Desitin vs Boudreaux

Trying to decide if Desitin vs Boudreaux is a better choice for your baby? Then let us help you decide!

Babies get diaper rashes; it’s part of life, and parents have to know how to handle them when rashes happen. That’s where applying a diaper cream can come in handy, but you might wonder which is better: Boudreaux vs Desitin.

All parents have their favorite diaper rash creams.

Some love Desitin, while others swear by Butt Paste.

If you ask your friends, everyone will have a different opinion.

So, we are going to breakdown the differences between Butt Paste vs Desitin so you can decide which one is best for you!

And if you love this review, make sure you also check out our reviews on the Desitin vs Aquaphor, best diaper cream for cloth diapers and best natural diaper cream.

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Which Is Our Favorite: Desitin vs Boudreaux

If you’re in a hurry, let us tell you our favorite – Boudreaux Butt Paste.

Why do we prefer Boudreaux Butt Paste vs Desitin?

It’s more natural, costs less, and from our experience overall it works better, especially if your baby has a severe rash.

I also love this Boudreaux’s Butt Paste Bundle which comes with baby diaper rash cream, ointments, and an applicator!

All About Desitin

Desitin has been around for years; it’s one of the most recognizable diaper rash cream brands on the market. Their creams are meant to treat and prevent diaper rashes, soothing your baby’s skin while keeping out moisture that might continue to irritate.

Desitin has several different options, but you might not find all of them in stores near you. They have their daily use cream, a rapid relief cream, a maximum strength cream, and multipurpose diaper cream.

Desitin has been a go-to brand for families for decades. Parents use this cream to treat discomfort, but it also is a preventative measure to stop rashes from happening in the first place.

This is a lightweight, hypoallergenic cream that applies easily to your baby’s skin. It doesn’t take much effort to spread it around. 

Desitin Features

• Ingredients: Desitin contains 13% zinc oxide, along with petroleum, beeswax, and several other ingredients.
• Frequency of Use: Desitin tells parents to clean their baby’s bottom, pat it dry, and apply a thick amount of their diaper cream before using a fresh diaper.
• Availability: Desitin is widely available. You’ll find it at most major stores.

The Pros of Desitin

Let’s take a look at why Desitin has been one of the leading diaper rash cream brands for decades.

1. Wipes Away Easily

Typically, diaper rash creams need to be wiped off your baby’s skin after each change before applying a fresh layer. Wiping off Desitin isn’t difficult; it comes off with a baby wipe so that you can use a new coat with each diaper change.

2. Stays on Your Baby’s Skin

This might sound strange considering the first pro, but Desitin also stays on your baby’s skin well. So, it won’t run off when your baby uses the bathroom like some other brands.

3. Acts Quickly

Desitin does take care of rashes. Many parents notice a difference within 12-24 hours after the first application of this diaper rash cream.

4. Great as a Preventative Cream

Desitin may be used as a preventative cream; it’s safe to apply at every diaper change to prevent a rash from happening. It’s pretty moisturizing, so you also can use it on your baby’s dry areas, such as knees and elbows.

The lightweight design of this cream is meant to be used as a preventative treatment. The Desitin Daily Defense cream is intended for prevention and mild rashes.

The Cons of Desitin

So, why don’t parents love Desitin as much as Butt Paste? There are a few reasons, so let’s take a look.

1. Not As Fast Acting As Butt Paste

One of the problems we have with Desitin is that it doesn’t eliminate diaper rashes as fast as Butt Paste. Desitin says that your baby will have some relief within 12 hours, and from our experience that’s true, but by that time, we also found that Butt Paste takes away most rashes or makes a significant difference.

One of the differences is that Desitin, particularly the Daily Defense cream, is meant to be used daily to prevent rashes. So, if your baby has a severe rash, that’s not what it’s made to treat.

2. Smell is Strong

Desitin has a stronger smell than other brands. It’s not terrible, but you may prefer to stay away from products with a significant scent.

3. Not Thick Enough

Desitin is a cream, not a paste, which means that it spreads fine, but it’s not as thick. This works well for minor irritations and rashes, but if your baby has a severe rash, you need something thick that won’t come off as quickly.

All About Boudreaux Butt Paste

When you’re at the store, you’ll find Boudreaux Butt Paste in yellow or red tubes or tubs. The red containers are for maximum strength, ideal for serious rashes.

Boudreaux is a trusted brand that has been around for over 40 years. That’s how they’ve developed more than one formula for their diaper rash cream. They even have a “natural” variety for parents who want to watch what ingredients touch their baby’s skin.

One thing to know about Boudreaux is that this is a paste, not a cream, meaning that it has a different consistency and thickness. This isn’t by accident; it’s the purpose of their brand.

Butt Paste Features

Let’s look at the lowdown on what Butt Paste has to offer babies.

