Everyone wants bright, glowing skin. However, factors such as pollution, sun, and lack of skincare can cause your skin to look dull and dark. Instead of looking for a commercial product, using a simple natural ingredient like baking soda can work for skin lightening.
Several chemical-filled commercial products in the skincare market that promise to help you achieve the fair skin you desire contain harmful chemicals. These chemicals may seem to work for a short while, but may damage the skin in the long run.
This article provides you with ways to use a natural skin lightener like baking soda on your skin. Read ahead to find out if it is safe and how to use it to lighten your skin.
Is Baking Soda Safe for Skin Lightening?
Baking soda is generally safe to use on the skin. However, it is a harsh ingredient that can irritate the skin. This is because soda contains alkaline properties. Therefore, you have to be careful when using baking soda or any mixture that contains it on your skin.
In addition, baking soda has several benefits for the skin. Although, it is best to consult a dermatologist or medical professional on whether or not you should use it on your skin. If your skin can tolerate the use of baking soda, then you can go ahead to use it as a skin lightener.
How Does Baking Soda Lighten the Skin?
Baking soda doesn’t contain a major lightening property, however, it works as a good exfoliant. Exfoliation is the removal of dead skin cells from the surface of the skin to reveal brighter skin. Since baking soda contains exfoliating properties, it will help to brighten your skin.
Baking soda helps to lighten the skin by promoting the development of new skin cells to replace the old ones. This helps to remove the damaged dark skin patches on the skin and reveal a fresh new skin tone.
Baking soda works best for skin lightening when it is combined with another ingredient with lightening properties. This allows the ingredients to work on other skin concerns while also assisting to lighten your skin.
Benefits of Using Baking Soda to Lighten the Skin
Aside from helping to brighten the skin, baking soda also works to solve several skin concerns. Using baking soda on your skin will help to reduce the appearance of acne scars.
Acne happens when oil and dead skin cells block the pores and acne scars happen when acne is not properly treated. The soda will help to exfoliate the skin and aid skin regeneration. Simply make a paste with baking soda and water and apply it to your skin to reduce the scar.
It also helps to reduce and soothe inflammation and rashes. Baking soda contains antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that can help to relieve itching and swelling on the skin. To use it without drying out your skin, mix the soda with coconut oil and apply it to your skin.
Additionally, it helps to treat yeast infections around the mouth and other areas of the skin. Baking soda contains alkaline and antifungal properties that can help to treat yeast infections. It also helps to treat sunburn or other sun damage on the skin.
Using baking soda on the skin may also help to reduce and clear acne lesions like blackheads and so on. This is because it contains exfoliating properties as well as anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
How to Use Baking Soda to Lighten the Skin
Mixing baking soda with water is the easiest way to use baking soda to lighten your skin.
How to do it:
- Pour two tablespoons of baking soda into a bowl
- Add a tablespoon of water to it
- Mix the two ingredients to create a paste
- Apply the paste on areas of your skin that you will like to lighten
- Let it sit for a few minutes
- Wash it off with lukewarm water
- Rinse your body again with warm water
- Apply twice a week
Since baking soda does not contain any lightening agent, you will need to combine it with other natural ingredients for it to work effectively for skin lightening. Ahead are DIY baking soda recipes you can try and how to use them.
DIY Baking Soda Recipes for Skin Lightening
1. Baking soda and rose water
This is one of the most popular baking soda recipes that you can use to lighten and even out your skin tone. Using this recipe will help to lighten dark spots and clear blemishes from your skin.
How to do it:
- Pour two tablespoons of baking soda into a bowl
- Add a tablespoon of rose water to it
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly to create a paste
How to use:
- Rinse your skin and apply the paste to it
- Allow it to sit on your skin for about 5 to 10 minutes
- Rinse it off with lukewarm water
- Rinse again with cold water
- Moisturize your skin to prevent dryness
2. Baking soda and apple cider vinegar
This combination works effectively to lighten the skin as they both contain properties that can exfoliate and brighten the skin. Using this recipe will help with the removal of dead skin cells and enhance skin cell regeneration.
How to do it:
- Pour two tablespoons of baking soda into a bowl
- Add three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to it
- Dilute the apple cider vinegar with water before mixing if you have sensitive skin
- Mix the ingredients to create a paste
How to use it:
- Rinse your skin
- Apply the paste to your skin and massage it gently
- Allow it to dry and then rinse it off with lukewarm water
- Moisturize your skin after
- Use this recipe on your skin only once or twice per week
3. Baking soda, lime juice, and coconut oil
Lime juice contains vitamin c properties which are known to be an active whitening agent. However, it is very acidic and can be harsh on the skin. This is where coconut oil comes in. The oil will help to soothe the skin and prevent irritation.
