Beauty Benefits Of Baking Soda
Baking soda is a powerful and versatile ingredient used in many beauty routines. Its natural qualities make it a great option for skincare, helping to enhance your beauty regimen in several ways. Following is a list of the 20 different beneficial ways in which you can use baking soda. Note: Please ensure that you are using baking soda and not baking powder for the following remedies to be effective.
1. Baking Soda For Acne
You Will Need
1 tsp Baking Soda 1 tsp Water
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
3 minutes
Method
How Often?
2-3 days at a stretch and then twice a week.
Why This Works
You can add baking soda to your skincare routine as it is an excellent remedy for pimples and blackheads. It is a mild exfoliant that helps remove dead skin and cleans your pores. It does this while helping dry out and heal existing acne. Baking soda also has antibacterial properties, which prevent acne breakouts. You can also use baking soda for acne scars and spots. Andrea from the YouTube channel CurlsBeauty shares her experience using baking soda for over a month to treat her facial acne. She says, “Of course, there were a little bit of marks that went away, but I saw more difference on the texture of my skin. My skin is now much much smoother than before and it’s much much softer. And seriously, no joke, I feel like I have no pores whatsoever (i).” She uses it once a week, followed by exfoliation.
2. Baking Soda For Blemishes
You Will Need
1 tsp Baking Soda 1 tsp Lemon Juice
Prep Time
2 minutes.
Treatment Time
3 minutes
Method
How Often?
2-3 times a week.
Why This Works
BYou can use this blend of lemon and baking soda for dark spots. Lemon has bleaching properties that help lighten and fade scars. It also helps you achieve an even skin tone by getting rid of dead skin cells.
3. Baking Soda For Large Pores
You Will Need
1 tbsp Baking Soda 1 cup Water
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
2 minutes
Method
How Often?
Use this toner about 3-4 times a week instead of your regular toner.
Why This Works
This is an effective baking soda cleanser for your skin. You can apply baking soda for pores as it acts as an astringent. It helps clean out your pores while shrinking them. This treatment also prevents acne by keeping your pores clean and sealed.
4. Baking Soda For Dark Neck Skin
You Will Need
1 tsp Baking Soda 1 tsp Water
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
15 minutes
Method
How Often?
Repeat this daily until you see your neck lighten. Once you notice a difference, use this treatment twice a week to maintain an even complexion. Following the same treatment, you can also use baking soda for lightening your elbows and your knees.
5. Baking Soda For Glowing Skin
You Will Need
2 tbsp Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice 1 tbsp Baking Soda
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
15 minutes
Method
How Often?
Once a week.
Why This Works
This baking soda face mask boosts skin health. Orange has a slightly acidic pH which helps maintain the pH balance of your skin. It also contains a lot of vitamin C which helps give your skin a collagen boost. The exfoliating and cleansing properties of baking soda can remove impurities and dead skin cells from your pores.
6. Baking Soda For Oily Skin
You Will Need
1 tbsp Baking Soda 1-1.5 tsp Water
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
2 minutes
Method
How Often?
Twice a week.
Why This Works
This baking soda scrub helps exfoliate your face and control moisture. It is necessary to moisturize right after using this scrub as it can be quite drying on your face. Because baking soda can sometimes cause irritation, it is not recommended for people with sensitive skin to use this scrub. Note: Do not use baking soda for sensitive skin as it can cause irritation like redness and minor cuts. People with sensitive skin should only use this scrub if recommended by a dermatologist.
7. Baking Soda For Rashes
Image: iStock
You Will Need
1 tbsp Baking Soda 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
5 minutes
Method
How Often?
You can apply baking soda for a skin rash every day until the rash gets better.
Why This Works
Coconut oil has soothing antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which help calm your skin.
8. Baking Soda For Dark Lips
You Will Need
1 tsp Honey 1 tsp Baking Soda
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
2-3 minutes
Method
How Often?
2-3 times a week.
Why This Works
Baking soda and honey for skin can help get rid of the dead skin cells from your lips. They also help bleach your skin to naturally lighten the color of your lips.
9. Baking Soda For Whitening Teeth
You Will Need
1/2 tsp Baking Soda A few drops of Water
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
2 minutes
Method
How Often?
Every other day for a week. Twice a week after that.
Why This Works
Baking soda is very effective at whitening your teeth. It is a mild abrasive which helps remove the stains from the surface of your teeth, making them appear to be whiter.
10. Baking Soda For Moles
You Will Need
1 cup Baking Soda 1 cup 3% Hydrogen Peroxide 1 cup Epsom Salt 1/4 cup Boiling Water 1/4 cup White Vinegar Bottle for storage
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
15-20 minutes
Method
How Often?
Twice a day until the mole fades.
Why This Works
Baking soda and vinegar for skin, when combined together, forms a caustic solution that helps dehydrate moles while also bleaching them.
11. Baking Soda For Facial Hair
You Will Need
1 tbsp Baking Soda 200mL Boiling Water
Prep Time
5 minutes
Treatment Time
Overnight
Method
How Often?
Every day until you notice a difference.
Why This Works
This solution helps dehydrate your hair follicles and damages them, resulting in the hair falling out. However, since baking soda can cause skin irritation, conduct a patch test before you try out this remedy. Note: If you have extremely dry skin, using it everyday may not be ideal. For those with skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, consult your doctor before trying the remedy.
