DIY Teething Comfort Rub & Balm

Last updated: August 2026

Teething can disrupt everything from sleep to feeding to mood, often for weeks at a stretch. This page brings together three formulations for that stretch — a cooling chest rub and two gum-massage balms, one of them food-grade for direct in-mouth application — each drawn from a different Baraka recipe book. All three lean on the same trusted Baraka ingredients used throughout our Mother & Baby DIY Skincare Hub, made in about 20 minutes with basic kitchen tools.

In This Recipe:

• What This Recipe Helps With
• Ingredients
• Directions
• Application Tips
• Customisation Ideas
• Storage & Shelf Life
• Voice Search FAQ
• Try These Next
• Disclaimer

Choose Your Formulation

What This Recipe Helps With

• Providing gentle comfort during the teething process
• Offering a cooling chest rub as a sensory-distraction option
• Supporting gum comfort through direct, food-grade massage balms
• Giving three formats to suit different preferences and situations

Why This Is a Great DIY Recipe

The Primary chest rub, Teething Relief Balm, and Baby Teething Gum Balm each use 4–5 ingredients with a simple melt-and-mix method. Skill Level: Beginner. All three are straightforward — the trickiest step across any of them is whisking in a hydrosol or extract slowly so it incorporates evenly. Commercially, teething products with a fully transparent, minimal ingredient list can be hard to find; all three formulations here are traceable to a Baraka cooperative. Yield: approximately 90ml (Primary) plus two named variations. This recipe is expanded from our Shea Butter for Babies guide, which covers additional formulations for newborn and infant skin.

Why These Ingredients Work Together

Shea Butter and Traditional Coconut Oil form the base of all three formulations, creating a comforting texture suitable for either chest application or direct gum contact depending on the formulation. Chamomile appears across all three — as hydrosol in the Primary, as extract in the Teething Relief Balm, and as an infused oil in the Baby Teething Gum Balm — each offering a traditionally calming quality. Vanilla extract adds a comforting, familiar scent to both the Primary and the food-grade variation.

Hero Ingredient Benefits

• Shea Butter: Creates a comforting, protective base suitable for both chest application and food-grade gum-safe formulations, appearing in all three formulations.
• Traditional Coconut Oil: Lightens the texture across all three formulations and is safe if inadvertently ingested in small amounts.

Primary Formulation: Teething Relief Chest Rub

Ingredients:

• Shea Butter — 60 g (1/4 cup)
• Traditional Coconut Oil — 30 ml (2 tablespoons)
• Chamomile Hydrosol — 15 ml (1 tablespoon)
• Vanilla Extract (alcohol-free) — 1.25 ml (1/4 teaspoon)
• Calcium Carbonate — 2.5 g (1/2 teaspoon)

This formulation contains a water-based hydrosol, so refrigerated storage is required — see Storage & Shelf Life below.

Directions

1. Create a double boiler with a heat-safe glass bowl over a pot of simmering water.
2. Add the shea butter and coconut oil to the bowl.
3. Melt completely, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool until just warm to the touch.
5. Slowly add the chamomile hydrosol, whisking continuously.
6. Add the vanilla extract and calcium carbonate, whisking to fully incorporate.
7. Pour into a clean jar and allow to cool completely.

Variation: Teething Relief Balm

From Traditional DIY Shea Remedies for Mother & Baby Wellness.

Ingredients:

• Shea Butter — 30 ml (2 tablespoons)
• Traditional Coconut Oil — 15 ml (1 tablespoon)
• Chamomile Extract — 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon)
• Vitamin E Oil — 1.25 ml (1/4 teaspoon)
• Clove Essential Oil — 1 drop (very dilute)

1. Create a double boiler with a heat-safe glass bowl over a pot of simmering water.
2. Add the shea butter and coconut oil to the bowl.
3. Melt completely, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the chamomile extract, vitamin E oil, and the single drop of clove essential oil.
6. Stir thoroughly to ensure the clove oil is well distributed.
7. Pour into a clean jar and allow to cool completely.

Variation: Baby Teething Gum Balm

From Nurture & Nourish: DIY Remedies for Mother & Baby. This formulation is intended for direct in-mouth application — ingredients and usage are followed exactly as written in the book.

Ingredients:

• Traditional Coconut Oil — 30 g (1 oz)
• Shea Butter — 15 g (0.5 oz)
• Chamomile-Infused Oil — 15 ml (0.5 fl oz)
• Vanilla Extract (alcohol-free) — 2 ml (0.4 teaspoon)
• Clove Bud Water (highly diluted) — 3 ml (0.6 teaspoon)

1. Melt the coconut oil and shea butter in a double boiler.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the chamomile-infused oil, vanilla extract, and clove bud water, stirring constantly until fully incorporated.
4. Pour into a clean glass jar and allow to cool completely.

