Surprising Beauty Uses for Baking Soda

A $1 box of baking soda can be used for shinier hair, whiter teeth, and more.

Baking soda's beauty benefits

You probably have baking soda in your pantry to use in homemade baked goods, and maybe a box in your refrigerator to absorb odors. It turns out that this $1 kitchen staple can also be used as a cheap DIY alternative to many expensive spa treatments. Arm & Hammer, a household products manufacturer best known for its bright-orange boxes of baking soda, suggests these solutions for smoother hair, brighter skin, whiter teeth, and more.

Hair clarifier

If mousses, serums, sprays, and other products build up in your hair, in can take on a vaguely sticky feeling and limp appearance. Baking soda to the rescue: sprinkle a quarter-size amount of baking soda into a dollop of your regular shampoo. Wash and rinse as usual. Your hair will be shinier and more manageable when you're done.

Dry shampoo alternative

We love dry shampoo for mornings when we've overslept, for quick post-gym touchups, and for hot summer days when we're greasy by 5 p.m. When you need to look presentable in a flash and don't have a can of dry shampoo on hand, sprinkle a few pinches of baking soda onto your roots, tousle your hair, and then run a brush through your mane.

Facial scrub

Love that deep-clean feeling you get from a facial scrub with microbeads? These products may do wonders for your skin, but they're also doing a number on our environment. These tiny plastic beads slip through water filtration systems and are making their way into our streams and oceans, posing risk to fish and other wildlife. A safe alternative: Make your own exfoliating facial scrub using baking soda. Make a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water. Rub onto your face with gentle, circular strokes, then rinse with warm water.

Body exfoliator

Your skin will look dull and ashy if you allow dry, dead cells to build up on the surface. Speed cell turnover and get an enviable all-over glow by exfoliating once a week. No need to buy an expensive scrub; make your own with baking soda by using the same formula as your face: one part water to three parts baking soda.

Deodorant

If you have sensitive skin, you may be able to use a dusting of baking soda in place of store-bought deodorant. Baking soda neutralizes acids and bases, so it removes odors. It also won't stain your clothes the way many antiperspirants can.

Razor burn soother

A razor burned bikini line can be painful, not to mention unsightly. Soothe your sensitive skin with a solution of 1 cup of water with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Allow the solution to dry on your skin (it will take about 5 minutes), and then rinse with cool water. Men can also use this same formula for a pre-shave or after-shave treatment on their face as long as they avoid the eye area.

Nail scrub

Instead of snipping off your cuticles after pushing them back, which can lead to infection, try using a baking soda scrub to exfoliate and smooth. Just dip a nail brush into a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water, run in a circular motion over your hands and fingers, and rinse clean with warm water. Then apply nail polish as usual.