Soda mask - cosmetic remedy for problem skin

A soda mask involves a certain effect of this chemical substance - sodium bicarbonate or sodium bicarbonate - on the skin of the face.

But baking soda is used not only in household use, but also... in leather production – for processing natural leather for haberdashery and other needs.

Benefits of baking soda for skin

We will not go into the technological details of the use of soda in the production of leather, fire extinguishers, rubber or baking cakes, but it will not hurt to find out what is the benefit of soda for human skin. And at the same time, we will remind you that soda is a truly wonderful substance - it has properties that can hardly be called useful for all types of facial skin.

Soda makes hard water, containing many salts, much softer. As is known, washing with hard water dries the skin, which means that soda is useful for the skin. And not only for the skin: due to its softening quality, soda is present in the composition of most washing powders.

Soda can cope with any fat. When combined with water, as a result of hydrolysis, soda exhibits a weak alkaline reaction, as a result of which fats simply break down... Our skin normally has a slightly acidic environment - pH 5.5. Baking soda temporarily changes the pH of our skin to the alkaline side. What happens? It destroys the fat cells (lipids), which make up the water-lipid mantle covering the outer (horny) layer of the epidermis. These lipids provide a normal level of moisture in the upper layers of the skin. As a result, soda dehydrates and dries the skin, which leads to its peeling and irritation. Although, if the sebaceous glands of the skin are too active, the benefits of soda for the skin may consist precisely in the drying properties of sodium bicarbonate. But in home care for dry and normal skin, you should not use soda masks.

And finally. Owners of oily skin have to fight both pimples and blackheads (open comedones). And soda should help with this, the solution of which will show its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties and facilitate the removal of sebum from clogged sebaceous glands.

From all that has been said, we conclude that a face mask with soda – no matter what other ingredients are used in it – is only suitable for those who have oily skin or problem skin. Let's start with the problems.

Acne Mask with Baking Soda

To get rid of pimples or acne (which appear as a result of inflammation of the sebaceous glands of the skin) at home, make the following mask for pimples with soda: add baking soda to the purchased skin cleanser (preferably of a creamy consistency) (a level teaspoon per tablespoon of the product). Mix the mass well and apply a thin layer to the skin of the face, previously cleansed of makeup (mainly to the places where pimples have appeared). Keep the mask for 15 minutes, then wash off with warm water and rinse the face with cold water. This procedure is carried out once a week.

If you have large acne, you can apply a thick mixture of soda and aloe juice to them. Keep the mask on until the paste dries completely. They say that this method is very effective in the fight against acne if you use it twice a week.

Blackhead Mask with Baking Soda

To remove comedones, or blackheads, from the face, make a face mask with soda and salt. To prepare it, take one teaspoon of soda and fine salt (like "extra") and add a little regular boiled water at room temperature. You should get a paste that is applied to problem areas of the face and rubbed into the skin with light massaging movements. Here you need to be careful, since the "salt plus soda" mixture acts as an abrasive.

You should not try to remove blackheads at once, especially since it is unlikely to succeed. This cleansing cosmetic procedure should not be performed more than once every 10 days. If there are any damages or inflammations on the face, you will have to postpone the cosmetic procedure until they disappear.

Soda and Oatmeal Mask

A cleansing mask with soda and oatmeal is also used only for oily skin. To prepare it, you should thoroughly grind two tablespoons of flakes, add baking soda - on the tip of a knife, and water - to get a thick gruel. After everything is well mixed until smooth, the mass should be applied to the face - for no more than a quarter of an hour.

The mask is washed off with warm water, then the face is rinsed with cool water. 20-25 minutes after the procedure, be sure to apply a moisturizer to the skin - to remove the feeling of tightness.

Face mask with soda and honey

A face mask with soda and honey for problematic, oily skin will help reduce its oily shine and narrow pores. Almost everything has been said about the effect of soda, and the benefits of honey for oily skin can be described in two words: it is ideal nutrition and deep hydration.

Mix a tablespoon of natural liquid honey with half a teaspoon of baking soda. Apply the resulting mixture to a clean face for a maximum of 15 minutes and wash off with warm water. In case of acne, you can lubricate only the rashes with this composition. Then the procedure time can be increased to half an hour.

