If you’re looking for skincare tips, TikTok is full of them, but that doesn’t mean you should trust them all or try them out on your face. One of the latest TikTok trends in the beauty department involves calamine lotion. It’s the old-school pink stuff that’s typically used to treat itchy skin, but content creators have been sharing videos of themselves using the over-the-counter medication as a makeup primer.
While some beauty influencers and creators have been using calamine lotion under their makeup for a while, videos with the hashtag #calamineprimer have racked up millions of views recently, so the trend is becoming more popular. Creator @brittanybowmann1 has posted several videos of herself applying calamine lotion with a makeup brush and adding a layer of foundation on top and she says “10/10 would recommend” because it keeps her makeup in place even after an eight-hour shift.
Another fan of the trend reports that after using calamine lotion as a primer, her face is “way more matte” than with regular primer. But just because it’s popular on TikTok doesn’t mean it’s good for your skin. In fact, dermatologists and skin care experts don’t recommend trying it at home.
- Dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe explains, “Calamine lotion acts like an astringent, meaning that it dries out the skin” and that it can damage something called the skin barrier if you consistently use it for a while.
- The skin barrier acts like a protective shield, trapping moisture in and blocking irritants and things that can cause inflammation.
- If it’s damaged, you could end up with blotchy skin or breakouts, or even worse, it can accelerate the aging process and skin could lose its elasticity.
Source: Good Morning America
Photo: Getty Images