8 Best (and Mom-Tested!) Nipple Creams for Breastfeeding or Pumping

The Honest Company is known for the quality of its ingredients, with a mission statement that emphasizes human health and sustainability—and it shows in the Calm Your Nip Balm. This Best of The Bump winner is packed with nourishing ingredients (rated 5 out of 5 by our tester!) like shea butter, aloe, coconut oil and jojoba seed oil. “It rubbed in great and felt very soothing,” our product tester said, noting that it “lasts a long time.”

The cream is free of fragrance and lanolin, making it a good fit for moms and babies with sensitivities. And while some nipple creams can be difficult to get out of the tube, not this one; our tester awarded the product 5 out 5 for ease of use. “This cream was super easy to use and dispense from the squeeze tube,” she raved. “Gets just the right amount of product out.” And it only takes a pea-sized dose to work, giving you plenty of mileage from a tube that’s already reasonably priced for its size.

The quality, convenience and affordability were all flagged by our tester as ways this nipple cream stood out above the pack, and all contributed to our decision to award the Calm Your Nip Balm this year’s Best of The Bump award. (A list of all this year’s winners can be found here.)

Size: 1.75 ounces | Main ingredients: Canola oil, coconut oil, beeswax, shea butter, aloe, jojoba | Organic: Yes

It’s a bit of an understatement to say that Lansinoh’s Lanolin Nipple Cream is free of additives or preservatives—in fact, it features just one ingredient: HPA lanolin. Lansinoh’s ultra-purified lanolin is ethically sourced without harm to animals, and designed to help soothe dry nipples (although it can also be used as a lip balm and dry skin treatment too!).

“You only need a little, so the tube lasts a long time and you get your money’s worth,” our reviewer shared. “I used this nipple cream at the start of my breastfeeding journey and it helped tremendously,” awarding it 5 out of 5 for effectiveness and value for money.

As Mahan told us, purified lanolin has been the gold standard in nipple creams for years, and studies have shown that it can significantly protect mother’s skin. But there’s no substitute for hands-on experience, and if our tester’s scores are any indication, the hype is justified.

Size: 1.41 ounces | Main ingredients: HPA lanolin | Organic: No

Mama Mio’s Keep Calm Nipple Balm is free of lanolin, making it a good choice for moms and babies with wool sensitivity. It’s also a great choice for vegan moms, since it avoids animal byproducts like beeswax, concentrating instead on plant-based ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil and olive oil to make nipples feel more comfortable during the breastfeeding journey.

Lanolin is an effective ingredient, so moms might worry about choosing a lanolin-free option. But our tester particularly liked how “soothing and moisturizing” Keep Calm Nipple Balm feels, singling out the way it “effortlessly rubbed into the nipple, leaving no greasy residue.” Where this cream really stood out for her was in ease of use, which she awarded a full 5 out of 5. “The cream didn’t squirt out—rather, it came out smoothly and did not make a mess.” Which is great, since the last thing a nursing mom needs to deal with is a splotchy spill.

Size: 1 fluid ounce | Main ingredients: Shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil | Organic: No

Motherlove Organic Nipple Cream is a popular choice for moms looking for a natural option. It features extra-virgin olive oil, beeswax, shea butter, marshmallow root, calendula flower—and that’s it. You know exactly what you’re putting on your skin when you buy this product, without needing to navigate an unpronounceable list of additives. It has a slightly different packaging than many others: It comes in a jar, so you scoop it out instead of squeezing it from a tube. “The cream was easy to apply and easily rubbed on the skin,” our tester shared.

Most importantly, the tester swears by the results: “The cream helped soothe the nipple from being sore and also prevented it from being chapped,” she shared. “I also used it for my lips and it helped with the dryness.” If you’re worried that an all-natural product won’t be as effective, don’t. With 5 out of 5 scores on effectiveness, ingredients and ease of use, this is a natural nipple cream you can rely on.

