10 Surprising beauty uses of baking soda

From the Kitchen: 10 Secret beauty uses of baking soda

Angela Goh

28 Jun 2016

updated the Tuesday, June 28, 2016

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Clarifying shampoo
Clarifying shampoos can promote a healthier scalp, especially if you use plenty of hair products and leave-in treatments - after all, we're sure you're going to want to detoxify and exfoliate your hair and scalp to get rid of all that product buildup. Baking soda is the perfect ingredient to cut through that buildup and deep-cleanse your scalp. How? Mix a teaspoon amount of baking soda into your daily shampoo and lather it up through your hair as you normally would to give your hair the clarifying treatment it needs.
2/10
Cuticle care
Take your mani-pedi one step further with an exfoliating and smoothing baking soda scrub. Rather than trimming your cuticles after pushing them back (which can lead to a nasty infection), make a paste with three parts baking soda to one part water, and use your nail brush to softly scrub your nails, leaving you with smoother, healthier nail beds.
3/10
Natural deodorant
One of the best things about baking soda is its natural deodorising properties. Chuck a small container of the stuff in your fridge or closet and it'll absorb odours in the confined space, leaving no smell. In the same way, you can make your very own DIY natural deodorant. How? Mix baking soda with water until you get a paste, then apply it to your underarms to prevent unwanted BO. Adding a little cornstarch to the mixture will help make your DIY deodorant absorb sweat better.
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Teeth whitening
We're sure you've heard of this one. Even certain toothpastes have "bicarbonate of soda" listed in their ingredients. And for good reason, because baking soda is indeed a natural teeth whitener. And unlike harsh dental treatments, it provides a gentle way to lighten your teeth without damaging the enamel. Try making a paste by mixing baking soda and water, and applying the mixture to your teeth with a toothbrush, gently scrubbing as you would with regular toothpaste. Gently rinse with water afterwards.
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Cleaning makeup and hair brushes
Have you taken a close look at your hair brush lately? If not, be prepared to be grossed out by the build up towards the base of the bristles. Don’t go chucking it in the bin just yet though - you can remove all that oil and product residue by soaking your brushes in a solution of warm water with 1 tablespoon of baking soda for about 20 minutes, then rinsing them out and letting them dry. This also works wonders on your makeup brushes!
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Body and foot soak
Want to reap the benefits of a full spa treatment without ever leaving the house? Swap out those expensive spa soaks for an easy and inexpensive baking soda alternative. Just add half a cup of baking soda to your bath, or 3 tablespoons to your footbath, and relax, revitalise, and refresh. The baking soda helps to remove odours, soften rough skin, and leave your skin feeling silky smooth.
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Last-minute pimple treatment
There’s nothing worse than spotting a developing pimple just before a big night out, only to find that you’re out of your trusty spot treatment. But don’t despair, a paste of baking soda and water works wonders when you’re in a pinch. Just apply to the pimple as you would your normal spot treatment, and let it dry before washing away.
8/10
Dry shampoo
Dry shampoo is a quick way to look presentable in a flash. But rather than spending tons of money and spraying who-knows-what into your roots, did you know that baking soda works just as well? Just sprinkle a few pinches of baking soda into your hair, concentrating on the roots. Give it a tousle, and run a comb through to get the excess out.
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Facial scrub
Not much beats the deep-clean feeling you get from a facial scrub with microbeads. While they’re great for your skin, those tiny plastic beads you wash down the sink are actually doing a load of harm to the environment. But don’t fret - you can still make your very own exfoliating facial scrub using baking soda! Just mix one part water to three parts baking soda, and use as you’d use your normal scrub. It also does wonders on your body!
10/10
Razor burn remedy
Razor burn is not only painful, but can look unsightly in the wrong places. Soothe your skin and reduce those bumps with a solution of 1 tablespoon of baking soda mixed with 1 cup of water. Apply to the affected area, and allow it to dry on your skin. The mixture also makes a great pre-shave treatment, especially for the face.

From making your own dry shampoo to soothing razor burns, this magical beauty ingredient has plenty of tricks up its sleeve.

Baking soda, sodium bicarbonate, bicarbonate of soda… whatever you’d like to call it, there’s really no denying that this miracle powder can do a myriad of useful things for us, other than helping us with our baking needs, of course! From last-minute pimple treatments to teeth whitening, DIY deodorants to clarifying shampoos, it’s easy to give this at-home beauty ingredient a try. Most households would already have baking soda sitting in the pantry somewhere, at the ready.

Head up to the gallery to check out 10 beauty uses of baking soda. You may have heard of some of them by now, perhaps from your practical mum or a know-it-all aunt, but we’re sure you’re bound to find one or two that might surprise you!

Angela Goh

Photos: Getty Images

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