12. Baking Soda For Ingrown Hair
You Will Need
2 tbsp Castor Oil 1 tbsp Baking Soda 1 tsp Water 1 pair of Tweezers
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
20 minutes
Method
How Often?
Whenever necessary.
Why This Works
Baking soda exfoliation gently removes dead skin cells while keeping your skin from getting infected.
13. Baking Soda For Thick Hair
You Will Need
3 cups Water 1 cup Baking Soda 20 drops Castor Oil
Prep Time
5 minutes
Treatment Time
5 minutes
Method
How Often?
Substitute your regular shampoo with this solution and use it as often as you would shampoo.
Why This Works
The ‘no-poo’ method has been getting a lot of attention lately, and baking soda for hair is one of the most popular ways of jumping on the bandwagon. Baking soda helps gently cleanse your hair without the harsh chemicals that shampoo contains. It also helps add volume to your hair without stripping away its natural oils. This method also helps curb hair loss and promote new hair growth. Image: iStock
You Will Need
1 tbsp Baking Soda
Prep Time
1 minute
Treatment Time
5 minutes
Method
How Often?
Twice a week, until the problem subsides. Scale it down to once a week after that.
Why This Works
The baking soda will help exfoliate your scalp, removing all the dead skin. It will also help unclog your follicles without drying out your scalp (clogged follicles are often the culprit when you have a dandruff issue). Other than this, you can also remove hair color with baking soda!
15. Baking Soda For Your Feet
You Will Need
3 tbsp Baking Soda 1 Bucket (big enough to soak your feet.) Water Pumice Stone Moisturizing Lotion/ Oil 1 pair of Socks
Prep Time
5 minutes
Treatment Time
25 minutes
Method
How Often?
Thrice a week until your soles are soft again.
Why This Works
As we already know, baking soda is an excellent exfoliating agent. It helps soften the dead skin on your feet, making it easier to exfoliate. This treatment will give you soft feet in no time.
16. Baking Soda For Body Odor
You Will Need
1 tbsp Baking Soda 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
20 minutes
Method
How Often?
Everyday or every other day for a couple of weeks.
Why This Works
Lemon and baking soda masks work as a sweat manager. Baking soda helps absorb the excess moisture from your body when you perspire. It also acts as a natural deodorant while killing bacteria and alkalizing the body so that it doesn’t perspire too much.
17. Baking Soda For Armpits
You Will Need
1 tbsp Mashed Cucumber 2 tbsp Olive Oil 1 tbsp Baking Soda 3 tbsp Lemon Juice
Prep Time
5 minutes
Treatment Time
10 minutes
Method
How Often?
Twice a week.
Why This Works
This method not only helps keep body odor at bay, but it also helps lighten your underarms.
18. Baking Soda For Burns
You Will Need
1 tbsp Baking Soda 1 tbsp Water
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
20 minutes
Method
How Often?
Once after you’ve been burned. Repeat if you need to.
Why This Works
Baking soda helps draw out the heat from a burn because of the cooling effect it has on your skin while it dries up.
19. Baking Soda For Nail Fungus
You Will Need
4-5 tbsp Baking Soda 1 cup White Vinegar Water Paper Towels 1 Bucket (big enough for soaking your feet.)
Prep Time
5 minutes
Treatment Time
30 minutes
Method
How Often?
Twice a day until the problem subsides.
Why This Works
The vinegar kills the fungus while the baking soda helps prevent it from growing or re-forming.
20. Baking Soda For Mouth Ulcers
You Will Need
1 tbsp Baking Soda 1 tsp Water
Prep Time
2 minutes
Treatment Time
5 minutes
Method
How Often?
Once every day.
Why This Works
Baking soda helps neutralize the acidity in your mouth while also reducing inflammation. It helps soothe the ulcer and keeps it from getting infected. You can use baking soda to treat several ailments, but it is always important to do a patch test before applying it on the affected area as it might cause side effects in some people. Also, avoid using baking soda on broken skin, wounds, or areas that are very sensitive. Now, read on to learn more about the risks of using it on the skin.
Side Effects Of Using Baking Soda For Skin
Baking soda has a drying effect on the skin. If you use it too frequently, it may overdry your skin and cause skin irritation or inflammation. According to anecdotal evidence, overusing baking soda may cause:
Redness of the skin Acne breakouts Rashes Skin burning
Moreover, baking soda is basic in nature while our skin is acidic, which might affect the pH balance of the skin. Therefore, it is best to use it in moderation as well as with caution. Can I mix baking soda and turmeric for my face? Check out the infographic to learn the reasons why baking soda is gaining so much popularity as a beauty ingredient. Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team Yes, you can mix baking soda and turmeric and apply the mixture to your face. This simple mixture may help dry out acne and exfoliate dead skin. Baking soda has been used for acne for ages and can be mixed with various ingredients. Can baking soda lighten dark inner thighs? Anecdotal evidence suggests that baking soda has a slightly grainy texture that may help reduce pigmentation in the inner thighs. What’s the difference between baking soda and baking powder? Baking soda contains pure sodium bicarbonate, while baking powder is a combination of sodium bicarbonate and powdered acid. Which is good for your skin: baking soda or baking powder? Baking soda helps in exfoliating and cleansing your skin. Baking powder is purely used in baking. Hence, baking soda is ideal for use on your skin.
Illustration: Beauty Benefits Of Baking Soda You Must Know!
Watch this video to learn about baking soda’s amazing skin benefits! Also find out 9 ways to use baking soda to keep your skin looking and feeling healthy.
