Boudreaux's Butt Paste

Boudreaux's Butt Paste is an American skin-care brand originating as a diaper-rash remedy. The product was developed in the 1970s by George Lloyd Boudreaux, a pharmacist from Covington, Louisiana. Boudreaux began formulating the ointment while working as an intern pharmacist and continued refining it after becoming licensed. He initially sold it through his pharmacy, where the product acquired its memorable name after a physician recounted a patient referring to the preparation as “butt paste.” The brand is centered on topical barrier care for babies, particularly the prevention and treatment of diaper rash. Its original formulation is associated with 16 percent zinc oxide, along with a proprietary blend of Peruvian balsam, castor oil, mineral oil, paraffin, and petrolatum. Other versions have used higher zinc-oxide concentrations. The ingredients are intended to create a protective barrier over irritated skin while supporting care for moisture-related skin irritation. After Boudreaux sold his pharmacy in 1974, he expanded distribution of the product beyond the pharmacy setting. Public awareness increased substantially through celebrity and media exposure. Oprah Winfrey recommended the product on her television program, after which demand reportedly quadrupled and the company’s website experienced a service disruption. The product also received extensive informal endorsement in a People magazine article concerning diaper rash affecting two of Brad Pitt’s children; the article reported that nearly 900 readers responded in less than five hours, with Boudreaux’s Butt Paste being the dominant recommendation. Manufacturing was moved from Alabama to New Orleans in 2004. Hurricane Katrina disrupted that operation in August 2005, when a 14-foot tide affected the manufacturing area. Production was temporarily transferred to Blairex Laboratories in response. The brand was subsequently sold to Blairex, based in Columbus, Indiana. Following the sale, George Boudreaux remained involved in Covington with marketing and the development of additional products, while Blairex concentrated on manufacturing and distribution. The brand later changed ownership again when Blairex sold it to C.B. Fleet Company on December 29, 2011. Prestige Brands announced an agreement to acquire C.B. Fleet in December 2016, bringing the brand into a larger portfolio transaction. Boudreaux’s Butt Paste has also used unconventional consumer marketing, including NASCAR sponsorship. Its highly conspicuous “BUTT PASTE” branding and cartoon-baby imagery on a race car became notable in motorsport advertising commentary. Although the brand began as a baby-care product, descriptions of its uses have extended to several other skin complaints, including psoriasis, jock itch, shingles, chafing, cold sores, and acne. These broader uses should not be treated as equivalent to the brand’s core diaper-rash positioning or as independent medical indications. The brand’s principal identity remains an over-the-counter topical ointment for diaper-area skin protection and irritation care.

Boudreaux's Butt Paste was developed in the 1970s by George Lloyd Boudreaux in Covington, Louisiana. At the time, Boudreaux was working as an intern pharmacist. He began experimenting with a remedy for diaper rash and continued developing the formulation after receiving his pharmacy license. The preparation was first sold through his pharmacy. Its unusual commercial name came from a story told by a physician about a patient who had called the product “butt paste,” a phrase that Boudreaux later adopted for the brand. Boudreaux sold his pharmacy in 1974 and subsequently worked to distribute the product more broadly. The brand remained primarily associated with diaper-rash care, using zinc oxide and other protective ingredients to help shield irritated skin. The original version is described as containing 16 percent zinc oxide, with other ingredients including Peruvian balsam, castor oil, mineral oil, paraffin, and petrolatum. Later variants used different or higher zinc-oxide concentrations. The product’s public profile expanded through television and print exposure. Oprah Winfrey recommended Boudreaux’s Butt Paste on her program, producing a sharp increase in consumer interest. The response was reportedly large enough to overwhelm the company website, while demand quadrupled. A separate burst of attention followed a People magazine article about diaper rash affecting two of Brad Pitt’s children. The article said that almost 900 readers responded in less than five hours and that Boudreaux’s Butt Paste was the overwhelming recommendation. Manufacturing operations moved from Alabama to New Orleans in 2004. In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina generated a 14-foot tide that affected the area where the product was manufactured. To maintain supply, emergency production was arranged through Blairex Laboratories. The brand was later sold to Blairex, located in Columbus, Indiana. George Boudreaux continued working in Covington on marketing and the development of products based on the original ointment, while Blairex handled manufacturing and distribution. Ownership changed again on December 29, 2011, when Blairex sold the brand to C.B. Fleet Company. C.B. Fleet was a portfolio company of Gryphon Investors when Prestige Brands announced an agreement to acquire it on December 22, 2016. These transactions placed the brand within progressively larger consumer-health and personal-care portfolios, although the available reference material does not establish every subsequent ownership or operating detail. Marketing history includes a notable NASCAR sponsorship. Boudreaux’s Butt Paste sponsored a Junie Donlavey-owned car driven by Kevin Ray in the Nextel Cup Series and Kim Crosby’s number 24 Butt Paste Chevrolet, operated by GIC-Mixon Motorsports in the Busch Series. The advertising stood out because of the product’s name, large red lettering, and cartoon-baby imagery. In 2008, ESPN The Magazine included Ray’s number 90 Ford among its five scariest NASCAR paint schemes, citing the prominent Butt Paste branding. The brand has been described as useful for a range of skin ailments beyond diaper rash, including psoriasis, jock itch, shingles, chafing, cold sores, and acne. Its core market and historical identity, however, remain infant diaper-area skin protection and treatment of diaper rash. No reliable source in the supplied material establishes a current headquarters, current owner, current executive team, official website URL, or definitive international distribution footprint.

