Back by popular demand: here’s our newest member, Forebrain, with another reference-laden post. Enjoy!
Julie’s cleansing question: I’ve read a lot about using baking soda to clean and exfoliate your face. Do you have any evidence this works either instead of a cleanser or for an acne treatment? Is there any down side? This is obviously much cheaper than all the fancy treatments out there if it works.
Forebrain’s favorable response:
I’m so glad you asked this question Julie, I’ve been hearing many great things about all the uses for baking soda as well, it’s use in natural skin care and especially with respect to its exfoliant and cleaning properties! The quick answer is that baking does in fact work as a great exfoliant and may be useful in treating acne. Read on for more details and how you should use it.
Chemical and Physical Exfoliants
Although many of you already know quite a bit about exfoliating, let’s quickly go over the process and some differences between the chemical and physical methods.
The point of exfoliation is to slough off the cells from the top layer of skin and reveal the younger, healthier cells underneath. Some exfoliants contain mild acids such as Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA for short), which help renew the skin layer by burning off some of the skin. The effectiveness of these chemical exfoliants depends on the acid concentration, with too low being not effective enough, and too high being damaging to the skin. Physical exfoliants (like brushes or scrubs) on the other hand remove the skin cells from the top layer by physically scraping them off. With physical exfoliants, the level of irritation and potential damage to skin becomes an issue when coarser methods like hard bristled brushes are used.
Baking soda (aka sodium bicarbonate) falls under the category of physical exfoliants, and what makes it especially effective is that it is a fine, yet hard powder, making it highly effective at removing the dead skin cells without causing excessive irritation. Chemically speaking, baking soda is acid neutral, and acts a mild buffer which means that it has the ability to neutralize other substances it comes in contact with that are acidic (like vinegar) or basic (like soap). Many people also believe that baking soda has cleaning properties; however, scientific evidence has shown that this is due to baking soda’s physically abrasive nature, and it is not an effective anti-microbial agent.
Exfoliating with baking soda
To reap the benefits of exfoliating with baking soda, add a teaspoon of the powder to your facial cleanser, mix well, and massage into skin like you would with a commercial exfoliant. Do this 2-3 times a week or as per your regular exfoliation routine. If you notice that your skin is red or irritated afterwards, try putting in less baking soda and use the treatment at night so that your skin has a chance to get back to normal while you sleep. Remember to always moisturize afterwards!
Baking soda as an acne treatment
While there are numerous testimonials in which people claim that baking soda cleared up their acne when nothing else helped, please remember to take these statements with a grain of salt. We don’t know what else that person had changed in their skin regimen; it’s possible that besides using baking soda they also started drinking more water, switched their cleanser or moisturizer, or maybe even changed the number of times they cleanse their skin per day. Seasonal changes and stress levels also have a very strong impact on how much and how noticeable your acne may be. However, there is some evidence that baking soda may be beneficial in treating acne since just the exfoliating properties of baking soda alone lead to an increased skin cell turnover rate making your acne look less noticeable. Plus, baking soda’s neutralizing properties maybe reduce redness of the skin also reducing the appearance of acne. If you want to try using baking soda as an acne treatment, my recommendation is to use one teaspoon of it in your cleanser at night to exfoliate your skin, as well as make a thicker paste of just baking soda and water and apply it to the acne as a mask for 5-10 minutes or overnight (beware, when it dries the mixture will crumble so you might up wake up to a messy pillow).
The Beauty Brains bottom line
In summary, all signs point to baking soda being an excellent and cheap physical exfoliant. It is ph neutral and a fine powder, which means that it will be gentle on your skin. Baking soda may also be useful in treating acne when made into a paste and applied to the affected areas although there is not as much scientific evidence to back that up. Please comment if you try out any baking soda treatments to let us know what they were and if they worked for you. And always remember to moisturize!
Fun fact: Did you know that baking soda was the primary cleaning agent in the restoration of the Statue of Liberty? Leave a comment and share your favorite statue and facial exfoliating tips wih the rest of the Beauty Brains community.
References:
Parnes, C.A. 1997. Efficacy of sodium hypochlorite bleach and “alternative” products in preventing transfer of bacteria to and from inanimate surfaces. Journal of Environmental Health, 59, 14-20.
http://www.alive.com/3744a1a2.php?subject_bread_cramb=76
http://www.acne.org/baking-soda-reviews/209/page1.html
http://www.meredy.com/nursetips/skinhealthtips.html
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Yay for forebrain! Another great article
And yes, as before I love the references.
I have enjoyed using baking soda for years as an exfolliant. However, i don’t exfolliate as frequently as you suggested, more like when my skin looks or feels like it needs it. Baking soda is not only inexpensive, the big plus is that you can add it to your favorite cleanser, which is important to some of us with skin that is fairly reactive or incompatible to certain ingredients. Also for me, is “just the right size”, meaning that I have used stuff that would be far too abrasive, and similarly, stuff that was ineffective due to the “tinyness” of the particle (or overabundance of emolliants) in the product. You can regulate the amount of baking soda, as well as adding more water for a milder effect.
