Sunday, January 06, 2008

12 beauty uses of baking soda

35 comments

baking sodaYou can concoct your own beauty products in the convenience of your home by mixing a few ingredients from your kitchen shelves. This statement might seem so oft-repeated and cliché, but surely we all have no second thoughts about the veracity of this claim. While olive oil is one such versatile product with a number of beauty uses, baking soda is another. Though it’s a known fact that baking soda is widely used in baking, deodorizing refrigerators, microwaves and in household cleaning, let’s look into some common as well as uncommon health and beauty uses of this household ingredient.

#1 Revitalize and smooth skin with baking soda

Deep clean and refresh rough skin on your hands, elbows and knees with a gentle, invigorating scrub. Mix 3 parts baking soda with one part water to form a thick paste; apply in a gentle circular motion with your hands.

# 2 Foot care with baking soda

To pamper your feet, mix 2 tbsp of baking soda and 1 tbsp table salt in a tub of bearably hot water. Soak your feet for 15-20 minutes. This removes all the embedded dirt and grime from your feet. You can then gently scrub your feet with the non-gritty blend mentioned in #1. This works as a great smoother for skin on feet and heels.

# 3 Baking soda in a bath

Add ½ cup baking soda to warm bath water. Baking soda naturally cleanses your skin while leaving you feeling silky smooth all over. Its white crystals are often a key ingredient in commercial bath salts. (If you have a very dry skin, be sure to rinse well; as alkaline residue may irritate skin.)

# 4 Baking soda as face wash

Washing your face with dilute baking soda solution is a great way to remove old make-up and slough off the dead skin cells for a fresher look.

# 5 Baking soda to clean your hair

Remove residue that styling products and shampoo may leave behind: Add a½ a tsp of baking soda to your shampoo. Rinse and condition as usual.

# 6 Baking soda as dry shampoo

If your hair has become too oily and limp and you don’t have the time for a wash, just sprinkle baking soda, a bit of talcum powder on your hairbrush and comb through your hair. This will absorb excess oils and freshen up your hair instantly.

# 7 Baking soda to ease heat rashes

Take a lukewarm bath without using harsh soaps. Pat dry with a towel and apply a paste of baking soda on any area that has prickly heat rash. Leave the paste on for an hour or two.

# 8 Baking soda to relieve sunburn pain

To relieve that sunburn ouch, apply a paste of baking soda and water to soothe and cool the affected area.

# 9 Baking soda to freshen combs and brushes

To clean these without leaving a soapy film, fill a small basin with 1 liter water and dissolve 4 tbsps baking soda in the water. Soak combs and hairbrushes for a few minutes, then swish, rinse, and air-dry. This removes the hair spray and oil buildup from them. Similarly you can soak toothbrushes also in a baking-soda solution overnight to clean them.
# 10 Baking soda for teeth whitening

For dazzling white teeth, brush your teeth with a pinch of baking soda and table salt. Rinse out your mouth with water when finished. This even acts a mouthwash and helps with bad breath. Gargling with baking soda water also heals mouth sores.

# 11 Baking soda for nail care

To clean your finger and toe nails, apply baking soda to your nail brush. Now, scrub your nails and cuticles with these to soften the cuticles and for great looking nails.

# 12 Baking soda as an antidote for insect bites

For any kind of insect (mosquitoes, ants etc.) bites apply a little baking soda over the area for a quick heal.

So for an easy, inexpensive beauty treatment, look no further than your refrigerator or kitchen cupboard. Make that little box of baking soda to work for you in the above mentioned time-and money-saving ways. Who knows, you might never need to buy another beauty product again! While this statement is certainly an exaggeration, do not forget to give some of these a try and see what you think.

Pic credits:amazon.com

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35 comments:

Girl-Woman said...

Who knew that baking soda was the HG of beauty treatments. I recently had veneers put on my teeth and the dentist said that baking soda was the best way to keep them white without scratching them.

Aparna said...

That's another useful tip that you have added.

JHS said...

Thanks for participating in this week's Carnival of Family Life, hosted at Diary of 1!

Anonymous said...

Great post and I totally agree, baking soda really gets the job done in so many ways.

Anonymous said...

I got this tip when I went for a facial: The esthetician told me to help with the black heads around my nose I should at least once a week use hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. She said put a little of each in the palm of my hand and use my fingers to exfoliate the black heads gently. Cheap and handy!

Urvi said...

These articles are fantastic; the information you show us is interesting for everybody and is really good written. It’s just great!!

Saundarya said...

Take a soda bath to relieve general skin irritations such as measles and chicken pox.
Take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water to relieve acid indigestion or heartburn. Gargle with 1/2 tsp. baking soda in 1/2 glass of water. Freshens and cleans your mouth. Used as a mouthwash, baking soda will also relieve canker sore pain. To relieve sunburn: use a paste of baking soda and water.
Bug bites: use a poultice of baking soda and vinegar.

Bee sting: use a poultice of baking soda and water. Windburn s: moisten some baking soda and apply directly. Making Play Clay with baking soda: combine 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups soda, 1 cup cornstarch.
Use soda as an underarm deodorant.

