Baking Soda for Skin, Hair, and Personal Hygiene

Source: Pixabay

Fulfill a variety of your personal hygiene and grooming needs with one simple product: baking soda. I use it more in the bathroom than I ever have in the kitchen!

Baking Soda, the Personal Care All-Rounder

We mostly associate baking soda (or bicarbonate of soda where I’m from) with its culinary uses or as a household cleaner. But it’s also a versatile cosmetic item, especially for men.

I’m very particular about personal hygiene and caring for my skin. But I don’t like to spend more than I have to on toiletries, nor have more than I need—they take up space and eventually expire, landing in the bin.

I’m also largely of the opinion that whatever doesn’t harm the inside of my body won’t harm the outside.

That’s why baking soda has been part of my regular personal hygiene and grooming regimen for many years.

Baking Soda for Skin Care

1. Face Cleanser

I like to give my face a quick wash at night before going to bed. Like most men, I don’t wear makeup, so there’s no need for a heavy cleanser.

I simply rinse my face with a solution of lukewarm water and baking soda. That’s all there is to it. There’s no need to rinse (although you can), and it cleanses pore-deep.

To make, add one teaspoon of baking soda to a pint or two of water.

It’s suitable for all skin types, especially the acne-prone.

2. Relief from Razor Burn

Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, baking soda relieves razor burn.

Soak a cotton pad in a solution of baking soda (one teaspoon) and water (one cup) and use as a compress. Leave it on for about 10 minutes.

Or you can make a paste of baking soda and water and spread it over the affected area. This is also an effective remedy for insect bites and pimples.

3. Exfoliator for the Face and Scalp

To exfoliate, mix a teaspoon of baking soda with your facewash or an oil, and gently massage in circular motions over your face and neck, avoiding the mouth and eye areas.

If you’re acne-prone, mix with noncomedogenic jojoba or sunflower oil, adding colloidal oats if at hand. You can also leave it on your face for about 20 minutes to work as a mask.

I mix it with almond oil, which benefits dry and mature skin.

Use mechanical exfoliants or facial scrubs no more than once or twice a week, and be very gentle to prevent soreness and broken capillaries.

Baking soda scrubs may also be used for the body and are useful for removing self-tanner that has turned out uneven or of an undesirable color. Just mix with your body wash in the shower. To avoid patchiness, it’s also essential to exfoliate before applying self-tanning products.

If your head is shaved, always treat your scalp as an extension of your facial skin. Exfoliation will prevent ingrown hairs, exactly as it does in the beard area. But it won’t treat hair loss.

4. Face Mask for Acne-Prone Skin

I used to do this when I was a teen, and I think it helped.

If you’re prone to acne and blackheads, make a face mask of baking soda and clear honey.

Mix together two teaspoons of each ingredient and spread over your face and neck, avoiding the mouth and eye areas. Allow it to work for about 20 minutes.

As with the face scrub above, you could add colloidal oats for enhanced benefits and a more paste-like consistency.

5. Soothing Bath Soak

Instead of adding soap-based products to your bathwater, which have a drying effect, add four ounces of baking soda. This cleanses without stripping the skin of its protective barrier and is ideal if you suffer from acne on your back and shoulders, a condition that’s often referred to as “bacne.”

It can also relieve itching caused by dry skin or insect bites, and soothe sunburn.

The water temperature should be no more than lukewarm.

Source: Pixabay

For Hands and Feet

6. Manicure and Pedicure

Before a manicure or pedicure, soak your hands or feet for about ten minutes in a solution of baking soda and warm water. This softens nails, cuticles, and hard skin.

For your feet, you’ll need two or three tablespoons of baking soda in an appropriately sized bowl, and one tablespoon for your hands.

For cleaner-looking nails, add the juice of one lemon.

Baking soda may also help prevent toenail fungus.

7. Splinter Removal

If you have a splinter, apply a paste of baking soda and water, and cover with a Band-Aid. After about 12 hours, you’ll be able to remove the splinter with ease.

8. Relief from Foot Fatigue

This helped me a lot when I was on my feet all day while working as a waiter.

To revive tired, stressed feet, soak them for about 30 minutes in a bowl of warm water and four tablespoons of baking soda. Finish by rinsing with cold water for at least 30 seconds, then apply a foot gel or cream.

It should leave you feeling energized.

For Body Odor

9. Underarm and Foot Deodorant

Are you worried about what commercial deodorants might be doing to your health? Personally, I haven’t used one for years.

I prefer either zinc oxide paste or baking soda.

To neutralize body odor and absorb perspiration, mix baking soda and cornstarch in equal parts. To apply, pick up on a cotton ball or an old shaving brush and dab under your arms. It will keep you smelling fresh, and there’ll be no sweat stains on your clothes.

This also works well as a foot deodorant if you suffer from sweaty feet.

Additionally, you can sprinkle pure baking soda into your shoes overnight to rid them of foot odor.

Source: Pixabay

For Hair Care

10. Clarifying Shampoo

Deep conditioners work better if you use a clarifying shampoo beforehand to rid the hair of product buildup. If you don’t have one, just mix a dandruff shampoo (like Head & Shoulders) with an equal portion of baking soda and lather twice.

Do this whenever your hair seems flat and limp; it’s most likely because product buildup is weighing it down.

Apart from more volume, you’ll also notice that your hair is easier to comb.

11. Dry Shampoo for Greasy Hair

Instead of buying dry shampoo, mix baking soda 1-to-1 with cornstarch or body powder. This absorbs excess oil and leaves the hair feeling clean and smelling fresh.

To use, sprinkle into the crown and roots and brush through to the ends.

Apply sparingly to avoid a powdery cast. For dark-haired men, add a little cocoa powder to the mixture.

Oral Hygiene

12. Mouthwash

To neutralize bad breath, dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of lukewarm water and use as a gargle and mouthwash. Used daily, this not only freshens breath; it also keeps the gums healthy.

13. Cleaning Solution for Dentures and Dental Retainers

You can clean dentures and removable dental retainers by soaking them for a few hours (or overnight) in a baking soda solution. This also neutralizes the nasty taste that often lingers on the dental plate.

To make the solution, stir a teaspoon of baking soda into a glass of lukewarm water.

14. To Clean Natural Teeth

Baking soda can’t bleach teeth, but it can return them to their natural brightness.

Use baking soda—either on its own or with your regular toothpaste—to brush away coffee, tea, and tobacco stains. According to the Journal of the American Dental Association, it is safe for daily use.

Having teeth that stain easily, I also dampen my toothbrush with three percent hydrogen peroxide, which has helped retain the results of my last whitening treatment.

Simple and Effective

Baking soda may not look like much sitting in its humble box, but it’s one of the most versatile and cost-effective items in my bathroom. From skin care to oral hygiene, it’s proven itself time and again.

© 2024 J. Richardson