Can you use baking soda for the skin? Is it safe? As we all know, we can use baking soda for various purposes. This substance always has your back, whether to keep your home free of odor, perform some intense cleansing, or bake. However, did you guys know that baking soda may be used for skin care, other than household chores? In this article, we have explained the top 20 baking soda beauty benefits. Keep scrolling.
In This Article
Beauty Benefits Of Baking Soda
Baking soda is incredibly versatile and can be used to treat a lot of different issues. 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
- Mix the baking soda and the water until you get a smooth paste.
- Wash your hands and your face and pat them dry with a clean towel.
- Massage the paste onto your nose and other areas affected by pimples, blackheads, or whiteheads.
- Leave it on for about 2-3 minutes and rinse off the paste with warm water.
- Rinse your face for a second time with cool water and pat dry with a clean towel.
- Finish by using a non-comedogenic moisturizer as baking soda can be quite drying on your face.
How Often?
2-3 days at a stretch and then twice a week.
Why This Works
Baking soda 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.
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
- Mix the baking soda and the lemon juice until you get a smooth paste.
- Wash your hands and your face.
- Using a towel, pat away the excess moisture from your face, leaving it slightly damp.
- Massage the paste onto the areas affected by acne marks, dark spots, and pigmentation.
- Leave it on for about 1-2 minutes and rinse off the paste with warm water.
- Rinse your face for a second time with cool water and pat dry with a clean towel.
- Finish by using a non-comedogenic moisturizer as baking soda can be quite drying on your face.
How Often?
2-3 times a week.
Why This Works
Baking soda and lemon juice have 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
- In a jug, dilute the baking soda with a cup of water and set the mixture aside.
- Wash your face as your normally would with your regular cleanser.
- Splash the baking soda onto your face and then pat dry.
- Proceed to moisturize your face with a non-comedogenic product.
How Often?
Use this toner about 3-4 times a week instead of your regular toner.
Why This Works
Baking soda is an astringent that 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
- Mix and dilute the baking soda with water until you get a runny paste.
- Cleanse your neck and pat it dry with a clean towel.
- Apply the baking soda paste and wait for about 15 minutes.
- Wash your neck with cool water.
- Moisturize with a non-comedogenic moisturizer.
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
- Mix the baking soda and the orange juice until you get a smooth paste.
- Wash your hands and your face.
- Using a towel, pat away the excess moisture from your face, leaving it slightly damp.
- Apply paste onto your face like you would a face mask. Once your face is evenly covered, wait for 15 minutes.
- Pat some water onto your face and rub the face pack loose.
- Rinse your face with cool water and pat dry with a clean towel.
- Finish by using a non-comedogenic moisturizer.
How Often?
Once a week.
Why This Works
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
- Dilute the baking soda with about a teaspoon of water. You need the paste to have a thick consistency.
- Wash your face with your regular cleanser and pat dry with a clean towel.
- Apply the baking soda all over your face, leaving out the fragile skin around your eyes, and scrub for about 15-20 seconds.
- Rinse the baking soda off with cool water.
- Moisturize with non-comedogenic, mattifying moisturizer.
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.
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
- Mix the baking soda and the coconut oil until you get a smooth paste.
- Apply this mixture to the affected area and leave it on for about 5 minutes.
- Rinse the mixture off with cool water.
How Often?
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
- Combine honey and baking soda until you get a smooth paste.
- Apply this mixture onto your lips and leave it on for about 2 minutes.
- Using your fingertips, gently rub the mixture on your lips to exfoliate.
How Often?
2-3 times a week.
Why This Works
Honey and baking soda 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
- Mix the baking soda with a few drops of water until you get a thick paste.
- Scoop the mixture up with your toothbrush and start brushing your teeth.
- Do not brush your teeth sideways as this can be abrasive. Instead, gently brush it up using up and down and circular motions.
- Rinse the toothbrush and your mouth.
How Often?
Every other day for a week. Twice a week after that.
Why This Works
Baking soda 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
- Combine the Baking soda with the Epsom salt and hydrogen peroxide.
- Add the boiling water to the mixture and blend.
