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There’s much to prepare when a new baby is on the way. Caregivers have to gather the essentials—diapers, wipes, onesies, bottles and many other items designed to make life with your baby a little simpler. Many seasoned parents will tell you that one of the most important things to stock up on is an effective diaper rash cream.

Since busy parents might not have time to research every diaper rash cream out there, the Forbes Health editorial team analyzed the top products on the market, looking at an array of metrics including cost, ingredients and more. Read ahead for our top picks for the best baby diaper rash cream.

Note: All prices per ounce are accurate as of publication.

Zinc oxide is one of the top pediatrician-recommended diaper rash cream ingredients, and this one has a high volume at 40%. It also includes other soothing ingredients like shea butter, and is free of irritants and toxins like parabens and fragrance. It’s average per-ounce price is also on the lower end compared to other diaper rash cream brands.

This diaper rash cream is packed with ingredients that will soothe your baby’s sensitive skin while providing a protective barrier. Era Organics Diaper Rash Cream is formulated with zinc oxide, soothing aloe vera, calendula, shea butter, rosehip and chamomile. It’s also organic and fragrance-free.

If you’re looking for a mostly natural diaper rash cream, this is it. Mustela’s diaper cream is made with 99.7% naturally-derived ingredients like aloe vera, olive oil, sunflower oil and more. In addition to soothing a baby’s sensitive skin, it promises to provide an effective protective barrier.

This diaper rash cream contains protective zinc oxide (16%) and soothing aloe vera, shea and cocoa butters and coconut oil. It’s also fragrance-free, cruelty-free, hypoallergenic and free of harmful ingredients like parabens, phthalates and paraffins.

Formulated with 40% zinc oxide, this diaper rash cream will no doubt do an effective job providing a protective barrier for a baby’s sensitive skin. It’s also on the lower end of price per ounce compared to other diaper rash creams on the market, and is fragrance-free and organic.

This diaper rash cream is formulated with 15% zinc oxide, but doesn’t contain some of the other ingredients often included like aloe vera or shea butter. Instead, it contains ingredients like mineral oil, glycerin and panthenol. Aquaphor Baby Diaper Rash Cream should be used for mild to moderate rashes, according to the company, and is one of the more affordable diaper rash creams available.

This diaper rash cream uses a unique formula of 14% zinc oxide combined with bisabolol, an anti-inflammatory, plant-derived ingredient, and squalane, which is derived from sugarcane and helps to balance the microbiome, which supports the moisture barrier.

Burt’s Bees is known for its natural, gentle take on skincare products, and that extends to its diaper rash cream. Formulated with 40% zinc oxide and almond oil, this cream provides a protective layer while soothing the skin. It’s also 100% natural in origin and formulated without parabens, phthalates and paraffins and made with recycled packaging.

If you’re looking for a diaper rash cream that will treat tough rashes (and stop them before they start), this is a great pick. Triple Paste Diaper Rash Cream is formulated with 13% zinc oxide to seal out moisture and protect skin. It’s made with oat extract and beeswax and is free of fragrances, parabens, preservatives, talc, phthalates and dyes.

This classic diaper rash cream is affordable, hypoallergenic and made with zinc oxide, aloe vera and petrolatum, all of which help provide a protective barrier for a baby’s sensitive skin.

To determine the best diaper rash creams of 2022, we looked at a number of factors focused on value, ingredients and safety:

Factors were assigned a weight based on what seemed most important in determining the best diaper rash creams of 2022.

Diaper rash cream is a cream of gel-like substance used to create a barrier between a baby’s sensitive skin and their diaper (and the substances that end up in it). Most diaper rash creams are made with petrolatum (petroleum jelly) or zinc oxide.

Other common ingredients found in diaper rash cream include the following:

The main benefit of diaper rash cream is that it provides a protective barrier between the skin and substances that go in the diaper, like urine and stool, says Edith Dietz, M.D., a pediatrician at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore.

“Most diaper rash comes from the irritation of the stool and the urine having prolonged contact with the skin,” she explains. “This can be especially problematic (and difficult to manage) if the baby is having more frequent stools for whatever reason, and some babies are more sensitive than others.”

If you’re seeing redness or irritation, the goal is to do everything you can to protect the skin, and diaper rash cream provides that protective barrier, she adds. So if a diaper rash pops up, a good cream will stop further irritation from occurring and allow the skin to heal. Compare Best Diaper Rash Creams

Rather than looking for a particular brand, you should look at the ingredients each cream contains as well as how thick it is, recommends Dr. Dietz. “A common ingredient is zinc oxide, which is used in diaper cream and some of the more natural sunscreens,” she says. “It’s really hard to rub in, which is actually helpful in the case of diaper cream since it creates a bit of a shield to protect the skin. It’s a common, good ingredient.”

Petrolatum, or petroleum jelly, is another great ingredient, although many diaper rash creams avoid it because it comes from paraffin wax, notes Dr. Dietz. “It provides a thicker barrier that will coat the skin and stay on top of the skin,” she says. “There are lots of organic, natural products on the market, and as long as they are thick enough to provide a protective barrier, they can probably do a pretty good job. Anything that’s thin and runny probably won’t work that well.”

Diaper rash cream should be applied after your baby has been cleaned up with wipes and is ready for a new diaper. One of the “laws” of diaper rash cream application is that you want to apply a nice thick layer, according to Dr. Deitz—and many people make the mistake of rubbing it in. “You want to apply it in the way you would apply icing,” she says. “You want it to just serve as a protective shield between stool and urine and the baby’s skin.”

In terms of how often you should apply diaper rash cream, Dr. Dietz says it really depends on your knowledge of your baby’s skin sensitivity and also how frequently they tend to produce stool.

“The stool can sometimes be the more irritating substance, especially if there are changes in diet or even during teething when they’re swallowing more saliva—that can lead to runnier stools,” she says.

Being proactive about applying diaper cream when babies are having more frequent or looser stools is a good idea, adds Dr. Dietz, as is using it in reaction to any signs of early irritation. “I wouldn’t say all babies should always have diaper cream applied with every diaper change,” she says.

While the vast majority of diaper rashes are caused by irritation, any time there’s oozing or pus, that raises suspicion for a bacterial component and may require treatment through an antibiotic, says Dr. Dietz.

“Another common offender is yeast,” she says. “Yeast is a naturally occurring organism that lives in our intestinal tract, so it is around, but it can cause additional irritation that may not respond to the usual diaper cream. If that’s the case for you, it may be worth it to see a doctor.”

When it comes to diaper rash cream, remember: thicker is better, and don’t rub it in.

Information provided on Forbes Health is for educational purposes only. Your health and wellness is unique to you, and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. For personal advice, please consult with a medical professional.

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Leigh Weingus is a New York-based freelance writer and former senior editor at HuffPost, Elite Daily and Mindbodygreen. Her work has been featured in Well+Good, Glamour, Parade, Bustle, NBC News and more. When she's not writing, Leigh can be found taking a (virtual) yoga class, running in Central Park or whipping up her latest smoothie creation.

Valerie is a seasoned writer and editor who has spent her career creating content in the parenting and women's wellness spaces. Before joining Forbes Health, Valerie was the trending news editor at Scary Mommy. When she's not helping women and families live their best and healthiest lives, she's spending time with her family, walking her dogs, reading or exercising.