Beautiful, well-groomed skin can become the best decoration, while the most spectacular look can be ruined by the presence of acne, blackheads and other defects on the face. Facial care requires an investment of effort and money, but not all procedures require the participation of a salon cosmetologist. You can clean your face at home using baking soda. Cleaning your face with baking soda at home is an effective cleanser that doesn’t require a lot of money and still allows you to achieve good results.
The benefits and effects of baking soda on the skin
Sodium bicarbonate, or the familiar baking soda, due to its constituent components, is a good cleansing agent. Thus, thanks to sodium, the synthesis of substances occurring in the cell is accelerated, which stimulates the process of cell regeneration and promotes rejuvenation.
Carbon cleanses pores of accumulated dirt and toxins, making skin less oily. Hydrogen removes decomposition products. With regular use, you can achieve significant results: even out facial tone, eliminate fine wrinkles, smooth out unevenness.
Operating principle
When hydrogen peroxide comes into contact with the skin, it begins to break down into two components - water and oxygen. A chemical reaction occurs, due to which the pigmentation layer gets burned and begins to break down, causing the skin to become clearer. Baking soda additionally has an exfoliating effect and helps cleanse the skin of residual subcutaneous fat and dead pigmentation cells. The purposes of using a mask from a combination of two folk components are as follows:
- elimination of age spots, rashes, pimples, blackheads, acne and other cosmetic defects;
- prevention of premature appearance of wrinkles;
- freckle whitening;
- the appearance of a healthy glow and even out the tone of the face;
- deep cleansing of pores.
Hydrogen peroxide creates an immediate effect. After the first use for cosmetic purposes, the skin becomes noticeably smoother and more well-groomed. But you cannot use it in a single and undiluted form; be sure to use it only in combination with soda and other auxiliary components. Otherwise, there is a high risk of a chemical burn to the skin.
Recipes for soda masks and scrubs
Baking soda in combination with other preparations can form the basis of homemade cleansing cosmetics.
With shaving cream
To prepare the mask, you will need salt and soda in equal proportions (about 1 tsp), to which you need to add shaving foam until a creamy consistency is formed. Dip your fingertips into the mixture and massage your face for 5-10 minutes. The area around the eyes should be avoided so as not to injure thin skin. Afterwards, rinse off the mask with water and apply moisturizer.
With peroxide
A mask with peroxide will help clear acne, eliminate pimples, and also whiten the skin and make it less inflamed. To prepare it you will need 1 tsp. soda and 2 tsp. peroxide. Keep on your face for no more than 10 minutes, then rinse with water and moisturize the skin. Repetition frequency: no more than 1 procedure every two weeks.
With aspirin
Lightening and disinfection of the skin can be achieved through an aspirin-based cleansing procedure. You can prepare the mixture from the following ingredients:
- aspirin, ground into powder (5 tablets);
- soda (1 tbsp);
- water (2 tbsp).
Before using the mask, the skin needs to be steamed. After application, leave the composition for 10 minutes and rinse.
Advice. A decoction of chamomile or calendula will help soothe the skin and relieve irritation after the procedure; you can use any other anti-inflammatory agent that does not contain alcohol.
Repetition frequency: 1 time every 2 weeks.
With egg white
If it is necessary, in addition to cleansing, to narrow the pores and dry the skin, then a mixture of one egg white, lemon juice (1 tsp) and soda (a pinch) is suitable. The mask must be applied in several layers, waiting for the previous one to dry. After 15 minutes, wash and apply nourishing cream to your face.
Repetition frequency: 1 time every 2 weeks.
With baby soap
Another economical but effective recipe is based on baby soap. To perform it, you will need shavings of baby soap (can be grated), which must be dissolved in boiling water, add a pinch of salt and a pinch of soda to the solution. Leave the composition on your face for 15 minutes.
With sour cream
Using fatty dairy products as a base will protect the skin from drying out and become an additional source of nutrition. It is enough to add half a tablespoon of bicarbonate to the required amount of sour cream. The mask can be kept on the face for no more than 15 minutes.
How to remove blackheads with baking soda from your face?
- In order to get rid of blackheads, mix 50 ml of kefir, 2 small spoons of rice flour and 0.5 spoons. soda
Apply for 5 minutes and rinse off. You can put a paper napkin on top to prevent the composition from dripping.
- Protein and soda help with blackheads. add 0.5 tsp to one protein. bicarbonate
Apply with a brush, be sure to place a thin napkin on top and leave to dry. As soon as the napkin is completely dry, remove the film like a mask. It's better to do it from the bottom up. The blackheads are literally being torn out. And they remain on the surface of the napkin.
