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Last Updated on February 3, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti

calamine soothes sensitive skin

Remember when you were lying in bed with chickenpox and your mum doused you in a pink lotion to make that relentless itch go away? Ah – fun times. That was calamine. And it ain’t just for chicken pox. Calamine is a skin saviour you can call to scratch any kind of itch.

  • Got sensitive skin that got red and inflamed – again? Check.
  • Had a close brush with poison ivy? Check.
  • Stayed too long under the sun and now have a bad sunburn? Check.

No matter what upset your skin, calamine can rescue it. So should you add it to your skincare routine? Here’s everything you need to know about calamine for skin: what it is, what it does, and who should use it:

Don’t know which skincare products you can mix and match together and which ones deactivate each other? Download your FREE “How To Layer Actives Like A Pro” cheat sheet to get the most out of your skincare products:

What The Heck Is Calamine?

Calamine isn’t an ingredient. It’s two. WT… Let’s start again… Calamine is the combination of zinc oxide and ferric (a.k.a. iron) oxide. It’s a pink lotion that has anti-itching and antiseptic properties to calm down sensitive skin. FYI, calamine CAN’T treat any skin conditions. It only soothes itchiness and all the other symptoms of inflammation.

What Skin Conditions Can Calamine Soothe?

You can use calamine to soothe any itchy condition, including:

  • Acne
  • Dermatitis
  • Eczema
  • Insect bits
  • Insect stings
  • Poison ivy
  • Psoriasis
  • Sunburn

Plus any other itch that just won’t go away!

How Does Calamine Soothe Skin?

Zinc oxide. Yep, the UV filter in mineral sunscreen. It doesn’t just protect you from UV rays. It has all sorts of tricks up its sleeve:

  • Anti-bacterial: It damages the cell membrane of bacteria, so they die off.
  • Anti-pruritic: It soothes itching by inhibiting the release of histamine (the hormone that makes you itch).
  • Anti-inflammatory: It reduces… well, inflammation (the cause of your skin’s tantrum) by – again – inhibiting the release of histamine.
  • Skin protectant: It forms a barrier on the skin that protects you against irritants (including itchiness), giving skin time to heal.
  • UV filter: It provides broad spectrum protection from all UV rays.

In other words, it protects damaged and inflamed skin, soothes the itch and gives it time to recover.

Related: Is Zinc Oxide The Best UV Filter Ever?

What Does Ferric Oxide Do?

Remember when I told you calamine is a mix of zinc oxide and ferric oxide? You already know what zinc oxide does – the bulk of the work! So, what’s the job of ferric oxide, then? It gives the lotion a pink colour. I’m not kidding. If you’ve ever used a sunscreen with zinc oxide, you know all too well it can leave a white, ghastly cast on your skin. Ugh. Ferric oxide’s a rusty red. Mix it with white zinc oxide and you get a cute pink shade. Now you’re more likely to slather that on your skin, aren’t you?

How To Use Calamine Lotion

OK, so you’ve got your bottle of calamine. Now what?

  • Shake it up: First things first – give that bottle a good shake. Calamine separates when it sits around, so you need to mix it back up.
  • Reapply when needed: You can put more on 3-4 times a day. If it starts itching again, go for it.
  • Let it dry: Give it a couple minutes to dry. You’ll see a light pink film on your skin – that’s supposed to happen. It’s actually protecting your skin while it heals.
  • Wash it off: When you’re done with it, just use some lukewarm water and a soft cloth. Be gentle about it.

Don’t:

  • Put it on open cuts or broken skin
  • Get it near your eyes or mouth
  • Cover it with a bandage unless your doctor tells you to

Little hack: Stick your calamine in the fridge. Cold calamine on itchy skin? Chef’s kiss.

Are There Any Side Effects Or Risks?

Calamine’s pretty safe. People have been using it forever without major drama. But yeah, nothing’s perfect. What might happen: Most people are totally fine, but you might get:

  • A little stinging when you first put it on (goes away fast though)
  • Dry, tight skin (calamine can be drying if you use it a lot)
  • Some irritation or redness, but that’s rare

Allergic reactions: Not common, but if you get any of this stuff, stop using it and call your doctor:

  • The itching or rash gets way worse instead of better
  • Your face, lips, or tongue swell up
  • You can’t breathe properly
  • You break out in hives

Who needs to be careful:

  • Pregnant or breastfeeding: It’s probably fine, but ask your doctor first
  • Babies and little kids: Usually OK, but check with the pediatrician before you use it on a baby
  • Super dry skin people: Calamine might dry you out even more – maybe use a moisturizer with it for quick relief.

Just use your common sense – if something feels off, stop using it.

What Are The Best Products With Calamine?

  • Boots Calamine Lotion BP (£2.85): Available at Boots
  • Care Aqueous Calamine Cream (£3.99): Available at Amazon
  • Uriage Pruriced Soothing Cream (£12.65): Available at Notino

The Bottom Line

Got an itch that just won’t go away? Get yourself some calamine. From sunburns to eczema and bug bites, this baby soothes them all.