• Ingredients: Butt Paste is made with 16% zinc oxide, which means that they use more zinc oxide than Desitin. Other ingredients include castor seed oil, mineral oil, paraffin, balsam tolu, and resin. If you use the Butt Paste natural rash cream, the ingredients are different from this.
• Frequency of Use: Boudreaux tells parents to liberally apply this cream after changing and drying their baby’s bottom. You can use the cream after each diaper cream, using more when your baby is going to sleep, or only for rashes.
• Availability: Widely available with most major stores selling Butt Paste.

The Pros of Butt Paste

Parents love Butt Paste. So you know there are plenty of pros to this brand. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

1. Preventative Use

Some rash creams tell you that you shouldn’t use their product as a preventative measure; Butt Paste isn’t one of those. This cream is safe to use on your baby all the time. That’s great if you have a baby who frequently has rashes or reactions.

2. Works Fast

Perhaps the single most important pro of Butt Paste is that it works so well. Many parents agree on how well Butt Paste takes away their baby’s diaper rashes, even the severe ones.

3. No Strange Smell

Some diaper creams have a strong or unique smell. Butt Paste is not one of them. It smells like nothing in particular, and they don’t have any added fragrances.

4. Great for Nighttime

Some rash creams aren’t thick enough to make them useful for nighttime use. Butt Paste sticks well to your baby’s skin, giving you all-night protection and treatment of rashes.

The Cons of Butt Paste

Now, let’s talk about some of the reasons why Boudreaux might not be for your baby.

1. Hard to Wipe Off

While some may think that this is a benefit, if you want to get the cream off your baby’s bottom, you’ll need to do some serious wiping. Butt Paste is literally like paste and sticks to your baby’s bottom.

2. Not Natural Ingredients

While Boudreaux sells a natural option, it’s not available in all stores like their two other formulas. So, you’ll have to order it online. In addition, some of the ingredients, like balsam, cause rashes for babies with sensitive skin.

3. Might Stain Clothes

The ingredients in Butt Paste might cause staining on clothes, so be careful not to get it on your baby’s clothing.

Butt Paste vs Desitin: How They Compare

Now that you know all about each brand, let’s consider how these brands stand up next to each other.

1. Zinc Oxide is an Active Ingredient

First, zinc oxide is the main active ingredient for both of these brands, and this ingredient is the best thing to treat diaper rashes, hands down. Boudreaux contains more than Desitin, coming in at 16% zinc compared to 13%.

That difference does matter when it comes to rash control!

2. Different Varieties

Both Boudreaux and Desitin offer different varieties to help parents treat their baby’s rashes. Each brand has a regular (or original) variety along with a maximum strength option. Boudreaux also has a natural rash cream, and Desitin offers a multipurpose rash cream.

3. Both are Preventative Measures

Both brands say that parents can use them as preventative measures against diaper rashes. Desitin Daily Defense is meant to prevent rashes, and Butt Paste says that its formula is safe for everyday use.

4. Boudreaux Focuses More on Rash Treatment

Desitin talks about how their rash cream will stop a rash from happening, and while it’s true that Boudreaux will do the same thing, their paste is meant to treat rashes. Their maximum strength formula treats severe rashes, while Desitin is best for mild irritation.

The Winner Of Boudreaux Vs Desitin

The winner of Desitin vs. Boudreaux is… Boudreaux!

Are you wondering how we came to this conclusion? Let’s go through why parents all over love this brand more than others on the market.

1. It’s Stronger

Butt Paste is stronger; it contains better ingredients that are focused on clearing up rashes fast. If your baby has frequent rashes or a serious rash, then Butt Paste is the answer.

2. Rashes Clear Up Faster

When we compare Desitin vs. Boudreaux, from our experience we found that rashes are cleared up significantly faster when using Butt Paste. If you start using it as soon as a rash appears, it will generally be gone within a day or two. That’s a huge reason why this diaper rash cream is so popular.

3. It Has a Thicker Consistency

Many parents prefer a diaper rash cream that has a thick consistency and stays on the skin well. It shouldn’t come off as soon as your baby pees in their diaper; that won’t help solve diaper rashes.

4. More Affordable

Overall, Boudreaux is more affordable than Desitin based on the price per ounce. You only need to use a small amount, so a tube goes a long way. You have to use more Desitin for the results that are similar.

Final Thoughts on Desitin or Boudreaux’s Butt Paste

In the end, both diaper creams are a great choice. Both are well trusted brands. So, it is up to parents to decide what cream to use based on what works best for their baby.

If you want a diaper rash cream to use daily, Desitin would be sufficient. It works well at preventing irritation, but if your baby ends up with a rash that you can’t get rid of, make sure you have Butt Paste on hand.

And if you’re looking for more great diapering guides, then check out these guides on, different uses for diaper rash cream, must have diaper caddy essentials, diaper free time, and Aquaphor vs Vaseline.