How to Make Calamine Lotion

Most people were first introduced to Calamine lotion as a child. Mom would slather the pink stuff on our mosquito bites, chigger bites and chickenpox. Calamine lotion is a mixture of Zinc Oxide and Iron Oxide. It soothes both itching and irritations of the skin, even acne. You don’t have to buy it; you can make your own calamine lotion at home.

While these homemade remedies may not look like the thick pick calamine lotion you are used to buying at the pharmacy, they work just as well and cost a lot less. 

• The most popular homemade Calamine lotion is based on baking soda. You simply add water to baking soda, stirring until you have a thick paste. The most common formula is 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Wash and dry the affected area before you smooth the mixture on your skin. If you have a large breakout of mosquito bites or poison ivy, pour 1 to 2 cups of baking soda into your bathwater. 

• A paste of one teaspoon of Epsom salt dissolved in one cup of hot water is another lotion to apply that reduces itching like Calamine Lotion.  Cool the paste in the refrigator for 20 to 25 minutes. You can also soak in the tub for 10 to 15 minutes; simply dump two cups of Epsom salt into the bathwater. 

• Oatmeal is another good substitute for calamine lotion. You need one   serving of cooked oatmeal. You want it thicker then what you’d eat for breakfast. The oatmeal should be warm, but not so hot it would burn the skin. Stick to plain oatmeal, you don’t want flavored or sweeten oats.  Spread the oatmeal on your irritated skin. As the oatmeal dries out, it soothes the skin and reduces itching.

Never drink Calamine lotion or its homemade counterparts. Any time you get a serious reaction to an ointment applied to your skin, contact your physician.