• 2016

  Prestige Brands announced C.B. Fleet acquisition

  [1]Boudreaux's Butt Pasteen.wikipedia.org

  Prestige Brands announced an agreement to acquire C.B. Fleet Company and its portfolio of brands.

• 2011

  C.B. Fleet acquired the brand

  [1]Boudreaux's Butt Pasteen.wikipedia.org

  Blairex sold Boudreaux's Butt Paste to C.B. Fleet Company on December 29.

• 2005

  Katrina-related production relocation

  [1]Boudreaux's Butt Pasteen.wikipedia.org

  Hurricane Katrina disrupted production, leading to emergency manufacturing at Blairex Laboratories and the subsequent sale of the brand to Blairex.

• 2004

  Manufacturing moved to New Orleans

  [1]Boudreaux's Butt Pasteen.wikipedia.org

  Production was transferred from Alabama to New Orleans.

• 1974

  Distribution expanded beyond the pharmacy

  [1]Boudreaux's Butt Pasteen.wikipedia.org

  After selling his pharmacy, Boudreaux began distributing the product more extensively.

• 1970

  Formula developed in Louisiana

  [1]Boudreaux's Butt Pasteen.wikipedia.org

  George Lloyd Boudreaux developed the diaper-rash remedy while working as an intern pharmacist in Covington, Louisiana.

Accessible, practical baby skin-care protection with a distinctive name and a zinc-oxide barrier formula.

• Diaper-rash ointment

  Boudreaux's Butt Paste Original

  The original product is a topical ointment positioned for preventing and treating diaper rash. Its cited formulation contains 16 percent zinc oxide, together with a proprietary blend of Peruvian balsam, castor oil, mineral oil, paraffin, and petrolatum. Zinc oxide and the ointment base provide a protective barrier intended to reduce contact between irritated skin and moisture.

• Topical skin-care ointments

  Boudreaux's Butt Paste variants

  The brand has included versions with zinc-oxide concentrations different from the original formulation, including higher-strength variants. Available reference material does not provide a complete current product catalog or sufficient detail to list every variant separately.

• 2005People magazine consumer recommendation exposure

  United States

  A People magazine article asking readers for diaper-rash advice after discussion of Brad Pitt's children generated nearly 900 responses in under five hours. Boudreaux's Butt Paste was reported as the dominant recommendation.

  Outcome. Significant word-of-mouth exposure.

  Source
• 2000Oprah Winfrey television recommendation

  United States

  Oprah Winfrey recommended Boudreaux's Butt Paste on her television show, producing a major increase in consumer attention. The reported response included a website crash and a fourfold increase in demand.

  Outcome. Substantial short-term publicity and increased demand.

  Source
• NASCAR sponsorship

  United States

  The brand sponsored a Junie Donlavey-owned Nextel Cup car driven by Kevin Ray and Kim Crosby's number 24 Butt Paste Chevrolet in the Busch Series. The campaign used highly prominent product lettering and cartoon-baby imagery.

  Outcome. Distinctive visibility in motorsport advertising; the paint scheme later received negative aesthetic attention from ESPN The Magazine.

  Source

• 2016

  Acquire C.B. FleetM&A

  Background

  C.B. Fleet was a portfolio company of Gryphon Investors and owned a range of consumer brands.

  Action taken

  Prestige Brands announced an agreement to acquire C.B. Fleet Company.

  Aftermath

  The announcement placed Boudreaux's Butt Paste within the portfolio involved in the proposed transaction; the supplied material does not detail the brand's subsequent ownership status.

  Source

• 2011

  Sell the brand to C.B. FleetM&A

  Background

  Blairex owned the brand after the post-Katrina production transition.

  Action taken

  Blairex sold Boudreaux's Butt Paste to C.B. Fleet Company on December 29.

  Aftermath

  The brand became part of C.B. Fleet's consumer-health portfolio.

  Source

• 2005

  Use Blairex for emergency productionStrategy

  Background

  Hurricane Katrina and a 14-foot tide affected the manufacturing area.

  Action taken

  Emergency production was moved to Blairex Laboratories.

  Aftermath

  The brand was subsequently sold to Blairex, which focused on manufacturing and distribution.

  Source

• 2004

  Move manufacturing to New OrleansStrategy

  Background

  The brand's production had previously been located in Alabama.

  Action taken

  Manufacturing was transferred to New Orleans.

  Aftermath

  The New Orleans operation was later disrupted by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

  Source

1. 1Boudreaux's Butt Pasteen.wikipedia.org