Hemant said...

put the toothpaste on, then sprinkle baking soda on top, or do it after u brush. those ways work best. it may hurt your mouth a lil if you do it too rigorously or too often, so stick to every two days to once a week depending on how badly your teeth need to be whitened

Bhakti said...

occasionally brushing teeth , removes stains , also can mix warm water & baking soda & drink for upset stomach, also open in fridge will eliminate any smells ..

Anuradha said...

WOW the packaging is amazing and the cause is great!!

veeresh said...

Baking Soda - (sodium bicarbonate) Considered to be a natural cleanser, deodorizer and an excellent dirt remover. It soothes the skin while it gently cleanses and is great for cleaning pores and removing excess facial oils. It leaves skin feeling soft and clean. When mixed with citric acid, you can make effervescent bath salts or bath bombs.

Annaporna said...

I love it! thanks so much.

Delia said...

I’ve also found that baking soda is a great exfoliant. I use it once a week in the shower to scrub off old skin. I mix it in with my daily face wash and scrub away

Sharat said...

Baking Soda: it's about a buck a box and it's used for deodorizing everything from your fridge to your gym socks. It can also be used to clean porcelain fixtures, and a mix of baking soda, white vinegar, and boiling water will clear your sink drains in no time.

Sadia said...

Baking soda is really really effective as face wash while it's gentle on skin and tough on impurities. I have super sensitive skin and was extremely hesitant to use it on my Red face. But it has done wonders for me. My skin is crystal clear now, redness has gone away.skin is super soft and less oily. Acne lessions are few and quickly heal up. I think everyone even with sensitive skin can use it for the best skin results . I m so glad that I have used this cheap , easy to use yet very effective product

Aravid said...

The best information i have found exactly here. Keep going Thank you

Damayanti said...

Baking soda too makes for an invigorating facial scrub.

Yuvaraj said...

Baking soda is alkali. And I think most of the alkali whiten things. EG. Bleach.

Nandini said...

I love the packaging.

Emily said...

I used baking soda to soak my dentures overnight & the result is great - the next day my dentures has no foul odor.

Panchami said...

I use baking soda and alcohol to clean jewelry.

Vasant said...

Baking soda makes a great shoe deodorant as well. If shoes are smelly, simply put baking soda in them and leave overnight. Wa-la, in the morning no more smelly shoes! :-)

Durga said...

I use baking soda to brush my teeth and then rinse with peroxide afterwards. No more coffee stains!

Karel said...

I keep a open box of baking soda in my refrigerator, which keeps it smelling fresh. just put it in a corner and it will absorbed odour.

Samita said...

Take a palm full of baking soda and rub it on your wet hair. Wash it off with water. The baking soda should relieve the itching and help in reducing the problem of dandruff.

Sheela said...

My hair and skin is very oily so I make a paste with baking soda and water right in the shower. I use some to wash my face (I leave it on for a few mines) and I put the rest in my hair. Love the way it makes my hair feel!

Unknown said...

I've been using baking soda as a scrub for my skin for years. Don't need those expensive beauty treatments: just wet your face & shake a little baking soda on your fingers & scrub. It is drying, so be sure to moisturize after, but you will have soft, smooth, clear skin.

Jeni said...

Thanks for your frugal tip, I'll have to try it the next time I shampoo my hair.

Sumitra said...

Baking soda will prevent body odour very effectively. But it won’t prevent the sweating. And this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s much healthier to allow your body to sweat as sweating is the body’s way of releasing its excess toxins. By plugging up your sweat pores unnaturally, you’re forcing your body to release these toxins through other means such as skin eruptions (e.g. acne, rashes

Vidya said...

Used as a mouthwash, baking soda will also relieve canker sore pain.
To relieve sunburn: use a paste of baking soda and water. . Bug bites: use a poultice of baking soda and vinegar. Bee sting: use a poultice of baking soda and water.
Windburns: moisten some baking soda and apply directly. Making Play Clay with baking soda: combine 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups soda, 1 cup cornstarch. Use soda as an underarm deodorant.

Suraj said...

you can use baking soda in your hair to clean out chlorine and other build up. Make it into a paste and work in.
Use it as a mouth rinse as well.

Srisha said...

A great way to start your home pedicure. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of Baking Soda in a basin of warm water and soak your feet. Gently scrub with a paste of Baking Soda. The hardest part is deciding which color nail polish you'll use this week!

Shreya said...

Be a bit careful with the baking soda. While it works, using it too much can wear away enamel as it's abrasive.

unknown said...

If your skin feels itchy from insect bites because of the insect’s acidic sting/venom. As baking soda is alkaline, it quickly neutralises the acid, thus soothing the itch. Baking soda is also a great at drying any itchy bumps or a rash on the skin if your itchiness is caused by allergies or cosmetics. (This drying effect is what makes it so good for cleaning oily skin!) [...]

Anonymous said...

Baking soda paste rubbed on that garlic or onion smelling cutting board is a fast way to deodorize and whiten the cutting board without having cleaning chemicals on your food prep surfaces and countertops. Nobody wants to taste or smell that on their food. I have used it to whiten coffee stained mugs and various other types of dishes. Get the stain of Kool-aid, or juices off skin, and some surfaces. Mixing with club soda which is good for stains helps with odor. It's a miracle product. I dont know what world that one lady lives in but it is not a buck a box. Maybe 20 yeaars ago it was, now days it's several bucks 3-4 bucks a box.

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