Home / Baby / Boudreaux Butt Paste vs Desitin vs Aquaphor: Which Baby Diaper Rash Cream is Better?

Boudreaux Butt Paste vs Desitin vs Aquaphor: Which Baby Diaper Rash Cream is Better?

by  Katie -  Last updated on October 4, 2023

Last Updated on October 4, 2023

Butt Paste vs Desitin vs Aquaphor: The Big Throwdown for you baby’s butt! It’s serious business.

There are so many things to figure out once you’ve got a new baby, and the whole diaper situation is definitely one of the most baffling.

There are so many parts that seem almost impossible: How you strap it up, how you make sure it doesn’t leak, and most confusingly of all, how to get the baby to stay still while you change it.

These are all tasks that you’ll learn quickly enough once you have your own baby, so there is no need to worry about them, although you may have a few mishaps at the start. The question that might not become immediately apparent is which diaper rash cream is the best one?

There are so many creams and pastes on the market, but which is the right one to help your little one when they are crying about the irritation and pain? Is it better to have a specific cream, or to use a more general moisturizer?

Do you need to leave it to breathe, or slather it up to protect it? Which are the ingredients to look for, and which should be avoided? Well fear not, we know that you have a million and one things to do, so we’ve done the research for you.

All you need to do is sit back and read this article, and you’ll soon know which is the best option for your child.

Contents

Boudreaux Butt Paste vs. Desitin vs. Aquaphor at a Glance

If you don’t have time to read this article in full, but still want to know what the main differences are, take a look here.

But if you can, we recommend that you read the full article so that you can work out which is the best cream for your baby.

Boudreaux Butt Paste Advantages:

  • Fun packaging
  • Biggest variety

Boudreaux Butt Paste Disadvantages:

  • Slightly smaller size of tubes

Desitin Advantages:

  • Strongest maximum strength paste
  • Works as a treatment

Desitin Disadvantages:

  • Most limited range

Aquaphor Advantages:

  • Most versatile creams
  • Can be used on other patches of skin too

Aquaphor Disadvantages:

  • Tends to be better for more mild diaper rash

Winner:

Normally we pick a winner at this point, but on this occasion, we would have to say that all three have their merits, depending on what you are looking for.

What’s the Difference Between Them?

Purpose

Each of these companies has a variety of creams and pastes will work on diaper rash. But they all have different strengths and benefits, which means they can be better suited to different aspects of diaper rash. Let’s take a look at what each one has to offer.

Aquaphor Diaper Rash Cream is best used for mild to moderate treatment. It is a lighter cream that works better as more of a moisturizer. It works as a 3 in 1 solution, so it helps to protect the skin from the rash in the first place, then it provides a soothing relief, plus it effectively treats diaper rash if it develops.

As it is more mild, the Aquaphor creams can be used with every diaper change, which should help to prevent diaper rash from developing, Aquaphor can also be used on other patches of sensitive skin, including minor scrapes, cracked feet, or the inevitable rash that forms around a baby’s face while they drool their way through each day.

This is particularly the case for the Aquaphor Healing Ointment. Boudreaux’s Butt Paste is for more stubborn rashes. You can get various versions, including a paste for the daily prevention of diaper rash, or lighter pastes for sensitive skin or with natural aloe.

The most popular paste though is their maximum strength butt paste. This one is for moderate to more irritated diaper rash and can help to quickly soothe and treat diaper rash. Desitin is our third diaper rash cream.

Their maximum strength paste is again their most popular, and the one that most people think of when they think of Desitin. This is for severe or stubborn diaper rash and it helps to relieve the skin on contact by sealing out the wetness and protecting the chafed skin. They also have rapid relief which works better for prevention.

Verdict:

Each of these creams has their benefits, and it really depends on what you are looking for. Aquaphor is the most mild for everyday use, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste has the widest variety of options, and Desitin is the strongest cream.

Ingredients

When it comes to your baby, we know that you want to be careful about what you are giving to them. You are their carer in this world, and you need to look out for them. We get that. Which is why we know that you will want to be careful about what ingredients these creams have in them.