How to do it:
- Pour a tablespoon of baking soda into a bowl
- Add ¼ tablespoon of coconut oil and 3 drops of lime juice into it
- You can also add a few drops of tea tree oil to it if you have acne-prone skin
- Mix the ingredients till it is well-blended
How to use it:
- Rinse your skin
- Apply and massage the mixture on your skin for about 10 minutes
- Rinse it all off with clean water
- Apply moisturizer on your skin after drying it with a towel
4. Baking soda and tomato juice
Tomato juice contains a high level of antioxidant properties which serves as a natural bleaching agent. Using this combination on your skin will help to lighten the skin effectively by getting rid of dark skin cells.
How to do it:
- Add a tablespoon of baking soda to a bowl
- Squeeze out the juice from fresh tomatoes into it
- Mix both ingredients to create a paste
How to do it:
- Rinse your skin and apply the mixture to it
- Let it dry and then rinse it off with clean water
5. Honey and baking soda
Honey contains exfoliating properties that can help in the development of new skin cells. It also contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that can help to lighten and repair the skin.
How to do it:
- Add some baking soda to a bowl
- Mix it with a few drops of honey till it becomes a smooth paste
How to use it:
- Apply and massage the mixture on your skin
- Leave it for about 10 to 20 minutes
- Rinse it off using lukewarm water
- Repeat the process once or twice a week
6. Baking soda and lemon juice
Lemon juice contains a high level of citric acid which works as an effective exfoliating and lightening agent. It also contains vitamin C which is rich in antioxidant properties that can help to lighten and brighten the skin.
Using this combination on your skin will work effectively to lighten dark spots, fade acne scars, clear sunburn, and other blemishes on the skin. It will also help to boost collagen production and the growth of new skin cells to help keep the skin firm and smooth.
How to use it:
- Mix one tablespoon of baking soda and water
- Add a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon to it
- Mix all the ingredients to create a paste
How to use it:
- Apply and massage the paste on your skin for a couple of minutes
- Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes
- Rinse it off with clean water
- Repeat the process twice or three times a week
7. Yogurt and baking soda
Yogurt works as a natural exfoliate to remove dry and dark skin cells from the skin. It contains a high amount of lactic acid, vitamin B2, B5, and vitamin B12.
These are properties that help to boost skin cell growth, reduce dark spots, acne scars, and other blemishes in the skin. This combo works effectively to lighten up the skin to give you the fair skin you desire.
How to use it:
- Mix a tablespoon of baking soda and fresh yogurt
- Apply the mixture to your face and massage it gently
- Allow it to sit on the skin for about 10 minutes
- Wash it off your skin with cool water
- Repeat just once every week
8. Orange juice and baking soda
The vitamin C content of orange juice makes it an effective ingredient for skin lightening. Vitamin C helps to even out the skin tone and glows up the complexion by boosting collagen production in the skin.
How to use it:
- Add a tablespoon of freshly squeezed orange juice to a bowl
- Add an equal amount of baking soda to it
- Mix both ingredients to create a paste
- Apply the mixture to your skin for a few minutes
- Rinse with cool, clean water
- Repeat this only two to three times weekly
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you lighten your skin with baking powder instead of baking soda?
No, you can’t. Using baking powder won’t help to lighten your skin as it does not contain lightening or whitening properties.
Baking soda contains exfoliating properties that can help to lighten the skin by removing dry and dark skin cells from the surface of the skin. It also helps to boost cell growth.
Can baking soda damage your skin?
Yes, it can. Even though baking soda is generally not harmful, it contains high alkaline properties that can irritate the skin.
It can cause side effects such as redness, burning, rashes, and so on. Be sure to do a patch test on your skin with the ingredient to confirm if it is good for your skin.
Does baking soda lighten the skin permanently?
No, it doesn’t. Baking soda can’t lighten the skin permanently.
It is important to note that baking soda does not directly bleach the skin. It does several things such as exfoliation, which can contribute to skin lightening.
Conclusion
Using baking soda for skin lightening comes with a lot of other benefits. It contains anti-inflammatory properties that can help to soothe and prevent irritation on the skin. It also contains antibacterial properties that can help to treat and prevent infections.
Although baking soda does not contain any direct bleaching agent, it still works well to remove dry and dark skin cells and boost skin cell regeneration. This gives room for a brighter skin tone.
The best way to use baking soda for skin lightening is to mix it with other natural bleaching agents such as lemon, papaya, and so on.
Thanks for reading.
Visit Serum101 for more enlightening guides on how to brighten and even out your skin tone.