I love this blog, thanks so much!
I’ve been using baking soda as an exfoliant for a while now, but not just on my face. It works great on your legs before shaving, too, and it softens your skin.
I’ve also found that a paste of baking soda can help dry up a pimple. It’s not a miracle or anything, but it has worked for me.
This was really interesting. I liked the article and people’s tips so far. Keep ‘em coming!
Thanks for the awesome information. I tried this earlier today and it worked great. I have rosacea and have to be very cautious about exfoliating but the baking soda did not irritate my skin at all. Chalk up another wonderful suggestion from the Brains!
I use baking soda and add a little water for a pasty texture. Since i started using this, my skin has felt smoother than ever before. Blackheads are buffing away every time i use it and skin is soft and smooth. Very simple. Very cheap.
Baking soda makes for a great exfoliant, but like with every other physical exfoliant, be gentle!
I also add some to my toothpaste from time-to-time to help whiten my teeth, as well as mixing some with a little warm water to use as a hand softening soak!
I love using baking soda as an exfoliant. I also use it on my lips with water to get rid of dry skin. Just be careful not to open your mouth while using it – doesn’t taste so good!
Although I’ve read and enjoyed this blog for awhile I’ve never posted before. I’m not really the posting type. But I quite enjoyed this article and wanted to encourage more like it! In part the topic was just more relevant to me than some slightly less personally applicable articles (e.g. I do not foresee having access to breast milk nor a child to use it on any time soon) but what I really appreciated more was that this time you posted evidence in SUPPORT of a product.
I admire your site’s efforts to encourage a measure of reservation when approaching an industry that so often stoops to hand-waving and snake oil, with no basis in hard evidence. However, I have noticed a tendency on this site of scientific rigor generally coming down on the side against the products in question. Granted there are likely a hundred times more products that AREN’T worth buying than products that ARE. But once we’ve gotten that (albeit worthwhile) message, a blog that continues only to decry the multitude of bad products does not serve much ongoing purpose for those of us who are searching for the good ones.
I do appreciate your calling out of products that don’t live up to their promises, but even more valuable at this point is pointing me to a product that DOES. Which is why I commend you for passing on the encouraging information regarding the use of baking soda as an exfoliant, and am happily on my way to the kitchen to test it for myself.
i have been looking for a site like this for a long time.i have a a problem with hypopigmentation on my face .tried so many creams .nothing works. but i have read on the net that baking soda works so i gave it a try. it has given results . my face pigmentation is getting lighter. but i have included tartaric acid. citric acid. sugar . milk powder.honey . to my face wash . i am getting results . but what concerns me is are there any side effects using this combination.? this is the only combination of natural ingredients i i have tried that has helped with my problem.
As long as you don’t use a concentration of the acids that stings your skin (that varies by person) using the combination you say should be fine. Not sure that it will work but for most people, it shouldn’t cause a problem.
i have exogenous ochronosis is there any natural ingredients i can use to help alleviate the problem.
i have random breakouts… sometimes a pimple would pop out and then it would get really big and red… when the pimple gets a white head i use baking soda and water paste and i dab a little on the pimple and leave for about an hour….. it really dries up all the white stuff….. it works!
Also i use it as an exfoliant … twice a week maybe three…. it works!… just remember to moisturize !!!!
I was actually surprised to find this website. I have used sea salt(ok, but didn’t like the saltiness), borax(liked the results, but learned that it could be toxic). Then I remembered that baking soda was mildly abrasive and also a natural product. I looked for information for use as a skin exfoliant and found your site. I’m so glad I did because the information you provided has helped me decide to use it. I will let you know how it worked for me. Thanks for your help.
I usually have acne outbreak every now and then and had been looking for solution but im still using my proactiv products to no relief.Then i happen to read about baking soda which is so cheap and readily available,so i’ve tried it and it did work,im so happy about it.Had been using it for a week and i have no more acne,i hope it will continue to work.I use it as a cleanser and my proactive products after.It’s great.
Just so you know, baking soda is actually basic (around ph 9) — not neutral. It still might be useful for this though. Thanks!
I have been reading the different articles as i sit here with the baking soda crumbling on my face.First time im trying this ill let everyone know in a few days how its going. Great site!Love it!
Since baking soda is an effective exfoliant, will it also help deminish or will less stretch marks? please put some articles that will help removing strech mark with less expenses. iloveyour article please give me a reply soon. thanks
when i was 21 i had a massive breakout of acne vulgaris and im still living with the scars.im 22 now the pimples have eased and now im using a combination of hydrogen perozide cleanser and salt.i was so relieved when i founnd this site as it gave me hope after nothing worked. im crazy about beautiful skin and exfoliation.im definetely gonna use baking soda and il keep you posted about the results.
