The costs of store-bought beauty and health products can add up quickly, and these products often contain harmful ingredients.
A natural and cost-effective solution is baking soda. It is a common ingredient, often found in the kitchen cupboard, and it can be used in many different ways to mend and improve your body from head to toe. This household ingredient is effective as an antibacterial, antiseptic, antifungal and anti-inflammatory because of its alkaline properties. However, make sure to use only a small amount for short periods of time because excessive use can damage both hair and skin.
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Use It As Dry Shampoo
Because store-bought shampoo is costly, it can empty your wallet quickly if you use it frequently. A cheaper alternative solution is using a pinch of baking soda instead. Apply a pinch of it to your roots and massage it into your scalp. This is the perfect solution for taming oily hair between washes.
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Add It To Your Shampoo for a Volumizing Effect
Baking soda is versatile as a hair product and can also be added to any shampoo to boast its volumizing effects and erase any impurities. Use a quarter-size measurement of baking soda and mix it in with your daily amount of shampoo to gain maximum positive effects. Repeat every day, or as often as needed.
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Use It to Get Rid of Acne
Forget using store-bought face washes containing harsh chemicals to rid your face of pimples. Instead try the soothing mixture of a pinch of baking soda and a teaspoon of honey. Leave the mixture on your face no more than 15 minutes to get the best results. An added bonus is that this treatment will also brighten your face as well.
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Use it to Brighten Your Teeth
Mix half a teaspoon of baking soda with a few drops of water or lemon juice to create an instant teeth whitening solution. Apply the mixture to your teeth with either your finger or your toothbrush. If you have an extra stubborn stain, apply the solution directly to that spot and wait two minutes before rinsing it off.
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Use It to Scrub Your Nails
Leaving nail polish on too long can result in your nails developing a yellowish tint. Address this issue by mixing together a few drops of peroxide and a pinch of baking soda and applying this to your nails with cotton balls. Make sure to not go overboard on either ingredient, since even small doses can produce strong results.
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Use It to Exfoliate Your Feet
Add two or three tablespoons of baking soda to a washbasin filled with warm water for a relaxing and effective way to soften your feet. Mix in your favorite essential oil, like lavender, and let your feet soak for twenty minutes. Afterwards, scrub the rough areas with a paste made out of a few drops of water and a pinch of baking soda.
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Use It to Heal Skin Rashes
Baking soda has anti-inflammatory effects and can work wonders on soothing irritated skin. Mix one part baking soda with three parts water and apply it to the affected area. Wait a few minutes and then rinse it off with cool water. If you are itching all over your body, add one tablespoon of baking soda to a bath and soak in it for ten minutes every day until you are healed.
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Use It to Treat Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus is a common issue, but baking soda provides a quick and easy solution to this problem. Stir in two tablespoons of baking soda into raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Soak your affected toes in the solution for five minutes twice daily.
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