- Add vinegar to the solution and then store it in a bottle.
- Apply this solution to your moles and leave it on for about 15-20 minutes.
- Rinse with water.
How Often?
Twice a day until the mole fades.
Why This Works
Baking soda, when combined with other ingredients, 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
- Combine the baking soda with the boiling water and let the solution cool.
- Soak a piece of cotton in the solution and then drain it.
- Secure it to the problem areas with some bandage.
- Leave it on overnight.
- In the morning, remove the bandage, rinse your face, and apply a nourishing moisturizer.
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.
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
- Wash your hands and the affected area. Proceed to pat them dry with a towel.
- Apply the castor oil onto your skin and massage it in with your fingertips for about 15 minutes.
- Wipe away the oil with a damp towel.
- Combine the baking soda with a teaspoon of water and start gently rubbing the mixture onto the affected areas. Do this for about 2 minutes.
- Your ingrown hair should be more exposed at this point. Using a tweezer, pluck them out and then proceed to wash your face again.
- Let your skin heal naturally.
How Often?
Whenever necessary.
Why This Works
Baking soda helps gently exfoliate your skin while also keeping it 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
- Combine all the ingredients and store it in a shampoo bottle.
- Rinse your hair with water and pour some of the baking soda solution onto your scalp.
- Massage your scalp and your hair with the solution for a couple of minutes.
- Rinse the baking soda out and proceed to condition your hair.
- Squeeze the excess water out of your hair with a towel and proceed to let your hair air-dry.
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 this baking soda solution 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
- Rinse your hair and while it is still damp, take a tablespoon of baking soda and apply it to your scalp.
- Gently massage your scalp with your fingertips so that the baking soda may exfoliate it.
- Rinse your hair.
- Skip shampooing and directly proceed to condition your hair.
- Squeeze the excess water out of your hair and let it air-dry.
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.)
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
- Fill a third of the bucket with warm water and to it add the three tablespoons of baking soda.
- Soak your feet in this water for about 15-20 minutes.
- Using a pumice stone, gently scrub the dead skin off your soles and feet.
- Once you’ve scrubbed away the dead skin, massage your feet with a moisturizing lotion or some coconut/olive oil.
- Cover your feet with a pair of socks.
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
- Combine the ingredients until you get a smooth paste.
- Apply the paste to the parts of your body that perspire a lot.
- Let it sit for 15-20 minutes and then proceed to wash the mixture off in the shower.
How Often?
Every day or every other day for a couple of weeks.
Why This Works
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
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl until you get a smooth mixture.
- Apply this paste to your underarms and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, wash off the paste with lukewarm water and pat dry with a towel.
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
- Combine the baking soda and water to get a smooth, consistent paste.
- Apply this paste on your burns and let it sit until it dries.
- Once the paste has dried up, wash your burns with cold water.
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
- Fill a third of the bucket with water and to it add the vinegar.
- Soak your feet in the vinegar water for about 15 minutes.
- Pat your feet dry with paper towels.
- Discard the vinegar-water and refill a third of the bucket with fresh water.
- To this add the baking soda and soak your feet for another 15 minutes.
- Pat your feet dry with paper towels.
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
- Combine the baking soda and water until you get a smooth paste.
- Apply this paste onto the ulcer and leave it on for a couple of minutes until it dries up.
- Once dry, rinse the baking soda out and gargle.
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.
Infographic: 6 Reasons To Include Baking Soda In Your Beauty Routine
Baking soda is not only for cleaning surfaces, or for that matter, baking! It can be incorporated in versatile ways into your beauty routine. It can help lighten dark spots, manage acne, and as an exfoliant to clean pores, among many other benefits.
Baking soda is a versatile ingredient used for multiple purposes such as cleaning your home or as an essential ingredient in baking. Baking soda can be incorporated into your daily beauty routine to address several issues such as acne, oily skin, thick hair, or body odor. Combining baking soda for your skin with orange, lemon juice, or honey can get rid of dead skin, promote hair growth, and leave you with soft and glowing skin. Apply this magical ingredient once or twice a week and see the results over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I mix baking soda and turmeric for my face?
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.
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.