I’ve found that caramel apples when rubbed gently on the nose dries up acne. Baking Soda has similar results. Helped my son of 6 with his brain tumor!!!!!! Great work Dr. Oz.
Earlier I had read that baking soda mixed with your facial cleanser is a great exfoliator. I actually just tried it for the first time and had to get online and share the good news! So tonight I mixed about a tsp. Of baking soda with a pump of cetaphil and massaged it around very lightly, then rinsed and patted dry. I can say that my skin feels so soft and I know this sounds crazy but my red scars already look lighter! I am so happy with this and will be adding it to my regimen
)))))))) !!!!!!
Some of us have too much acid in our bodies and on our sking. Baking soda can also be taken internally, about a teaspoon in a 8oz glass mixed up, to reduce acid; raises pH level, and you can also make a lather with baking soda for skin and hair. Makes a good exFolient.
Acne sufferers might also find some relief by crushing up an aspirin into the baking soda mixture.
I have been using baking soda mixed with my body wash for 2 wks now and it worked for me. It leaves my skin soft and smooth. I got this tip from my sister in Law who uses baking soda for her babys body wash. Her baby have never suffered from any skin disease and is soft and clean. Baking Soda does work.
I havn’t tried exfoliating yet am going to give it a try.I do agree theres so many uses for it, and it does work. Sue. PS, I would like one of those little boxes if my comment is posted
WAAAY too drying every time I’ve tried to use it. No thanks on this one.
Love using baking soda mixed in with my regular face wash about 3 to 4 times a week! My skin is so much softer, my blackheads have cleared up and I don’t have to wear foundation! I have very oily skin and I think that is why it works for me. I aslo have sensitive skin and break out from harsh or scented products. I just love it and i have tried everything out there!!! One more comment.. I rarely have break outs anymore!
I had acne since i been in fifth grade and now I’m a freshmen in college, I been using every product there is to clear my acne, from proactive, clean and clear, ambi and etc… I finally search up home remedies to clear up dark spots and came across this website. I tried baking soda for the first time yesterday and I love the way it makes my skin feels,so far I see my skin lightening up, I can’t wait to see the results!!! (=
thanks! baking soda is cheap yet helpful
I have been working to clear up a very bad acne problem for my daughter. I give her two 500mg Pantothenic Acid(B5) one to two times daily to help eliminate the oily skin along with B-Complex to balance the B vitamins. She cleanses her skin three times a day. The morning and night cleanse she uses a mint mask. She then rubs tea tree oil into her pores to kill the bacteria after cleansing two times a day, taking it off after the stinging stops. She also applies aloe vera directly to the acne. With all of this we have finally cleared up all acne, including the cystic acne. We are now going to go with the baking soda to help keep her face clear. Hope this helps those who have serious acne problems!
Read what everyone was saying & was curious, so I tried it. It really made my face feel GREAT. When they say GENTLE… it is so true! I started out putting to much “power” to the wash cloth….OUCH. I am 56 & have battled whiteheads for some time now. Hope this does the trick.
My work is mobile,always under the sun,i m fair but my skin got tanned n i was dark,i tried using products to get my normal skin back n it got bleach.Now i ve my normal skin back but my feet is as black as charcoal,i ve used baking soda,lemon n all kinds of home remedies but to no avail,i cant wear skirt even at home,i feel shy for pple to see,some think m bleaching but dats not the case,please i dont know wat to do,i realy need ur help,m counting on u n i know u can help me.
i will try baking soda,,, and see how effective it is.. i how a acne… and i dont know how to deal with it… i will post my picture,, if i can notice any changes thank you for the blog….
It works! I tried it for two daus now twice a day and moisturized as soon as I scrubbed and rinsed. I have been using Aveeno lotion to moisturize. but If you really wanna go all natural, use a tiny dab of petroleum jelly, or even a bit of olive oil to moisturize. BTW, the box said use a three to one ratio of baking soda to water.
QUESTION: Baking soda is also use as a meat tenderizer, because it breaks up proteins in the meat. Would this have the same effect on my skin? i.e. breaking the collagen and elastin in my skin thus causing wrinkles and what not?
Thanks
I tried using baking soda as a cleanser for the first time today. I used a very tiny amount, about 1/4 teaspoon, with enough water running from the tap to quickly work up a pasty yet thin solution. As I was rubbing it gently around my face, I noticed what looked like layers of dead skin peeling/balling off. I gently rubbed around my face a little longer since it appeared to be exfoliating my skin! Then I wiped my face with a washcloth and rinsed clean.
