18 Ways to Use Baking Soda for Skin

Baking soda is not a stranger to all of us. We all see and use it in the kitchen but have you ever used baking soda for skin improvement? If not, read on to know the many uses and benefits of baking soda for your skin.

Use Baking Soda for Skin Whitening

Baking soda is alkaline in nature and thus balances the pH levels of your skin to make it glow with radiance. It exfoliates the dead skin and makes them fall off to reveal a fresh new skin from beneath. This helps in lightening your skin as all the dull dead skin is scrubbed away naturally by baking soda.

1. How to use baking soda for face whitening?

You just need a facial wash with baking soda. Here are such two recipes with baking soda that can whiten your skin.

Use it with water

Get this:

• Baking soda- 2 tbsp
• Water- 1 tbsp

Do this:

• Mix baking soda and water to form a creamy paste
• Apply this to your face
• Gently rub your face in circular motion with fingers, just for 2 minutes
• Wash off with water
• Pat dry and apply moisturizer
• Do this only once a week

Use it with lemon juice

Get this:

• Baking soda- 1-2 tsp
• Strawberries- 1-2
• Lemon juice- 1 Tsp

Do this:

• Mash the strawberries
• Combine baking soda, lemon juice and mashed strawberries
• Mix them well and apply to your face
• Wait for 2 minutes
• Now gently rub the skin with fingers for a minute
• Wash off your face with lukewarm water
• pat dry and apply moisturizer
• Do this once a week

Precaution: Whenever you use baking soda for skin, try to use it only once or twice a week because due to its alkaline nature, it strips off the natural oil of your skin and makes it dry. You just need to use it sparingly with proper gaps so that you just clean off the dead skin and not the oils and other natural moisture of your skin.

2. Use Baking Soda to make Skin Exfoliant

Baking soda is a great exfoliating agent for obvious reasons. It is alkaline and strips off the dead skin cells. When you want to use it as a scrubbing agent for your face, you just need to add a little water because it already has a slightly grainy texture that will exfoliate skin when you rub it gently there. However, you may add some oil or other ingredients to make it a more effective exfoliant.

Get this:

• Baking soda- 1 tbsp
• Oatmeal- 2 tbsp
• Vitamin E oil/ coconut oil- few drops
• Water- 1-2 Tsp

Do this:

• Combine everything and make a paste
• Apply on your skin and wait for a couple of minutes before you scrub it
• After about 2 minutes, rub your face with fingers in gentle circular motion for another 2 minutes
• Now wash off with warm water and pat dry before applying moisturizer

3. Use Baking Soda for Even Skin Tone

Do you have an uneven skin tone due to such reasons as acne scars, dark spots, or freckles? You can use baking soda to make your skin tone even. As baking soda is a good skin neutralizer due to its pH balancing capacity, it can work wonders on your skin.

Get this:

• Baking soda- 2-3 tsp
• Rose water- 1/2 a tsp
• Aloe vera gel- 1/2 – 1 Tsp

Do this:

• Add everything and mix well to get a smooth paste
• Apply this to your uneven skin
• Let it stay there for about 3-5 minutes
• Now rub gently with fingers in a circular motion for about 1-2 minutes
• Wash off with lukewarm water
• Pat dry with a clean towel and apply moisturizer
• Repeat 1-2 times a week

4. Use Baking Soda for Skin Tan

Have you faced a prolonged exposure to sun that has given you a tan? You can use baking soda to remove such tan. And the best part is that you can use this cheap kitchen ingredient on your hands and legs too. So, grab some soda and follow the steps below.

Get this:

• Baking soda- 1/4 cup (or less if you just want to apply it on face)
• Vinegar- 2-3 tbsp
• Water- 2-3 tbsp

Adjust water and vinegar according to the quantity of baking soda. You need a paste-like consistency.

Do this:

• Combine soda with water and vinegar to form a paste
• Apply this to your face, hands and legs or other areas where you have a tan
• Let it stay for 5-10 minutes (you may remove it from face after 2 minutes)
• Now gently scrub in the circular motion for another 1-2 minutes
• Wash off with water
• Pat dry and apply moisturizer
• Repeat once or twice a week depending upon the severity of your skin tan

5. Use Baking Soda for Skin Tightening

Baking soda is an alkaline substance and for this very reason, it not only sloughs off dead skin cells but also helps in tightening the skin pores. Adding other skin tightening ingredients like honey to baking soda make it the more effective remedy for skin tightening.

Get this:

• Baking soda- 2 tbsp
• Honey- 1 tbsp
• Water- few drops

Do this:

• Add honey to the baking soda and mix well.
• If needed, add a few drops of water to make the paste smooth enough to apply on your face
• Now apply this to your face and wait for 5-10 minutes
• Wash off with lukewarm water
• Pat dry and apply your regular moisturizer
• Repeat 1-2 times a week

6. Use Baking Soda for Sun Burn

If your sunburn has reached a level where you suffer from itching and burning, look no further than baking soda as it has a very soothing effect on such burning skin. This is due to the alkaline properties of baking soda. Use it to make a cool compress for your sunburn affected skin.

