DIY Eczema Cream For Babies and Toddlers
I can’t tell you how luxurious this simple homemade eczema cream feels on the skin.
The main ingredient, mango butter, gives it the most custard-like creamy consistency.
How To Make Your Own DIY Eczema Cream (and Why You Should)
Eczema is one of the most common chronic health conditions children face today.
As an eczema parent, I’ve been through many creams and ointments.
With so many natural options to choose from it can be overwhelming to decide what is best.
What you’ll find is that most natural creams can be made at home with a few simple tools and ingredients.
Not only is it more cost-effective (you can make many batches from these ingredients), but will also save you time as the process is quick and simple.
Homemade Eczema Cream Ingredients List and Benefits
Mango Butter
Mango butter is rich in vitamin C and vitamin E. Both of these are essential skin-building nutrients.
Similar to shea butter, mango butter softens the skin and gives protective moisture.
It is also a 100% pure and natural ingredient extracted by cold-pressing de-shelled mango fruit seeds.
Since the process involves no heat, all of the nutrients remain intact in the final product that you can purchase to use in homemade lotions and creams.
Shea Butter
Shea butter is an excellent nutrient-rich source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects from cellular damage.
Other nutrients found in shea butter are vitamin C, provitamin A, and vitamin D which are especially helpful for children with eczema.
It is the fat content that makes it an excellent moisturizer that does not clog pores and keeps the skin moisturized for long.
Unrefined shat butter is the best source to look for as all the nutrients will remain intact.
Refined shea butter not only loses from the refining process like bleaching but also contians toxins from the chemicals used.
Babies and children with sensitive skin are already sensitive to toxins and one way to support them is to reduce toxin exposure as much as possible.
Calendula Infused Oil
This is an excellent emollient because it is not as potent as essential oils but still contains all the benefits of the flower and the carrier oil.
Calendula Officinalis also known as the marigold flower, is known to heal tissue and lower inflammation. When the skin is red and inflamed, calendula is a great soothing agent.
One of the reasons why it is popular in skincare for babies and children is that it is a safe plant for this age group.
You can make calendula-infused oil at home simply by infusing dried calendula flowers in oil for about 4-6 weeks.
Beeswax
My favourite natural barrier is beeswax.
Beeswax is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and natural germicidal. This makes it an excellent ingredient for children with eczema as the skin microbiome is already imbalanced and prone to infection from the environment.
Beeswax forms a barrier on the skin to protect it from environmental factors like harsh weather and irritants.
Another reason for adding this in is that beeswax is a humectant. This means that it attracts water to keep the skin hydrated for longer.
People with eczema need moth an emollient and hydration from water-based moisturizers.
If you can find natural beeswax sheets you’ll get the added benefits of it in its natural purest form. Bonus, it smells like honey!
You should be able to get this from a local beekeeper or health food store.
Should You Add Essential Oils? Here’s Why Not To
Essential oils are potent botanicals that have a long list of benefits, specifically in fighting infection.
We might not want to add essential oils to skincare for babies and toddlers with sensitive skin because their potency can disrupt the already sensitive microbiome of the skin which is typically the case for eczema.
Essential oils are very potent and can kill microorganisms on the skin. This creates more imbalance which might contribute to more flares.
For children with sensitive skin, opt for the most natural gentle option.
DIY Eczema Cream For Babies and Toddlers
Equipment:
Amber glass jars: these are perfect for making homemade creams like this mango butter eczema cream
Handheld milk frother: this is great to use at the end so you can mix the zinc oxide powder more effectively and in less time.
Glass Measuring Jug: I put everything into one jug and put this into a double boiler to melt all the ingredients in the same place. This will give you less equipment to clean up.
Ingredients:
10g (2 tsp) shea butter
70g (11 tsp) mango butter
26g (5 tsp) calendula oil
4g (1 tsp) zinc oxide powder
10g (2 tsp) beeswax pastilles
Method:
Step 1: Measure each ingredient and set aside
Step 2: In a double boiler, melt shea butter, mango butter, and beeswax until it is a liquid
Step 3: Stir in the calendula oil
Step 4: Add the zinc powder little by little and stir vigorously.
Note: during step 3 it might be best to use a mini handheld milk frother
Step 4: pour into a dark glass amber jar and let it sit until it firms up
After it becomes thick in texture you can use it liberally. This should keep for up to 3 months.
When To Apply
Use this moisturizer right after a bathtime or after a quick shower. It’s best to moisturize before a flare-up.
If the skin is broken and raw it’s best to wait to moisturize until the eczema rash has gone down. At this point preventing any more scratching is the top priority to allow the skin to heal.
This is a perfect and easy-to-make emollient for dry skin. It is also safe and effective for babies, toddlers, and children with eczema.
While using topical measures to alleviate the discomfort that comes with eczema, the only way to resolve it for good is to address it at the root. The root cause of eczema is always an internal issue that begins in the gut.
To get rid of childhood eczema, we’ll need to find the root cause.
Homemade and DIY creams for eczema are so easy to make and can be a more cost-effective option.
