7 Beauty Benefits of Baking Soda

Every homemaker knows that baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is incredibly versatile and can be used in different ways. From doing some heavy-duty cleaning to baking mouth-watering muffins, the ingredient always got your back. But, did you know that baking soda can also be a useful addition to your beauty regimen? If you didn’t, you’re going to denude the shelves of baking soda in the supermarkets after reading these 7 baking soda benefits for skin, lips, teeth, and hair.

1. Whitens skin

Everyone wants fair skin, but it’s sometimes impossible due to stress, poor diet, environmental pollution, and overexposure to harmful UV rays from the sun. This has made many people divert into using natural ingredients such as baking soda for skin whitening. There are several reasons why baking soda effectively whitens skin:

The ingredient’s incredible exfoliating properties make it extremely effective for treating patchy and dark skin. When your skin doesn’t get enough exfoliation, dead skin cells can build up on the skin’s top layer, making it look dull and dark. Hence, using baking soda as an exfoliator can lead to a whiter complexion.

Sometimes dull and dark skin can be caused by excess buildup of oil on the skin. Thanks to baking soda’s absorbing properties, it’s easy to eliminate excess oil and remove skin dullness.

Besides oil-absorbing properties, baking soda also has cleaning properties for whiter skin tone. It does an excellent job of removing toxins and impurities that cause skin discoloration.

2. Brightens underarms

If you have dark underarms, it becomes challenging to wear your favorite tube dress and sleeveless tops. This is because you’re always conscious about raising your hands in short-sleeve and no-sleeve outfits. If you want to get rid of this utterly embarrassing situation, use baking soda for underarm. While there are commercial underarm whitening products, baking soda is preferable because it allows you to skip the harsh chemicals. Besides, baking soda is the best treatment for sensitive underarms. It brightens underarms by working as a natural exfoliator, removing dead and damaged skin cells effectively, decreasing melanin production, promoting cell regeneration, unclogging underarm skin pores, and soaking up excess oil from the underarm skin.

3. Removes dark spots

This may sound new to you, but baking soda face mask for dark spots is also a thing nowadays. Create a paste from a simple mixture of equal parts baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Apply it on the dark spots of your skin. Massage gently in circulation motion and leave the paste to sit on your skin for 10-20 minutes. Then, rinse it off with lukewarm water.

The reason why lemon works with baking soda is that it is acidic in nature. This helps in exfoliating the skin and removing dark spots. Moreover, apple cider vinegar contains nutrients that help nourish the skin from within, eliminating dark spots and restoring even skin tone.

4. Treats skin rashes

Baking soda is both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Since it is alkaline in nature, you can be relieved from the swelling and itching caused by eczema and other skin rashes. A paste from baking soda and coconut oil should be applied twice a day for at least 5 minutes. For a more soothing effect, add 2 cups of baking soda to your warm bubble bath. Provided you’re not allergic to this ingredient, taking a daily baking soda bath from anywhere between 20-30 minutes is perfectly safe.

After getting rid of the unsightly skin rashes, you can finally feel confident in your skin again.

5. Lightens dark lips

One of the most appealing features of a face is rosy lips. They say that men are drawn to women with rosy lips more than any other facial feature. Because this is a feature that no one misses to spot, it is essential to stay away from bad habits that make the lips dark. These include smoking, not removing the dead skin, and using lip products with cheap chemicals. If you’ve quit these habits long ago, but your lips haven’t returned to their natural color yet, baking soda can come in handy. Use it for regular exfoliation along with lemon. If you combine these two ingredients’ exfoliating and whitening properties, you will regain that luscious lips in no time.

6. Whitens teeth

When you picture attractive models and celebrities, do they all have something in common? If you answer perfect teeth, you’re not the only one who thinks perfect teeth makes people attractive. Not only that, perfect teeth give people’s confidence a boost. Those who have yellow and crooked teeth are hesitant to smile at people or take close-up photos of themselves.

If you’re one of those who aren’t 100% happy with their smile or wish your teeth were not yellow, baking soda can help. Mix baking soda with water and use the resulting paste as an alternative to your toothpaste.

7. Removes dandruff

The little white flakes in your hair can be signs of dandruff. They can be extremely annoying, primarily because of the constant itch. As you try to scratch and rub your head, the flakes will most likely fall on your shoulders. What’s more annoying is that they are more noticeable when you wear dark clothes. If you have found yourself in this embarrassing situation, there’s good news for you. The baking soda that’s sitting in your kitchen shelf can work wonders.

Because baking soda is antifungal, it’s alkaline pH level can balance your scalp’s pH level. It does this by absorbing the scalp’s excessive sebum, preventing the buildup and flaking of dandruff.

You can apply baking soda directly to your scalp, but this process is not preferable if you have a sensitive scalp. To be on the safe side, dissolve 3 tbsp of the ingredient into a cup of water. Stir gently until you get a fine blend paste. Apply it to your scalp and leave for 5 minutes. Remember to rinse off with plain cold water afterwards.

The Takeaway

Baking soda can elevate your beauty routine without breaking the bank. It can give you the skin of your dreams; however, this isn’t always the case if you have sensitive skin. While you can try to limit both the quantity and frequency of use, it is still safer to ask your dermatologist’s advice on the matter.