Get this:

• Baking soda- 2-3 tsp
• Cold water- 1 glass
• Washcloth

Do this:

• Add the baking soda to the glass of cold water and mix well
• Now soak the washcloth in this soda mixed water
• Take out the cloth and wring it out to discard the excess water.
• Place this cold compress over your skin where you have the sunburn
• Let it come to room temperature which might take anywhere between 2-5 minutes
• If needed, repeat the process
• You can do this twice a day to soothe your burning skin.

7. Use Baking Soda for Acne Scars

When your skin pores get clogged with dead skin, oil and bacteria, you can see these tiny monsters called acne. And if you don’t deal with them properly, they leave after giving you what is called acne scars. So, if you have some of these scars on your face, what all you need is some baking soda and water. Baking soda will exfoliate the scarred skin and help reveal fresh new skin without scars.

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Get this:

• Baking soda- 1 tbsp
• Water- 2-3 tbsp

Do this:

• You need more of a runny liquid type paste this time and thus more water than baking soda.
• Add water to baking soda to get a runny paste but it should be also thick enough so that you may hold it in fingers and apply on your skin
• Now apply this paste to your acne scars. Cover the scars well with this paste
• Let it stay there for 3-4 minutes
• Wash off with water and pat dry
• Repeat 1-2 times a day

9. Use Baking Soda for Skin Rashes

If you didn’t know, baking soda has antibacterial properties too and has some anti-inflammatory effects too. Because it can also dry out your skin due to its alkaline properties, you can get relief from itching and swelling that come with skin rashes. Use baking soda to relieve skin rashes.

Get this:

• Baking soda- 1-2 tsp
• Coconut oil- 1/2 tsp

Do this:

• Add coconut oil to baking soda and make the paste
• Apply this paste to your skin rashes
• Let it stay there for 4-5 minutes
• Wash off with water and pat dry
• Repeat again if needed after few hours. You can apply this twice a day

10. Use Baking Soda for Skin Fungus

Baking soda can help contain the growth of fungus on your skin. The plain reason for this is the alkaline nature of baking soda. It makes your skin alkaline, a state where fungi cannot thrive or spread. Once the skin again becomes acidic, the fungus can grow there.

Get this

• Baking soda – 1-2 tbsp
• Water- 1-2 Tsp
• Vinegar- 1-2 Tsp

Do this:

• Mix all the ingredients and get a runny paste
• Apply this to the skin affected with fungus
• Leave for few minutes
• Wash off with water and pat dry. Dry out your skin properly because fungus love moist areas

Do this for toenail fungus

If you have toenail fungus, you need the same ingredients but in different quantities to make a foot soak.

• Get 4-5 tbsp of baking soda and 1 cup vinegar
• Fill a foot basin with water and add baking soda and vinegar to this water
• Mix well and soak your feet in this for some time, about 10-15 minutes
• Then take out your feet from water and pat dry thoroughly

11. Use Baking Soda for Skin Yeast Infection

Candida fungus or yeast lives on human skin, especially in such areas as the mouth, intestinal tract, throat and genitals. When this yeast begins to multiply abnormally, you get what is called a yeast infection. Baking soda can treat this skin infection well due to its many properties like alkaline nature, pH balancing capacity, and anti-fungal properties. When you are talking about yeast infection in the intestine or internal organs, you would need to consume about half a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with a glass of water every day for about 10-14 days. But when you talk about yeast infection on the skin, you can make a paste with baking soda and water and use it on the skin for 2-4 minutes. If you have a yeast infection of the genital area, you may take a sitz bath (hip bath) for this

Get this:

• Baking soda- 1cup
• Tea tree oil- 4-6 drops
• Shallow sitz bath

Do this:

• Add baking soda and tea tree oil to the sitz bath and fill it with warm water
• Sit in this for few minutes, about 5-10 minutes
• Wash off with water and dry completely

Precaution: Don’t do this sitz bath more often. It can be done in once in two or three weeks. As the skin of vaginal area is too sensitive, baking soda can disturb the pH balance of the area if used frequently. This may lead to more fungal infection there. Pregnant women should avoid such remedies or talk to their doctor before doing anything with baking soda.

12. Use Baking Soda for Skin Psoriasis

Use it, but with caution. You can relieve the redness and itchiness of your psoriasis affected skin when you use baking soda sparingly and wisely. If you, however, use it without a thought, you might actually flare up your psoriasis. Why does this happen? Because baking soda makes our slightly acidic skin more alkaline. A little acidic nature of our skin prevents bacteria and fungi to thrive on our skin. Ideally, our skin should be slightly acidic. If it’s too acidic, bacteria will grow and if it’s too alkaline then also you may suffer from extreme dryness which in turn lead to more aggravated psoriasis. So, when to use baking soda for psoriasis? Use it when you have thick, scaly heels or other heavily encrusted lesions on your skin. But don’t use it on this type of skin if you have cracks there. And yes, if you are using baking soda for psoriasis, use it in very small quantities and sparingly, say about once or twice a month.