That’s when I jumped on the internet to google ‘baking soda exfoliation’ and found this site! My skin feels so amazingly soft right now. And clean. I have to say, I am sooo impressed. I didn’t have much faith in using baking soda; going into the experience in my mind it was simply a natural method that I was willing to try in order to get away from using harmful chemicals on my skin. Additionally, I intended to use it to clean my face. I had no idea it would exfoliate like it did. I went to look in the mirror just now and I can’t believe how smooth and “new” my skin looks!
By the way, if using a tablespoon or so like some people do dries your skin out, try using just 1/4 teaspoon. That little amount worked for my skin.
I ‘ve been suffering from acne for more than a decade now. I’ve tried different applications to no avail. Just tried baking soda last night and the feeling is sooo amazing. I could not believe it. I actually kept the remnant in the fridge don’t know if i can still use it tonight.
I use baking soda too and it is one of the best acne remedies i found (another one is using egg whites as a mask). I scrub everyday with the soda, then apply apple cider vinegar mixed with water as a toner, and i finish this routine by moisturising. Its truly amazing
I am having pigmentation problem. i used Tazorac , many of you heard who suffered from acne. i have been looking from while to get rid off acne and if any how i can have my natural skin back.
Today I used, Honey, Baking powder, lemon, sugar, orange juice and potato juice,. first i messaged o myface then i wet some tisses in the left over stuff and put on my face as a mask. i kept it for 20 mins. my pimples already dried. nothing can be say about skin lightening…
i have used hydroquonie for skin whiting nothings is working for me at this momemnt. last week i started ayurvedic facial… no clue……… lol………..
Since I discovered baking soda, I don’t buy any other exfoliating scrubs like yves etc.
Almost like a diamond peel.
Just don’t press it in the skin. You might hurt yourself.
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I alternate using baking soda and strawberries for facial exfoliation. Both work really well to get rid of flaky skin.
Mixing baking soda with coconut oil makes a great scrub for your feet and hands too!
I love the contributions, i have learnt alot and i’ll try out baking soda!
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hey…
i was just wondering if is it okay if i exfoliate my face with baking soda because my face is pretty sensitive and im worried i will get breaks out after using it …..
any opinions ???
Hi, I came across a site accidently after looking for some natural remedies..I found a site that said baking soda might be a good exfoliating agent. I got up right then and went to the bathroom to mix a teaspoon with enough water to make a paste, I applied this to my face and let it dry then rinsed it off in about five minutes..I have always had problems with scars, uneven skintone, and blotchiness due to acne in my pre-teen and teem years..I have tried other products in the past but nothing seemed to work.
well I must say that this mixture is the only thing that seems to work for me..its been about 2.5 weeks and my boyfriend saw me at my two week mark and said whatever youre doing your skin looks great. Im so happy to have found something that seems to work well for my skin.
when I am done with the mixture i place it in the fridge, it usually dries-up so I add a lil milk to the mixture when reapplying. I use this at night and moisturize with netrogena oil-free moisturizer with 15spf in the morning. I wash my face with burts bees facial wash in the morning.
after this week I will start with a fresh mixture again.
I would also like to add that I have had no irritation or problems.
I will repost again to follow-up with progress..
baking soda really works..i love baking soda.
I’ve been using the 3-1 ratio baking soda and water mixture as a cleanser everyday for 4 days now. I’m happy with the results. I have very, very oily skin and it is prone to pimples. I have been using proactive for a few years now with moderate results. I replaced the proactive with baking soda 4 days ago and that’s all I use now. My skin looks calmer and clean, my acne scars have faded, red bumps have faded, and it has definitely helped my super oily skin. I don’t even put anything on my skin anymore now, not even powder. I just hope I don’t get rebound oilyness eventually? if there is such a thing.
i am a 16 year old girl and lately i have been dealing with the stress of acne. usually im not that bad because my dermo prescribed me antibiotics and they had been working but when that time of month comesh around i always break out and struggle with acne and body acne. today i came across using baking soda for acne online and i tryed it. i was a little worried at first because it really burned but thats probably because my skin is sensitive. anyways its been a few hours and the redness and irritated patches on my face have calmed down dramatically! i will definitely start using this remedy all the time now. and also, if u have an acne scab honey really does the trick to heal it fast and reduce redness.
I just tried this by making it into a sloppy paste. It immediately started burning my face, and I had read that it can sting the face so I kept massaging in circular motions. I started turning pink, but I wasn’t getting blisters or a rash so I thought it would be ok to continue. I never broke out but it stung terribly.. I sucked up the pain I guess. When I washed it off I started seeing my pore open, and liquid started coming out it was weird, but it didn’t look gross. I thought it was cool, and made me feel like it worked. I also tried it in my ears because I always get really bad black heads in them. Wow,, despite the stinging my blackheads started popping and bled a little. For the next hour or so there was a little liquid that kept pooling out. Any one have any similar stories?
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