The Secret to Lovely Skin? Baking Soda

Did you know that Baking Soda 

is an excellent (and cheap!) 
facial exfoliant?

I'm sure that by now you have read in a million magazines that skin exfoliation is one of the most important elements in routine beauty care.  Skin exfoliation is actually a natural process, through which the body sheds dead surface skin cells to reveal the new healthy ones. However, this important process often times slows down due to various factors (shifting hormones, age) and makes the skin look dull or encourages breakouts. In the case of dry skin, dead cells accumulate faster (than other skin types) and hinder the shedding process and moisture absorption...and in case of oily skin, the natural exfoliation process is hindered as the dead cells get sticky, making it difficult to shed.  Hence, it can be said that natural exfoliation process needs some 'assistance' from us most of the time.

To 'assist' my skin over the years, I've tried quite a few different exfoliants... with mixed results:  either they are too harsh and make matters worse, or they don't get the job done.  So this last year I decided to try using a home remedy that I kept reading about:  Baking Soda.  And by-george, I've had the best experience with it of all of the things I've tried.  It's a fine enough powder to be gentle, it's ph neutral, and it's darn cheap!  (And you can use it to bake chocolate chip cookies when you're done exfoliating!)

If you want to give it a try for yourself, here are some tips:

•     Mix 2 teaspoons-ish of baking soda with 2 teaspoons-ish of water (or your facial cleanser) to make a smooth paste.
•    Apply the paste all over the face with your fingertips.  (Note:  leave out the areas surrounding the eyes, as the skin is very sensitive there.)
•     Gently and moderately rub your face in circular motions covering small areas at a time (I always include the lips).   Concentrate more on areas that breakout.  Don't be too rough with the scrubbing, a gentle action will get the job done.
•     Once you finish scrubbing, be sure to rinse off all of the paste with water.  I wipe my face with a wet wash cloth after I've rinsed, to be sure I've wiped away any lingering dead skin cells.

My experience with this has been the best skin I've had in a long time, fewer blemishes, and more change in my purse.

(I use Bob's Red Mill Baking Soda, as it is all natural and aluminum free.)