Doctors warn against viral TikTok calamine primer trend

Tiktok is full of really cool ideas. Unfortunately, the truly innovative life hacks are equally balanced by the bad.

Case in point: using calamine lotion to prime your skin before applying your makeup.

Many beauticians suggest lotions, which are commonly used to reduce itching in skin conditions like poison ivy or chicken pox, to reduce oily skin, treat acne scars, fix makeup. And can help a lot.

User @tiasamudaa may have been the first to share the idea back in late 2021, but it wasn’t until a video in March that anyone noticed when he was asked to paint lotion on his face before blending. Was seen using small makeup brushes. A new matte liquid foundation. The video is just over 500,000 likes and filled with comments asking about the application of calamine and tagging other makeup artists to review them.

Today the tag page #calamineprimer has got 3.6 million views.

User @brittanybowmann1 heard that the method can get rid of acne scars and dark marks. After trying it, she found that it reduced mild scars and dried up active acne but didn’t help with scars or dark marks. He also cautioned not to use it if you have dry skin. Still, she said she would try it for a month and then report back but hasn’t done so yet. However, she tested it through an eight-hour work shift, giving its staying power a 10/10 rating.

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Dermatologists are not so keen on this method, reporting that overuse can damage the skin barrier and increase dryness and irritation, especially if you have a pre-existing skin condition such as rosacea.

dermatologist Azade Shiraziotherwise known as @skinbydrazi, spoke with Washington Post About the topic. “Calamine lotion is made up of zinc oxide, ferric oxide and phenol,” she said. Zinc oxide is an astringent, which absorbs excess oils, soothes pimples and mattifies the skin, while phenol is a strong exfoliant. Combined, both are incredibly drying. Calamine, in particular, is intended as a spot treatment for skin rashes, bug bites, and wounds caused by infection.