baby balm is a great alternative. Here are detailed instructions for how to make an herbal infused oil. 

Lots of herbs will work in a baby balm, but here are some of my favorites. They have natural skin soothing and healing properties and are safe for babies (barring any allergies).

Here’s how to make my favorite homemade baby balm!

Homemade Baby Balm Recipe

This moisturizing baby balm helps protect baby’s delicate skin with natural ingredients.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Active Time10 minutes mins

Cooling Time2 hours hrs

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Yield: 5 ounces

Author: Katie Wells

• Heat all of the ingredients (except essential oils) in a double boiler or in a glass jar or bowl over a small pan of boiling water.

• Stir carefully until melted.

• Remove from heat and add essential oils if using.

• Pour into a glass jar and let it cool in the fridge for several hours or until firm.

• Store at room temperature and use a small amount as needed for baby’s skin (or adult skin)

Use herb infused olive oil to make the recipe if desired. Check the article for ideas of what to use.

Shelf Life and Storage

Since this baby balm is oil based it has a much longer shelf life than baby lotion with water-based ingredients. It should last 1-2 years when stored away from direct light and heat. 

The baby balm takes a few minutes to absorb into the skin and you only need to use a tiny bit. I’ve had friends say it was incredibly helpful for eczema and skin problems as well.

What did you use on your little ones? Ever made your own? Share below!