Everyone’s got a little yellow box stuck somewhere in the back of their fridge, but did you know baking soda has a ton of easy beauty uses that will leave your skin smooth, your aches healed, and your wallet unscathed?
1. Super Clean Hair. Add a teaspoon to your normal bottle of shampoo to remove buildup from heavy conditioners, styling products, and natural oils.
2. When You Don’t Have Time to Shampoo. You can use baking soda as a dry shampoo when there simply isn’t enough time for the real thing. Just remember to focus on the oily spots like the crowd of your head, and to comb through to avoid clumps. Give your whole head a fluffing with a quick blast from the hair dryer and you’ll be good to go in no time.
3. Smelly Hands! Remove strong odors from garlic, onions, and just about anything else from your hands by making a solution of 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water. Rub between hands and rise… voila!
4. A Relaxing Soak. Add half a cup of baking soda to your warm bath water. Light a candle, relax, and you’ll notice your skin will be smoother by the time you emerge 10 minutes later.
5. Elbows & Knees. If you’re prone to rough, dry skin you can use a solution of 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water as a gentle, exfoliating scrub on your dry skin.
6. Beauty Tool Cleanser. Brushes and combs tend to get pretty gross after regular use. Try soaking them in hot water with a few spoonfuls of baking soda and bleach to remove oils, product buildup, and kill germs.
7. Nails. Make a rough paste with baking soda and water to remove surface stains, dirt, and nail fungus. Use an old toothbrush to see best results. You’ll also notice baby-soft cuticles!
8. Dry, Itchy Skin Relief. If you’re prone to itchy, inflamed skin try soaking in a tub with half a cup of baking soda and a full cup of baby oil or mineral oil.
9. Pre-Shave! You can mix a solution of 2 cups warm water with 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda for a pre-shave rinse or a soothing aftershave. It’s cheap, easy, and fragrance-free.
10. Foot Soak. If you’re feet are hot, sore, and sweaty from hot summer days you should try soaking them in a solution of 5 parts warm water with 1 part baking soda. Your skin will be smoother, softer, and you won’t detect even a drop of odor!