Read more about protein for the face
Recipes for solving various problems
Here are the best recipes that you can use to cleanse to eliminate various dermal problems:
Dry skin
Dry skin requires special care when cleaning; the usual method will be too traumatic for it and will only worsen the problems. To prevent moisture loss, 1 part baking soda must be mixed with 2 parts honey. Leave this mixture on your face for 15 minutes, then rinse off. In addition to honey, you can take olive oil (1 tsp). Repetition frequency: 1 time per week.
Problem skin
With a high level of sebum production and heavily contaminated pores, deep cleaning is necessary. In this case, you will need to mix soda (2 tbsp) with apple cider vinegar (3 tbsp). Leave the mask on for 10 minutes and rinse with water.
From blackheads
Regular washing with soda (massage a mixture of water and soda on your face for at least 5 minutes) will help you cope with blackheads and pimples For those with sensitive skin, you can replace the water with a decoction of witch hazel or ready-made witch hazel water, which is sold at the pharmacy.
Rejuvenating mask
Getting rid of wrinkles as an additional effect of the procedure will be achieved by adding coconut oil to the main ingredient in a ratio of 1 to 1. The procedure involves the following steps:
- Heat the oil in a water bath to room temperature.
- Mix with soda.
- Apply to face in circular motions.
- Leave for 2 minutes and rinse.
Note: For sensitive skin, the amount of coconut oil should be doubled.
Whitening composition
The whitening effect in the presence of age spots or uneven tone can be achieved by adding any of the following components to soda in a 1 to 1 ratio:
- tomato juice;
- lemon/orange juice;
- pureed strawberries.
Mechanical exfoliation with brown sugar, which is added to the mixture in arbitrary quantities, will enhance the effect.
Each of the proposed products should be washed off after 5 minutes. You can repeat the manipulation 2 times a week until the desired result is achieved.
For bags under the eyes
Despite the fact that soda is a rather aggressive substance, when certain components are added to it, it becomes an effective remedy even for caring for the skin around the eyes. So, to get rid of bags under the eyes, a paste of soda and water should be supplemented with ground oatmeal. Keep the composition for about 5 minutes.
Cleaning your face with baking soda at home
There are several options for cleansing your face with baking soda. They differ in the degree of concentration of bicarbonate. For example, for gentle cleaning, it is enough to wipe your face with a soda solution. The recipe is simple - one teaspoon per glass of water.
If you need deeper cleansing and getting rid of blackheads and pimples, use the recipes below.
To effectively combat acne, you need to take into account not only external influences. You may need to adjust your diet. Cosmetologists advise reducing the amount or completely abandoning coffee and chocolate. Since these products often stimulate excessive stress and the appearance of pimples and inflammation
Here's another way. lather your face. Massage your face with baking soda on top of the foam for 1 minute. Recipe for deep cleansing and removal of fat. Don't forget about moisturizing after.
Recovery period
During cleaning, you need to monitor your own sensations and skin reaction: slight redness and burning are a manifestation of a normal reaction; If the skin is severely irritated, this method of cleansing should be abandoned.
In order to restore and soothe the skin after aggressive chemical peeling, you can apply a clay mask to the skin. To avoid excessive drying of the epidermis, you need to wash off the mask before it dries completely.
Facial peeling - what is this procedure?
Peeling is the exfoliation of the top layer of keratinized epidermis.
The procedure is carried out as a large number of dead cells appear. They need to be gotten rid of regularly, as they interfere with the natural renewal of the skin.
As a result, the skin does not receive enough oxygen and nutrients, and its aging process accelerates.
If you exfoliate every week, it will noticeably rejuvenate, and the pores will be cleaned and narrowed.
Precautionary measures
When using soda for cosmetic purposes, you must strictly adhere to the recommended amount of time, otherwise you may get a skin burn. Before using soda, you should conduct a test for individual intolerance.
Attention! You should avoid cleaning in spring and summer due to excessive solar activity.
Frequent washing with baking soda (2 times a day) can cause excessive dryness and flaking of the skin. Don't clean too often.
There are a number of contraindications for using soda as a peeling:
- increased skin sensitivity and individual intolerance;
- open foci of inflammation and purulent rashes;
- allergy to a component;
- wounds and skin diseases in the acute stage.
It is not recommended to resort to cleansing with soda if your facial skin suffers from excessive dryness and tightness; after sunbathing; capillary network, which is located close to the surface of the epidermis.
