DIY natural skin care: Baking soda exfoliator

We all know that baking soda is good for making cookies and deodorizing your fridge, but did you know it's also a great DIY skin care tool? One of the many properties of baking soda is oil and dirt removal, so you can scrub pretty much anything in your house with it to make it clean and fresh, but it's also gentle enough to use on your skin.

Baking soda is very finely ground, so when used as an exfoliator, it leaves your skin super smooth. It's also less abrasive than other natural exfoliants, like those made from crushed nuts or shells, which are unevenly textured and can damage your skin.

Make a paste of 1 part baking soda and 3 parts water, or just mix a little bit into your favorite face wash to turn it into a luxe exfoliant.

I use it to scrub away the peely skin I get from using benzoyl peroxide. It gets all the flakes off and leaves my skin incredibly smooth!

Other beauty uses for baking soda:

• Make a paste and spot-treat acne
• Mix in with your shampoo for a clarifying wash
• Add a half cup to your bath water for a relaxing soak
• Put a couple teaspoons in some water for instant DIY mouthwash