It is very important to me that this little ditty that Evan made up survives beyond our nuclear family. To be sung during application of said paste. Helps baby focus on you and wiggle less. Delights toddlers. Cleo now sings it to her dolls and stuffed friends as she changes their various diapers.
To the tune of “A Pirate’s Life for Me”:
Butt paste, butt paste, it’s butt paste for your butt
Gonna paint your butt, gonna paint it all white
So it stays dry all day and all night
Butt paste, butt paste, it’s butt paste forrrrrr yourrrrrr butttttttt
Your butt!
— lyrics by Evan
You’re welcome.
The Brush
Some think they don’t need this and can just use their fingers like their foremothers. I mean, sure. But lemme see your fingernails.
Lots of these exist. These are our favorite. The big one goes at the changing station. The small one goes in the diaper bag. After each application we clean with a wipe.
And yes Taylor, we often hold the bottom suction part in our teeth while wrestling a kiddo.
The Paste
This will vary kid to kid, but ours both had relatively sensitive skin. We have friends who never needed butt paste ever. We use it for every diaper change. Or like, 95% of them. (Sometimes skip if doing a Houdini change in the back of the car on a road trip or airplane.)
We like Boudreaux’s Butt Paste and vastly prefer the tube to the tub just for cleanliness sake. Feels gross to dip into the tub — much easier to apply like toothpaste to the butt brush.
It comes in different strengths. For little baby with lots of wet diapers we use the red (maximum strength) kind with 40% zinc. The only downside is that (1) it’s thicker so just goopier to deal with, and (2) it can stain. We find that Boudreaux’s stains less than other brands like Desitin but again you’ll figure out what you like. At the end of the day this is a dermatology thing — whatever works for your kid’s skin is the best choice for you.
Once diapers are dry for longer stretches we switch to the green or purple kind — not as strong, works for maintenance, less thick and doesn’t stain. But we still use red for bedtime (when there’s a longer wet stretch) or if there looks like maybe a slight redness that could be a rash starting. The red knocks it out. There’s also a white (sensitive/hypoallergenic) and a yellow (original).
Maximum Strength (Red)
40% zinc. The heavy hitter. Use for newborns, bedtime, or active rashes.
Shop on Amazon →
Natural with Aloe (Green)
Lighter formula. Good for daily maintenance when diapers are drier.
Shop on Amazon →
Butt Barrier (Purple)
Prevention formula with dimethicone. Another good daily option.
Shop on Amazon →
Sensitive (White)
Hypoallergenic. For truly reactive skin.
Shop on Amazon →
Original (Yellow)
The OG. 16% zinc oxide, paraben and preservative free.
Shop on Amazon →For butt stuff we stuck with Boudreaux’s. But the others are reasonable contenders. For raw noses during a cold we use Vaseline, and for rough skin patches or rug burn we use Aquaphor. Some folks prefer Triple Paste.
Vaseline
Our go-to for raw noses during a cold. Classic barrier protection.
Shop on Amazon →
Aquaphor
For rough skin patches and rug burn. Heals everything.
Shop on Amazon →
Triple Paste
A popular alternative to Boudreaux’s. Some families swear by it.
Shop on Amazon →How Much / Where
There’s no such thing as too much. When they’re little or if you suspect any rash, frost the butt. At a minimum, get in the crack and the first inch outside the crack. If there’s a rash already, get everywhere there’s a rash plus a half inch minimum outside.
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through one of our links, we may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. We only link to things we’ve actually used and would tell a friend about.
More diapering opinions: Diapering: More Opinions Than You'd Think. Part of our Newborn Survival Guide.