Tubby Todd makes two products relevant to diaper rash, and both contain ingredients with solid track records for skin protection. The All Over Ointment uses 1% colloidal oatmeal as its active ingredient, which is FDA-recognized for soothing irritated skin. The Sweet Cheeks Diaper Paste contains 14% zinc oxide, a standard active ingredient in diaper rash creams. Whether one or both will work for your baby depends on the type of rash you’re dealing with.
Two Products, Two Different Jobs
The All Over Ointment and the Sweet Cheeks Diaper Paste are not interchangeable. The All Over Ointment is a skin protectant built around colloidal oatmeal, beeswax, jojoba esters, and plant extracts like cucumber, mango, and avocado. It’s designed to calm mild irritation and lock in moisture. Many parents use it as a preventive layer during diaper changes or to soothe early-stage redness before it progresses.
The Sweet Cheeks Diaper Paste is the more targeted product. Zinc oxide at 14% creates a physical barrier between your baby’s skin and moisture, urine, and stool. This is the same active ingredient found in traditional diaper creams like Desitin and Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, though concentrations vary across brands. Zinc oxide works by sitting on top of the skin and blocking irritants from making contact, which is exactly what pediatric guidelines recommend for active diaper rash.
What It Works Well For
Standard diaper rash, the kind caused by prolonged contact with a wet or soiled diaper, is where zinc oxide creams perform best. The rash typically looks like a patch of red, irritated skin across the buttocks or in the diaper area. For this type of irritation, a zinc oxide barrier cream applied to clean, dry skin at each diaper change is the go-to approach.
The All Over Ointment is better suited for very mild redness or as a daily preventive measure. Colloidal oatmeal has well-documented skin-soothing properties and helps the skin retain moisture. The beeswax and plant-based oils in the formula add a light protective layer without being as heavy as a traditional paste. If your baby’s skin is slightly pink but not truly rashy, this may be enough on its own.
What It Won’t Treat
Neither Tubby Todd product will clear a yeast-based diaper rash. Yeast rashes tend to look different from regular irritation: the skin is often bright red, and you may see small raised bumps or satellite spots around the edges of the main rash. If a rash hasn’t improved after about three days of keeping the area clean and dry, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends suspecting a yeast infection and using an over-the-counter antifungal cream like clotrimazole (sold as Lotrimin AF) twice daily.
Zinc oxide and colloidal oatmeal are skin protectants, not antifungals. Applying a barrier cream over a yeast rash can actually trap the fungus against the skin and slow healing. If you’re unsure whether your baby’s rash is fungal or just friction-based, the appearance and timeline are your best clues. A rash that gets worse despite regular barrier cream use, or one that’s intensely red with a bumpy texture, is worth a closer look from your pediatrician.
How to Get the Best Results
The product matters less than the routine around it. Pediatric guidelines consistently emphasize the same core steps: change diapers frequently, clean the skin thoroughly with warm water (not just wipes, which can leave a bacterial film), and let the area air dry before applying any cream. Tubby Todd’s own instructions mirror this: clean, dry, then apply.
For active rash, giving your baby some diaper-free time on a towel speeds recovery significantly. Dryness is one of the most effective defenses against both irritant rash and yeast overgrowth. When you do put a diaper back on, fasten it loosely to allow airflow. These basics do more heavy lifting than any specific cream.
If the skin is very raw or broken, soaking the area in warm water with about two tablespoons of baking soda for 10 minutes, twice a day, can provide relief while the skin heals. You’d then apply your barrier product after patting the area dry.
How It Compares to Traditional Options
The Sweet Cheeks Diaper Paste’s 14% zinc oxide sits in a moderate range. Some drugstore creams contain 40% zinc oxide, which creates a thicker, more opaque barrier. Higher concentrations tend to be better for severe or persistent rashes, while moderate concentrations like 14% work well for everyday protection and mild to moderate irritation. If your baby’s rash is stubborn, you may need a higher-concentration zinc oxide product.
The ingredient list for both Tubby Todd products skips petroleum and mineral oil, relying instead on plant-derived oils and waxes. For parents specifically looking to avoid petroleum-based products, this is a meaningful distinction. From a functional standpoint, both petroleum and plant-based barriers can protect skin effectively. The difference is more about ingredient preference than performance for routine rashes.
One thing worth noting: the All Over Ointment contains honeysuckle flower extract as a preservative system. While this is generally well tolerated, babies with very sensitive or already-broken skin can occasionally react to botanical ingredients. If you notice the rash worsening after application, stop use and try a simpler barrier like plain petroleum jelly to rule out a reaction.
Which Product to Reach For
Use the All Over Ointment as a daily preventive or for skin that’s just starting to look pink. Use the Sweet Cheeks Diaper Paste when there’s an actual rash that needs a zinc oxide barrier. For severe rashes, you may want a higher-concentration zinc oxide cream. And for any rash that’s bright red, bumpy, or not improving after a few days of good hygiene and barrier cream, an antifungal is the next step, not more ointment.