By: Sydney Xiong
TikTokers Unwisely use Calamine Lotion as Makeup Primer Women around the world are jumping on a trend and trying out the “beauty hack” that has gone viral on TikTok where they smear calamine lotion all over their faces and use it as a makeup primer. TikTok says it helps dry out oily skin, repair acne scars, and help keep the makeup on for a longer period.
“I cannot see my pores anywhere,” one TikToker approved, saying that it makes her skin
appear “super matte.” Other beauty gurus on the platform have shared similar approval, claiming that this allows their makeup to stay on in the summer heat and throughout 12-hour workdays.
Influencers say that they are “obsessed” with this hack and the hashtag #calamineprimer
has gained around 3.5 million views on TikTok. However, dermatologists warn that the trend can cause long term damage to the skin and could worsen skin conditions.
“It just doesn’t make sense to use calamine lotion and risk drying out the skin and damaging
the skin barrier,” said Azadeh Shirazi, a dermatologist in San Diego, to the Washington Post.
Shirazi has used her platform to attack this trend head on by debunking this beauty myth.
She urges people to review the ingredients before using calamine lotion as primer, as overuse may lead to “severe irritation and worsening of scars.”
The product works to cause the surface of the skin to harden, protecting it while it repairs.
“Ferric oxide helps with itching and the phenol is also a powerful exfoliant,” she said.
“Combining phenol with an astringent as in calamine lotion can be very drying and irritating, leading to a damaged skin barrier. It can worsen skin conditions such as acne, rosacea and dermatitis.”
This trend also coincides with reports that calamine lotion has become much harder to find.
Reports from the United Kingdom says that parents are struggling in recent months to find the
lotion to treat their kids suffering from chicken pox. Similar reports are present in the United States.
One user wrote under a calamine primer TikTok: “I have to use this when my lupus flares up, now it’s sold out in Walmart.”
Despite warnings from dermatologists, the calamine primer trend did not seem to lose its
appeal. The lotion holds its appeal as a cheaper alternative to primers by leading makeup brands.
One bottle of calamine lotion in the UK costs under two pounds, which is equivalent to $2.40 in the US.
Despite the low prices and the seemingly flawless results, long term usage of calamine
lotion as makeup primer is extremely detrimental to the skin. It's best to base skincare off of science rather than internet trends.