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Remember that AH-MAZING Asian acne absorbing spot treatment I found (slightly by accident) and fell in love with? I love it a little too much and ran out recently. My skin has been seriously parched lately (it's like a desert), so I've been looking for a new spot treatment that I can use only on a pimple so it won't dry out the rest of my face. There's a ton of buzz about Mario Badescu Drying Lotion and it has a bit of a cult following. I've never tried it but always wanted to, so when I found a DIY version of it, it seemed like a perfect way to introduce myself.

This DIY contains the same two active ingredients as Drying Lotion: tea tree oil and calamine. You know all about my love for tea tree oil by now. It is antibacterial and makes for a super intense acne fighter. Calamine is soothing for inflammation and also dries and shrinks pimples. 

It's super simple to make and including all the materials, it will cost you about $10 (and that will give you enough to make a few batches of the product). Each batch should last about 6 months. 

So, want to get to busting those bumps? Here's what you'll need: 


Tea Tree Oil 
Water 
Calamine 
Small Bowl 
Small Bottle with Screw Top (I used an airplane travel-size bottle from the dollar store)  
Dropper (optional) 
Cotton Swab (For applying) 

Pro Tip: In place of tea tree oil, you can use witch hazel which also contains antibacterial properties, but isn't as powerful and you won't need to dilute it. 


Step 1: Pour calamine into bottle, about 1/3 of the way and leave to the side to settle. I just free poured but you could also use a dropper.

Step 2 + 3: In the small bowl, combine your tree tea oil and water (this makes sure the tea tree oil isn't too powerful). Your solution should be 2 parts tea tree oil, 1 part water. You'll need enough to fill the rest of the bottle. 

Step 4: Once the calamine has settled, pour or use a dropper to add the oil-water solution to the calamine. I pulled a second grade move and used a straw to do the same job as a dropper. The liquids may mix, which is fine, let it settle for a few hours before using. It should separate in bottle. 

Final Product:


Because this has calamine which dries to a chalky white hue, you should use this overnight. Because this product is a DIY and not a bought product, it doesn't contain preservatives, so avoid contamination with your fingers and dip a cotton swab into the bottle instead. Then dab the product onto your problem areas. 

Have you tried Drying Lotion before? Would you try this DIY out?