Get this:

• Baking soda- 1-2 tsp
• Castor oil- 1 Tsp

Do this:

• Mix the soda and oil to get a paste
• Apply this to your lesions due to psoriasis.
• Don’t use baking soda when such skin surface is cracked, just apply castor oil in such cases.

Make Baking Soda Face Masks

Because baking soda has so many benefits for skin issues like acne, rashes, dark spots, pigmentation, sagging, dull and uneven skin tone, you can use this very helpful ingredient to make various face packs and masks and get a younger looking radiant skin. Here are some recipes for baking soda face packs for you.

13. Skin Brightening Baking Soda Face Pack

Get this:

• Baking soda- 1 tbsp
• Orange juice- 1 tbsp

Do this:

• Mix baking soda and orange juice to get a paste
• Apply this to your face.
• Leave for 15-20 minutes.
• Wash off with water, pat dry and apply moisturizer

The Vitamin C present in orange juice works to give you brightened skin. Baking soda, of course, exfoliates the dull skin to shed all dead skin cells which also helps you get a brighter face.

14. Acne Remedy with Baking Soda Face Mask

Get this:

• Baking soda- 1 tsp
• Sandalwood powder- 1 tbsp
• Rose water- few drops

Do this:

• Mix all of the ingredients to get a paste
• Apply this to your acne
• Leave for 5-7 minutes
• Wash off with water and pat dry

While baking soda regulates your skin’s pH levels and heals the itching and redness, sandalwood powder fights off the bacteria and fungi due to its antibacterial properties. This also prevents pimples and acne breakout. Rosewater and sandalwood powder both provide soothing coolness to your inflamed skin.

15. Baking Soda- Hydrogen Peroxide Face Mask for Blackheads

Get this:

• Baking soda – 1 tbsp
• Hydrogen peroxide- 1 tbsp

Do this:

• Mix both the ingredients and make a paste
• Apply this to your face
• Leave for 5-6 minutes
• Wash off with water, pat dry and moisturize well

The strong antiseptic properties of hydrogen peroxide heal not only your blackheads but also acne, and pimples. Don’t use this more than once a week though.

16. Baking Soda Face Mask for Younger Skin

Get this:

• Baking soda- 2 tbsp
• Egg- 1

Do this:

• Break the egg and remove its yolk
• To the egg white, add baking soda
• Mix and beat well, till it gets fluffy
• Apply it to your clean face
• leave for 15-20 minutes
• Wash off your face and pat dry before applying moisturizer
• Feel the skin that gets tightened and glows like the skin of your younger days

While there is no study report that says Baking soda removes wrinkles to give you younger skin, it does actually remove the dead skin cells to reveal a fresh younger looking skin that has been hidden under the dull dead skin cells. Egg white to works to tighten your skin, thanks to all its protein content.

17. Baking Soda Face Mask for Skin Pores

Get this:

• Baking soda- 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice- 1 Tsp
• Cucumber juice- 1 Tsp
• Rose water- few drops

Do this:

• Mix all the ingredients to get a paste
• Apply to the face and leave for 2 minutes
• Now gently rub with a finger for 2 minutes
• Wash off with cool water
• Pat dry and moisturize

Lemon juice and cucumber juice are both natural astringent and have skin toning properties. The exfoliating properties of baking soda combined with these juices help draw out the deposited oil, sebum and dead skin cells to unclog the skin pores.

18. Baking Soda Face Mask for Dry and Combination Skin

Get this:

• Baking soda- 2 tbsp
• Honey- 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice- 1 Tsp

Do this:

• Mix all the ingredients
• Apply to your clean face and leave for 15 minutes
• Wash off, pat dry and apply moisturizer

Lemon juice has vitamin C which brightens skin and honey in this face pack moisturizes the dry skin or the patches of dry skin on combination skin. This is a soothing face pack which is suitable for all skin types- dry, combination or even acne-prone skin.

Baking Soda Side Effects on Skin and Precautions

Baking soda has many benefits for skin but you need to use it cautiously because it is too strong and drying for the sensitive skin. If you have sensitive skin, try avoiding using baking soda. In fact, no one should use baking soda on the skin more than once or twice a week to gets its full benefits and to avoid its side effects.

After applying baking soda to your skin, if you notice any unusual side effects, immediately wash off with cool water and stop using baking soda to cleanse your face or skin of another area. Some of the side effects of baking soda on the sensitive skin include tingling, itchiness, and pain. Many people say their skin becomes unusually dry after using baking soda and they then suffer from irritation. The best thing to do is to conduct a patch test before using baking soda on your skin for various purposes.