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This post is my mom’s idea 🙂 Today, we are talking about about calamine lotion uses and history!

From the time I can remember, calamine lotion was something I knew all about. Whether it was bug bites, chicken pox, or some type of itch, my mom was dousing us in calamine.

We used to joke with her as we got older. Anytime we had an ache or pain, we would say, “Oh mom, better get the calamine!”

Now that I am a mom though, I get it. Calamine lotion is really the best go to for things. It is safe, cheap, easy to use, and it works.

Let’s dig deeper into it today!

Fascinating Calamine Lotion Uses and History

What Is Calamine Lotion?

Calamine lotion is a mixture of zinc oxide and 0.5% iron oxide. The famous pink coloring comes from the iron oxide. Healthline mentions it can also contain inactive ingredients like glycerin, water, or calcium hydroxide which give it a more fluid texture. The zinc and iron oxide are what give calamine lotion the medicinal, topical benefits.

The History of Calamine Lotion:

After researching around for a few months, it seems as though calamine lotion history is extensive, yet vague. The Independent Community Pharmacist website explains that zinc oxide ointment was mentioned as far back as first century AD by the Greek physician Dioscorides. The 16th century German alchemist, Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim (Paracelsus) coined the name ‘zinc’. Calamine is also a name for ore of zinc. This German alchemist spent most of his career examining mineral based medicines!

Calamine Lotion History for Women’s Skin

One of the most fascinating things to me is the use of calamine based products for women’s skin over the decades. Cosmetic chemist’s even used calamine as a powder base in the 30s. In the 1950s, Audrey Hepburn (advertisement in above picture) was one of the faces of Lacto Calamine Moisturizer (more on this product below). I find that so cool!

How Does Calamine Lotion Work?

Calamine does a few things. Due to its chemical nature it first of all soothes itching. So, any type of bite or rash that is itching like crazy will be soothed quickly. It also reduces inflammation on the skin. Another interesting fact about calamine is the antibacterial benefits. The zinc oxide in calamine exhibits strong antibacterial inhibition. That is awesome! This is one of the reasons it has results for skin issues.

Fascinating Calamine Lotion Uses and Hacks

I think everyone in the world has used calamine lotion at one time or another. When I was young, calamine was the go to for almost everything we had. Any itch, rash, bite, or skin situation, my mom was pulling out the calamine.

We used to joke with her as we got older. I would say, “Oh mom, I stubbed my toe, I need CALAMINE!!” My brother and I would always tease her (and still do) about her love of calamine lotion. But chemically and historically, she was right. This simple, safe, affordable topical medication is really one of the best things to use for all types of issues. I now use it on my little toddler, and it is a life saver for us!

Here are my favorite calamine lotion uses:

1. Insect Bites

Chigger? Mosquito? Ant? Whatever your bite is, calamine will soothe it. It stops itching and dries out the bite. My almost 3 year old always says Mommy! Get the calamine, I have a mosquito bite. It works the best for kids. You can check out some more home remedies for insect bites in this post.

2. Rashes

Just like with insect bites, calamine is great for rashes. I have had horrible poison ivy rashes, and calamine was the only thing that soothed the intense burning and itching at night. It also gently dries the oozing pores.

3. Sunburns

I don’t get sunburns much, but my husband gets the all the time. His last one I used calamine lotion on, and it immediately soothed the itchy, burning feeling. It also has a cooling aspect, so it will calm intense burning. Be sure to rinse off will cool water after it has dried.

4. Acne

You can dab calamine lotion onto acne spots. It not only dries out the blemish, but the antibacterial  benefits will also heal acne! I used to use this as a teenager when I had little hormonal blemish spots, and it really helped tame the spot!

5. Chickenpox

Kids don’t get chickenpox like they used to, but boy I had them BAD in 1st grade. I remember it so well. Guess what my mom lathered me in? Calamine. All day long! It was the only thing that gave me relief. Most kids get the chickenpox vaccine now, but if for some reason you get them, use calamine!

6. Fungal Infections

If you have a fungal infection, you can use calamine lotion on it! Like ringworm or athletes foot. That tidbit above about it being antibacterial will also help fungal issues. It dries it out and soothes itching.

7. Help With Oily Skin

Women’s Health Magazine says you can even use calamine lotion to tackle oily skin! After you apply moisturizer to your face, apply a very thin layer of calamine lotion to your T-zone and let it dry. It will look a little light colored, but once you put your regular foundation on, it won’t be noticeable! And it will keep that area dry so no oil appears!

8. Eczema

I tried this tip out, and it was really helpful! If you have eczema in the bubbly itchy stage, just put on a little calamine lotion. It immediately stopped the itching and dried out the oozy stuff.  After I applied this, the next day I was able to use my regular eczema lotion and it healed it quicker!

9. Use it as lotion

It is called calamine “lotion”, but the original calamine is a little runny and dry. This is what makes it so great for all the tips we have above. You can also use a lacto calamine product as a lotion because it is formulated specifically for that! It balances skin, and it is very helpful for those with sensitive skin or extra oily skin. They have many formulations of it too! It is literally a moisturizer with calamine has its active ingredient. This is the product we talked about above from the 1950s. A friend of mine has very oily, acne prone skin even in her 30s. She has used Lacto Calamine for years and really loves it.

It is amazing how old-fashioned products have so many great benefits, and are still used today! I hoped you enjoyed all of these great calamine lotion uses and interesting history facts!

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