To be honest, the majority of our favourite makeup tricks originate from social media. This platform has prevented us from looking like a trainwreck on numerous occasions, from applying blush to hide under-eye bags to just enhancing our features with concealer. However, the most recent beauty trick that’s all the rage — using calamine lotion as a makeup primer — made us a little doubtful, so we opted to deep dive before we gave it a go. Check out the verdict.
First Of All, What’s Calamine Lotion?
Your medical cabinet’s pale pink lotion contains a boatload of ingredients and serves various purposes. Calamine lotion, which is composed of calamine, iron oxide, phenol, and zinc oxide, relieves itching, temporarily reduces inflammation and immediately stops any bleeding or seeping.
Having calamine lotion in hand is a smart choice to help calm your skin if you experience mild itching, irritation, pain, or discomfort due to dangerous plants (including poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac). It can also assist with insect bites and stings as well as hives and rashes brought on by illnesses like chickenpox, heat rash, and shingles.
How Did Lacto Calamine Lotion Become The Ultimate Makeup Primer?
Although the hack has been known for some time, Tia Samuda, a beauty expert and content creator, is credited with helping it go viral recently. She hasn’t specifically advised anyone else to try the method, but users who noticed her flawlessly matte appearance were understandably intrigued and started testing the product themselves. And hey, at only ₹100 per bottle, it’s unquestionably more affordable than any other primer available.
In other words, the makeup artist says using a little calamine lotion underneath your makeup can help it last longer (so you can keep the blotting papers away). According to users on another part of the forum, the lotion is also said to be effective in treating acne scars and in minimising the appearance of pores.
It’s A No-No: Calamine Lotion Can Never Be Used As A Primer!
Conclusion: Avoid using calamine lotion on your face! The ingredients in calamine lotion are phenol, zinc oxide, and ferric oxide. Generally speaking, these ingredients can dry out the skin, thus people with oily skin may benefit from it. However, it is not intended to be used as a daily primer. And if you have a normal skin type, calamine lotion can be harmful as a primer since it affects the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin that shields the body from pollution. Let’s just be honest, calamine lotion should be used as indicated to heal bites and itching only.
So These Are Your Best Bets
If you have oily skin and are having trouble finding a primer that keeps your foundation in place, here are some suggestions for you.
Top tip: People with oily skin should opt for products with salicylic acid, which can help to lessen oil and clear clogged pores. Likewise, consider gel or foam-based cleansers, toners, and moisturisers to help regulate oil.
Tinted Perfection Brightening Banana Primer
For compelling reasons, true multitaskers like this one are cult favourites. The multi-action balmy formula rapidly minimises excess oil and blurs pores so you can apply your base on a silky-smooth canvas. This tinted product adds quick brightness, prolongs the wear of your makeup, and has a faint dash of yellow to energise weary, dull skin. We just adore it!
Make Up For Ever Smoothing Primer
Based on its texture, we can definitely understand why makeup professionals would enjoy this primer, as the Make Up For Ever Primer range is designed by them. It provides a smooth, second-skin-like base that doesn’t feel heavy and has a lighter consistency. The highlights? It increases moisture and imparts an unrivalled glow.
Colorbar Perfect Match Primer
The oil-free, satin-finished Colorbar Perfect Match Primer addresses fine wrinkles and uneven skin tone without adding more oil to the skin. This transparent primer seeps into the skin and enables effortless makeup blending, leaving the skin feeling soft and smooth. The best part is that it is fortified with vitamin E and works to hide fine wrinkles, reduce redness, and even out your skin’s texture for the smoothest and most beautiful canvas possible.
The popular verdict is a NO for this hack. Will you still try using a calamine lotion as a makeup primer?
Featured Image: Instagram