A little history
People have been using baking soda for centuries. At first it was obtained from seaweed ash, but this method was completely unsuitable for industrial production. The first industrial method of soda extraction was invented at the end of the 18th century and was gradually improved. Today, soda is produced by two methods - “dry” and “wet”. It is mainly used in the food industry, but in recent decades it has also found wide application in medicine and cosmetology - mainly for delicate cleansing and softening of facial skin.
Side effects
Even if precautions are taken, complications may arise in the form of increased rashes.
The disadvantages of using cleaning at home include the following:
- pH imbalance, which can lead to increased proliferation of pathogens and destruction of beneficial bacteria that protect against acne;
- damage to the integrity of the skin due to physical and chemical effects, resulting in peeling and irritation;
- the effect of use may be delayed and observed only after repeated repetition.
Contraindications
It is prohibited to use baking soda to cleanse your face if:
- dermatological diseases;
- open skin lesions (wounds, open pimples);
- exacerbation of acne (large number of inflammations);
- individual intolerance.
Abuse of home treatments with sodium bicarbonate can lead to skin dehydration and increased dryness. Therefore, it is optimal to carry out one maximum two (for oily skin type) cleansing per week.
Patient reviews
Patients on various forums share their impressions of using soda for cosmetic purposes, give advice on use and offer their own proven cleansing recipes.
The user writes about a noticeable narrowing of pores, a long healing period, if you use a large amount of soda.
This participant points out the availability of cleaning ingredients and the need to apply the product only to problem areas.
This user notes the effectiveness of baking soda when used on oily skin and the need to use soothing products after cleansing.
Preparatory stage
Before using soda, be sure to clean the surface of your face from dirt and cosmetics, otherwise grains of soda will rub harmful substances into the skin. The face must be washed with water and a special gel or milk. After cleansing, it is recommended to warm up the skin and steam it in a bath. For this purpose, take dried chamomile or mint, add hot water, let it brew for 10–15 minutes, and then use it for its intended purpose. The face is lowered over hot water and remains in this position for 10 to 20 minutes. After using the bath, you can begin peeling.
The product can be used at any time of the year, but it is still not recommended to use it in winter, replacing it with something more gentle. This is explained by the fact that in winter the skin often suffers from a lack of moisture, becoming dry, and this procedure can only worsen the situation.
Opinion of cosmetologists
Some cosmetologists claim that this product is harmful to the surface of the face, others say that when used correctly, at the end of the course, women get healthy and clean skin:
It's all about individual tolerance of the ingredients. If the redness does not go away and your face stings, then you should abandon the procedures and replace the peeling with a neutral agent.
If the skin surface behaves calmly during use and after peeling, then you can safely continue the course of treating the skin with the product.
Reasons for the appearance and areas of localization of post-acne
The skin is the largest organ in the human body, and it has a complex structure. In addition to the epithelial cells that form the continuous skin, there are also hair follicles, sweat and sebaceous glands. It is the glands that secrete sebum and form a protective hydrolipidic mantle on the surface of the epithelium that suffer during the development of acne.
To begin with, it is important to understand why acne occurs. When the sebaceous glands malfunction, the epithelium in the area of the ducts thickens, the lumen of the gland narrows and sebum cannot be regularly and fully released through the pores to the surface. Then the fatty secretion is retained inside the gland duct itself, which provokes inflammation with the participation of microbes that are constantly present on the surface of the skin, making up its microflora.
The process of acne formation goes through certain stages:
Initially, comedones are formed - an increase in the size of the sebaceous gland. Nodules form in the skin with an irritated opening of the sebaceous gland. As the process develops, black dots form in the center, and disturbances in the outflow of sebum, microbial activity, and the work of leukocytes during inflammation lead to the formation of purulent heads (pustules).
By themselves, these elements can leave behind scars and uneven skin, and if they are further injured, if you squeeze out blackheads or purulent heads, the inflammation only intensifies, and the purulent contents can spread to neighboring areas of the skin.
To prevent inflammation from spreading, to prevent damage to more and more areas of tissue, and to prevent pus from penetrating into neighboring areas, inflammatory changes form around the damage to the sebaceous gland.
Swelling occurs in the area of the pimple, collagen production is stimulated, scar changes are formed: connective tissue elements are formed, new capillaries grow, which gives redness, the work of pigment cells is stimulated - pigment spots are formed - persistent and with uneven edges.
Especially often, problems arise on the face, mainly in the forehead, on the nose and cheeks, on the chest, they also appear in the décolleté or on the back.
Redness disappears over time, pigmentation becomes less bright, scars can atrophy, forming dimples, or, conversely, become convex and rough.