Size: 1 fluid ounce | Main ingredients: Olive oil, beeswax, shea butter, marshmallow root, calendula flower | Organic: Yes

Lansinoh also offers an Organic Nipple Balm as a plant-based alternative to the brand’s popular lanolin cream. The balm is 100 percent USDA-certified organic, free of petroleum, parabens and preservatives and made with soothing, natural ingredients like sunflower oil, olive oil and shea butter. “The cream is definitely smooth and moisturizing!” our tester shared. “It’s lightweight so it soaks in pretty fast and doesn’t leave oily residue on the skin.” (A nice perk, per the reviewer: You can rub excess cream into your hands for an impromptu moisturizer.)

Whether you’re using the balm to soothe dry, cracked nipples or as a pumping lubricant (always great to have a multipurpose product!), Lansinoh Organic Nipple Balm gets the same rave reviews as its lanolin counterpart. As our tester says, “I would definitely recommend this cream to breastfeeding mama friends. Especially in those first few weeks when nipples are raw!” Organic ingredients that leave you feeling great? What more could a nursing mama ask for?

Size: 2 ounces | Main ingredients: Sunflower oil, olive oil, beeswax, coconut oil, shea butter, calendula flower extract, argan oil | Organic: Yes

Dry, cracked nipples can be an unfortunate side effect of breastfeeding as you and baby find a routine that works for you. The Mommy Knows Best Organic Nipple Cream can help—ingredients like olive oil, sunflower oil, beeswax, cocoa butter and shea butter are all specifically chosen to moisturize, reduce redness and irritation and help heal cracks. But this cream goes the extra mile with the inclusion of aloe extract—if you’ve ever had a sunburn, you probably already know the miracles aloe vera works on inflamed and damaged skin.

The cream is “super easy to rub in,” according to our tester, who awarded it 5 out of 5 for effectiveness and ease of use—an important feature to watch for if cracks have left you tender. It’s also “very soothing,” she said, adding, “it made my nipples feel much better.” The cream is lanolin-free and can also be used on other dry skin spots like rough elbows and dry heels. So if your breastfeeding experience has been a painful one as your little one learns to latch, don’t worry: Help is on the way.

Size: 2 fluid ounces | Main ingredients: Olive oil, aloe extract, sunflower oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, vitamin E, mango oil | Organic: Yes

Natalist’s Nip & Lip Balm has a unique feature that new moms love: It comes in a stick as opposed to a tube or tub. “I love that it’s in a Chapstick-like container,” raved our tester. “It’s easy to use and melts and glides on really well. No fussing with a jar.” But this cream is more than its packaging. It features gentle ingredients like grapeseed oil, shea butter, cocoa seed butter and coconut oil to moisturize your nipples and even your lips! Our reviewer shared that it “kept my nipples moisturized and well protected from pumping and nursing.”

With this kind of praise, it should be no surprise that our tester rated the product 5 out of 5 for ease of use. But the ingredients also impressed her, as she noted, “I can trust that it isn't mixed with anything harmful to me or baby.” Easy for you and safe for your little one—the Nip & Lip Balm does it all, with a whole extra application to boot.

Size: 0.5 ounces | Main ingredients: Shea butter, cocoa butter, argan oil, coconut oil, beeswax | Organic: No

Whether you’re exclusively pumping or you regularly express milk when you’re away from baby, pumps can put unique demands on your nipples. The Bamboobies Boob-Ease Organic Pumping Lubricant is specially designed to help give nipples a break after facing regular friction from a pump.

This lanolin-free cream uses coconut oil, shea butter and beeswax to help build up and restore your nipple’s natural barrier, without being sticky or messy, according to our tester. But where it really shined for her is in how it improved the experience of pumping: “[It] made the friction and discomfort of pumping so much better,” she shared. “I didn't feel like I was dreading the pain that sometimes pumping can cause by the pull of the nipple” after using the cream. An effective product that makes feeding your child all the easier? Yes, please.

Size: 0.5 fluid ounces, pack of two | Main ingredients: Coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, olive oil, beeswax, shea butter, matricaria flower extract, cocoa seed butter | Organic: Yes