For normal skin, an additional component in the form of raw egg yolk or vegetable oil - linseed, olive or sesame - should be added to the honey and soda mask.

Mask of soda and flour

The main goal of the soda and flour mask is not much different from the recipes already given. This mask also fights enlarged pores and temporarily removes oily shine.

To prepare a mask according to this recipe, you will need a heaping tablespoon of regular wheat flour and a level teaspoon of baking soda. You can use boiled water, milk, green tea, chamomile or linden blossom infusion as a "thinner" for the dry ingredients.

After mixing everything into a homogeneous mass, apply it to your face for 15-20 minutes. Then wash it all off with the same chamomile infusion or green tea. It is not recommended to make a mask of soda and flour more than once every 8-10 days.

Clay and soda mask

Cosmetic clay itself cleanses the skin well and removes excess oil from the skin. So a mask of clay and soda should produce a double effect. If you take blue clay, the mask will not only cleanse, but also rejuvenate, since this clay helps to increase the elasticity of the skin. Red cosmetic clay activates the blood supply to skin cells, and white clay narrows enlarged pores. The choice is at your discretion.

To prepare this combined cleansing mask with soda, the components are mixed in equal quantities. And the liquid part can be the same as in the previous recipe. All other recommendations are similar to the mask made of soda and flour.

Soap and soda mask

This recipe, even when using the most harmless baby soap, can be classified as... extreme. It is recommended to grate the soap, pour boiling water (200 ml) over 2 tablespoons of grated soap and add half a teaspoon of soda and salt.

It would be appropriate to recall here that soda (sodium hydrogen carbonate) even at a temperature of +60°C disintegrates into sodium carbonate, water and carbon dioxide. Sodium carbonate is calcined soda, which has only technical application.

So, sorry, further manipulations with the “soap and soda mask” not only make no sense, but their description contradicts our principle: ignorance of the laws of chemistry does not exempt from responsibility for ridiculous information posted on the Internet.

Soda and lemon mask

And now about the mask made of soda and lemon. Probably, those who came up with this recipe also studied chemistry poorly at school. Otherwise, they would have remembered what happens when soda is “quenched” with vinegar, citric acid or fresh lemon juice… Soda and lemon juice mixed with it enter into a chemical reaction, as a result of which salt and carbonic acid are formed. And carbonic acid instantly decomposes into carbon dioxide and water.

How can this be useful for the skin? Perhaps only because lemon and soda can be used to remove traces of green paint or ink from your hands.

Hair mask with soda

According to popular belief, the benefit of soda for hair is that this chemical compound will help free the scalp from excess sebum - for any type of hair, except for colored hair.

The simplest hair mask with soda is prepared without leaving the bathroom. To do this, just add a tablespoon of soda to regular shampoo, apply it to your hair and scalp, lather well, hold for 3-4 minutes and rinse.

At the end of the procedure, be sure to rinse your hair with acidified water at the rate of one tablespoon of table or apple cider vinegar per liter of water.

Soda masks for the body

Well, now recipes for a soda mask for the body. The first method involves adding a small amount of soda to a portion of shower gel. When applying this mixture, it is recommended not to rub it into the skin too much - so that the homemade scrub does not damage the skin or cause irritation. And you need to wash it all off as thoroughly as possible so that the effect of the procedure does not lead you to a dermatologist.

There is another way to make a soda mask for the body. Take 100 g of cream and 2 tablespoons of table salt and baking soda. All further techniques are the same as when using the first recipe.

Reviews of soda masks

The main problem of those who use homemade cosmetic masks with sodium bicarbonate and then share their impressions, leaving reviews of masks from soda, is oily skin and hair. Many claim that soda really helps to cope with these problems: the skin is less shiny from fat, and the hair stays clean longer.

In addition, soda is cheap and can be found in every kitchen. Therefore, a soda mask can be an alternative to expensive peelings and procedures in beauty salons. But the real effectiveness of such an alternative can only be verified through personal experience. Good luck to you!