Where to Find zinc oxide powder?

So you may be wondering why I use a synthetic substance, zinc oxide, in my products if I’m trying to be all natural. You may not even know exactly what zinc oxide is. I definitely didn’t until doing some extensive research as I started creating baby products.

As soon as I started down this crunchy path creating my own beauty and household products, I decided that I wanted to be as knowledgeable as possible on every substance I put in or on my body. I stay away from processed foods, synthetically produced substances and toxic chemicals. The very core of my values related to my product line is to keep it natural. That’s why I want to explain what zinc oxide is and why I’m using it in the diaper rash cream.

What is Zinc Oxide?

Zinc oxide is a fine white powder that is insoluble in water. That simply means that if you dump a little zinc oxide into a cup of hot water and stir it around, you’ll just end up with powder and water. Zinc oxide can occur naturally as the mineral zincite but most zinc oxide is synthetically produced. (see wikipedia) You’ll find zinc oxide in a lot of products as an additive, and in the beauty world you will see it in diaper rash cream and in sunscreen.

Why Zinc Oxide Works Like Magic in Diaper Rash Creams

When you mix zinc oxide with hot emollients, butters, and oils the end result is a thick white cream. While the cream is still hot, you can see the powdery zinc oxide as a separate substance but as it cools the cream becomes a normal consistency and the powder dissolves.

Rub the zinc oxide cream on your skin and water droplets will sit on top of the cream. Wash your zinc oxide hands in warm water and you’ll still have beading water. The zinc oxide repels the water and keeps it away from your skin. This is exactly what it does on your baby’s body as well. Wet diapers won’t cause diaper rash because your baby has a layer of zinc oxide cream on that repels the wetness. It’s the best substance to use in diaper rash creams because it works so well at repelling moisture.

Zinc Oxide Percentages in Other Diaper Rash Creams

Zinc oxide can be found in most “natural” diaper rash creams as well as most mainstream store bought creams. It is the active substance in all these creams which means it’s what makes the cream work. Here are a few common creams that contain zinc oxide and the percentage that they contain:

Desitin Maximum Strength Original Paste (Owned by Johnson & Johnson) – 40% (highest percentage of zinc oxide you can get without a prescription)

Desitin Rapid Relief Cream (Owned by Johnson & Johnson)- 19%

Penaten Medicated Creme (A German based company owned by Johnson & Johnson)- 18%

New Penaten Creamy Diaper Rash Treatment (A German based company owned by Johnson & Johnson) - 13%

California Baby Super Sensitive Diaper Rash Cream & Calming Diaper Rash Cream - 12%

Lansinoh Diaper Rash Ointment (Owned by Pigeon – an international company) – 5.5%

Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Diaper Ointment (Owned by Clorox) – ???% This is the only diaper rash cream without the percentage of zinc oxide listed on the label. Zinc oxide is the second ingredient on the label. (Ingredients are listed in order by how much of each ingredient is in the recipe so the first ingredients are the largest portions.)