11 Beauty Uses for Baking Soda

As the name implies, baking soda is a kitchen essential for all sorts of foods, but it has various uses outside of the kitchen as well. Instead of paying a ton for professional beauty supplies, you can easily make some of your own using baking soda!

Dry Shampoo

You don’t need to spend a ton on professional dry shampoos — baking soda works just fine! Sprinkle a little bit of the powder at the root of your hair and then tousle. You’ll get the same result and avoid spending too much money.

Volumizing Shampoo

To get that extra size you’ve been wanting for your hair, just open your kitchen cabinet! Adding a quarter-sized amount of baking soda to the bit of shampoo in your palm before applying it will remove impurities to lighten and volumize your hair.

Acne Treatment

Professional acne treatments can be incredibly expensive, but you don’t need to pay for them to get the smooth, clear skin you want. Simply mix some honey and baking soda together, apply the mixture to your skin for 15 minutes, and then rinse it off.

Tooth Whitener

You’ve no doubt seen brands of toothpaste that will tout their inclusion of baking soda, since it is known to help whiten teeth. You can mix together some baking soda, strawberries, and lemon juice to make an effective natural whitening agent. Simply combine the ingredients and use a toothbrush to apply the resulting paste.

Cleaning Agent

If you’ve noticed that your hair brush has become dirty with product or oil buildup after too many uses, you can clean it out with some help from baking soda. Mix 3 tablespoons of baking soda into a bowl of warm water and let your brush soak in it. If you want to disinfect as well, include two drops of bleach into the solution.

Facial Scrub

Add a tablespoon of baking soda to your normal facial cleanser to help exfoliate and soften your skin. The baking soda will make the cleanser pastier and better at cleaning and smoothing your skin.

Nail Cleaner

A mixture of baking soda and peroxide is a great way to get rid of any staining left over from nail polish removal. Scrub the concoction onto your nails and any yellowing or staining will disappear.

Chlorine Removal

Those who spend a lot of time in the pool know that the chlorine has a habit of discoloring your hair. To get back to the color you want, mix some baking soda into dish soap and apply it to your hair. Be sure to follow this with a good conditioner.

Pedicure

Relax and soak your feet in a mixture of water, your favorite essential oil, and two to three tablespoons of baking soda. After that, you can scrub your feet with a paste of baking soda and water to exfoliate rougher spots.

Brightening Skin

For a quick and easy way to brighten up your complexion, mix baking soda with a tablespoon of lemon juice and a few drops of olive oil and apply it to your skin. Rinse it off after 10 minutes.

Deodorant

For underarm stink or wetness that won’t go away, try a mixture of baking soda. Simply combine one eighth of a teaspoon of baking soda with one tablespoon of water for an effective, homemade deodorant.