Application Tips

For the Primary chest rub: apply a small amount to baby's chest, upper back, and behind ears — avoiding the face and hands — for a gentle cooling, distracting sensation. For the Teething Relief Balm: apply a small amount to a clean fingertip and gently massage onto baby's gums where teeth are emerging, using as needed but no more than 4–5 times daily; it can also be applied to skin irritated by drooling. For the Baby Teething Gum Balm: apply a small amount to a clean fingertip and gently massage onto baby's gums as needed for teething discomfort — this formulation is food-grade and safe for direct in-mouth use.

Customisation Ideas

• Choose the chest rub for a sensory-distraction option that doesn't go in baby's mouth.
• Choose the Teething Relief Balm for a gum-massage balm with a trace of clove.
• Choose the Baby Teething Gum Balm if you want an entirely food-grade formulation for direct gum contact.

Storage & Shelf Life

The Primary chest rub contains a hydrosol and must be stored in the refrigerator for enhanced cooling and a shelf life of up to 1 month. Store the Teething Relief Balm at room temperature for up to 3 months. Store the Baby Teething Gum Balm in a cool, dry place for up to 1 month.

The Impact of Your Purchase

When you make skincare with Baraka ingredients, you're supporting women's cooperatives who earn fair wages and preserve traditional processing methods. According to Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report, this direct trade model provided income for over 1,000 women and prevented 47 metric tons of CO2 emissions. You also gain complete transparency — knowing exactly what touches your skin and your family's skin, without hidden synthetics or uncertain supply chains.

Meet one of the women behind these ingredients in this short film: Benefits from Selling Shea Nuts.

Shop the Baraka Ingredients in This Recipe

Pure. Natural. Ethically sourced. Hand-crafted by women's cooperatives. These are the ingredients trusted throughout Baraka's DIY guides and recipes.

• Shea Butter — Shop Now — Rich and deeply moisturising, a versatile base for balms and rubs.
• Traditional Coconut Oil — Shop Now — Lightweight and versatile, softens formulations and absorbs well.

Voice Search FAQ

What's a good DIY remedy for teething discomfort?
A shea and coconut oil chest rub offers cooling sensory distraction, while gum-massage balms with chamomile provide direct gum comfort. One food-grade variation is specifically formulated for safe in-mouth application.

Is it safe to apply a balm directly to my baby's gums?
The Baby Teething Gum Balm on this page is food-grade and formulated for direct in-mouth application, following the source book's exact ingredients and usage. The Teething Relief Balm is also applied to gums but contains a trace of clove essential oil.

Why does the Primary chest rub need refrigeration?
This formulation contains chamomile hydrosol, a water-based ingredient, which means it doesn't have the same shelf stability as an all-oil formulation. Refrigeration keeps it fresh for up to 1 month and provides an extra cooling effect on application.

How often can I apply these teething remedies?
The Teething Relief Balm can be used up to 4–5 times daily on the gums. The chest rub and Gum Balm can be applied as needed whenever teething discomfort appears, with no strict limit.

Try These Next

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like:

• DIY Baby Sleep Balm — a complementary formulation for teething nights that disrupt sleep.
• Is Coconut Oil Good for Baby Skin? Top 3 Benefits — useful background on an ingredient shared by all three formulations here.
• Shea Butter for Babies — a deeper look at how shea supports newborn and infant skin.
• Preservative-Free Formulating: Creating Safe, Fresh Baby Products with Baraka Ingredients — useful background on formulating without preservatives.
• From Kitchen to Nursery: Essential Tools for DIY Mother & Baby Skincare — useful if you're just getting your DIY setup started.

About These Ingredients

This recipe draws on three Baraka recipe books: the primary formulation is expanded from DIY Formulations for the Motherhood Journey, with the Teething Relief Balm credited to Traditional DIY Shea Remedies for Mother & Baby Wellness, and the Baby Teething Gum Balm credited to Nurture & Nourish: DIY Remedies for Mother & Baby. Each book explores additional formulations for supporting newborn and infant skin.

Disclaimer

The recipes and ingredients on this page are intended for cosmetic use only — for application to the skin, hair, and nails to cleanse, condition, and beautify. They have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or any other regulatory authority. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. If you have a medical condition, skin condition, or known allergies, consult a qualified healthcare provider before use. Always patch-test new ingredients before full application. Keep all products away from eyes and out of reach of children. Results will vary between individuals.