As far as diaper rash creams go, there is a pretty clear split between those that prevent the rash and those that treat it. For creams that prevent diaper rash, like Aquaphor’s Baby Healing Ointment, the principal ingredient, making up 41% of the formula, is petrolatum.

It is petrolatum that helps to create a breathable barrier over the skin, which helps to protect it from any wetness or irritation. That’s why it is able to be used on a daily basis and on other parts of the skin too. The more mild Boudreaux’s Butt Pastes also contain petroleum.

For the creams and pastes that treat the diaper rash, the main ingredient tends to be zinc oxide. Both Boudreaux’s Butt Paste Maximum Strength and Desitin Maximum Strength creams come with 40% zinc oxide, which is the maximum amount allowed.

The more mild versions of the Boudreaux’s Butt Paste still contain 16% zinc oxide, while the Desitin Rapid Relief contains 13% zinc oxide, and Aquaphor’s diaper rash cream contains 15% zinc oxide.

It is worth mentioning that these creams tend to try to use as few ingredients as possible. Aquaphor’s creams are preservative and fragrance free, which makes them well suited to sensitive skin.

Boudreaux’s Butt Paste contains no parabens or preservatives, and is free from dyes and talc too. While Desitin’s creams don’t contain parabens, phthalates, or dyes, and the Rapid Relief cream is also fragrance free.

Verdict:

All of these creams have fairly similar ingredients, and vary the amount of petroleum or zinc oxide depending on their purpose.

Consistency

A key aspect when looking at creams and pastes is the consistency. Sometimes you will want to use just a lighter cream to help keep your baby well moisturized. Other times, you might need a really thick paste to help provide a barrier against wetness and irritation.

Generally, the creams that work as a preventative measure are lighter, for instance the Aquaphor Healing Ointment. Then there are the creams which are best suited to mild to moderate diaper rash.

These creams, like the Desitin Rapid Relief, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, and Aquaphor’s Diaper Rash Cream, are all a bit of a thicker cream. Then the maximum strength creams are the thickest of all. These are the ones that can sit on the rash and help to instantly soothe and protect severe diaper rash.

If you feel a bit unsure, a simple rule to follow is that if there is a higher level of zinc oxide in the paste, then it will be thicker and stickier.

Verdict:

If you are looking for a lighter, daily-use cream then try Aquaphor’s healing ointment. But if you are looking for a substantial thick paste, it would be better to try the Maximum Strength pastes of Desitin or Boudreaux’s Butt Paste.

Price

It’s all very well going through all of these different options, but we know that for a lot of people, it is really going to come down to price.

After all the spending on strollers, car-seats, and toys, not to mention the essential items like, diapers, clothes, and food, we understand that a budget can start to play a very important role.

When it comes to the diaper rash creams, you tend to have the option of either going for a very big pot, or a more travel-friendly tube.

Although prices can vary, it seems like the smaller tubes of 3.5 – 4.8 oz are generally around $7 each, with Desitin maybe providing the best value for size. Then the larger tubs of 14 – 16 oz seem to be around $13.50 – $18.50, with Desitin this time being the more expensive.

we are happy to say that these three brands are all fairly similar in price. Boudreaux Butt Paste is maybe very slightly cheaper, but we would say that the prices are similar enough that you can make your decision based on what you need, rather than what you can afford.

Verdict:

We are happy to say that these brands are all fairly similar in price, so you can make your decision based on what you need, rather than what you can afford.

Conclusion

Hopefully now that we have been through these three brands, you have a better idea of what they each have to offer.

In general, a more mild, petroleum-based cream, which is lighter, will work best as a preventative measure that can be used daily, while a thicker, zinc oxide-based paste, which is stronger, will work better as a soothing treatment.

Each of the three companies has a variety of creams that are suitable for different occasions. So take a look and see which one seems best for you. If you want to stick with a natural remedy, we recommend treating diaper rashes with cornstarch, learn more here.

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