Minimize pores with baking soda reviews năm 2024

Potential Benefits: Exfoliates, offers anti-inflammatory properties, and may help balance out the pH for those with oilier skin.

Who Should Use It: Only those who are in a pinch and don't have access to products that use ingredients specifically formulated to fight acne, such as salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide, cautions Nussbaum. Generally speaking, it's also a better option for oilier skin types, adds Gonzalez, but it can be problematic even then.

How Often Can You Use It: No more than once per week.

Works Well With: Mix it only with water to create a spot treatment.

Don't Use With: Because baking soda may be very drying, don't use it with other potentially drying skincare ingredients, such as retinoids or acids.

What Is Baking Soda?

Also known as sodium bicarbonate, baking soda is a chemical compound with alkalinizing properties and is technically classified as a salt, explains Nussbaum. The alkalinizing part is super important when it comes to using baking soda in skincare and for acne, but per that same point, it's why baking soda helps neutralize acidic substances, both internally and externally, points out Gonzalez. Did you know that baking soda can even be used as a remedy for indigestion?

There's no denying that baking soda can play a role in many at-home beauty treatments, not to mention that it's an insanely affordable ingredient for these purposes. It's a potential physical exfoliant; it can step in for dry shampoo in a pinch; and it makes for a great foot soak. It can easily be turned into toothpaste, and is a star ingredient in many natural deodorants (both DIY recipes and the ready-made options). You get the picture. But where things start to get a little dicey and you need to proceed with caution is when using baking soda on your face and for acne-fighting purposes.

Benefits of Baking Soda for Acne

There are some; there wouldn't be tons of articles singing its praises as a natural zit-zapping solution if there weren't. Take a look at some notable benefits below:

• Exfoliates: Baking soda's slightly gritty texture means it has an exfoliating effect, says Nussbaum. And exfoliating may be one way to help keep pores from becoming clogged and blackheads, whiteheads, and red pimples from forming.
• Offers anti-inflammatory properties: According to Gonzalez, baking soda is anti-inflammatory. It's why it's often found in many over-the-counter topical products meant to soothe minor skin irritations such as bug bites and rashes, she points out. And, by default, this is why it could be beneficial for quelling red, inflamed breakouts, she adds.
• Can help balance out the pH for those with oilier skin: For context, let's start with a quick high school chemistry class refresher: The pH scale runs from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Anything below 7 is acidic, anything above is alkaline. Our skin is typically acidic, with a pH between 4 and 6. "This is a healthy level that maintains moisture while also protecting it from bacteria and pollution," explains Gonzalez. However, "If your skin is more acidic than average, it can lead to an excess production of sebum (your skin's natural oils) which can clog pores and cause acne," adds Nussbaum. In that case, the alkaline nature of baking soda (remember how we talked about that before?) can help balance the skin and bring it back to a healthier pH, according to Nussbaum.

Side Effects of Baking Soda

Because baking soda is so alkaline—it has a pH of about 9—it can easily disrupt your skin’s natural pH levels by over-stripping the natural oils, resulting in dry, irritated, and inflamed skin, cautions Nussbaum. Messing with your skin's pH may also lead to premature wrinkles (no, thank you) and ultimately, even exacerbate existing acne, warns Gonzalez.

In short, baking soda does offer the aforementioned benefits, but it's a super fine line you're walking between reaping said benefits and quickly veering into irritated skin territory. It's why both doctors we spoke with warn against using it as part of a DIY acne-fighting routine.

How to Use It

If you still want to take baking soda for a test run, remember that, first and foremost, the oilier your skin is, the less likely you are to run into issues. In other words, if your complexion is dry and sensitive to begin with, this is definitely not the ingredient for you. Secondly, small amounts used infrequently are safest. Nussbaum suggests mixing approximately two teaspoons of baking soda with enough water to form a paste-like consistency and applying it as a targeted spot treatment onto blemishes only. To clarify, don't slather it across your entire complexion as an all-over face mask. Leave it on for five to 10 minutes before gently rinsing with tepid water—and do this no more than once per week, Nussbaum says. Since there's also a potential of it drying out your skin, be extra diligent about moisturizing and SPF usage.

At the end of the day, that box of Arm & Hammer is going to get plenty of use for other purposes and acne-fighting doesn't need to be one of them.

FAQ

• How are baking soda and toothpaste used as a spot treatment? Baking soda is a common ingredient found in toothpaste and, anecdotally, it is a quick solution for a spot treatment for blackheads when you're in a pinch.

Is it bad to put baking soda on your face?

Using baking soda on your face is better for oily skin types compared to those with dry skin, according to our experts.

Does baking soda make pores smaller?

Baking Soda Treatment Not only does it get rid of impurities, but it also helps reduce pore sizes in the process. Combine two tablespoons of baking soda with lukewarm water to form a paste. Spread the mixture onto the affected areas and massage the paste in circles on your face.

Does baking soda pull out blackheads?

Baking soda can help clear skin of blackheads and stops them from being formed by neutralising the pH in your skin. Simply make a paste from a tablespoon of baking soda and a few drops of water, apply it to your blackheads, leave on your skin for roughly 10 minutes before rinsing off.

What are the side effects of baking soda on the face?

Increasing the pH of your skin can lead to dryness, irritation, and other side effects. Baking soda's alkalinity also makes it too basic of a solution to use as a face wash. It may strip the skin of necessary oils, and disrupt the acid mantle your skin needs to protect it from infection and breakouts.

How do you use baking soda to unclog your pores?

To do this, a person can make a paste by mixing 2 teaspoons of baking soda with a little water. This paste can be directly applied to pimples or other acne lesions and left on for 20 minutes before thoroughly washing off. Applying a moisturizer immediately afterwards will reduce the risk of the skin drying out.