CAN BAKING SODA REALLY REPLACE YOUR ENTIRE BEAUTY ROUTINE?
Generally speaking, there are two things that motivate my lifestyle choices; 1) quality and 2) consciousness.
A year and a half ago I stopped washing my hair and body with products containing chemicals.
I used up the last of my shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers, exfoliators, creams (tingling and otherwise), masks, toners, lifters, buffers, shiners, frotte-frottes, et al. and I replaced them with three* things; baking soda, apple cider vinegar and coconut oil.
*While living and travelling abroad, I made the choice to replace apple cider vinegar with solid shampoo from Lush due to the impracticality of travelling on airplanes with a large glass bottle of liquid. And sometimes I buy other forms of nut oils (argon, almond, avocado, etc.) to mix it up with the coconut.
My reason for stopping the use of chemicals to clean myself and switching to conscious products was two-fold. 1) chemicals are fucking terrible for your body and the environment and, 2) all three of these products last me months on end, have uses outside of beauty care, and combined cost less than a single bottle of salon-grade shampoo.
Plus I have never looked, smelled or felt so vibrantly, deliciously healthy, and my skin is softer than a baby kitten's.
But enough about my flawless kitten body, allow me to help you get one of your own using my second favourite white powder; baking soda.
Every three months or so I spend less than what it costs for a steaming mug of artisanal coffee on a one kilogram bag of organic baking soda which I then decant into a mason jar and use to wash with when I shower.
It’s got deodorizing properties to remove smell in the underarms, feet and girlie bits. Plus it balances your body's pH levels so said lovely bit gets the all-star treatment it deserves while lowering the chance of contracting a yeast infection and otherwise sexually-incapacitating grossness. The more you know, hey?
I also use a baking soda solution to brush my teeth.
It’s not a great idea to brush with actual baking soda because of the risk it poses to your enamel, so I suggest dissolving a bit of baking soda in water and brushing with the solution.
Or check out this list of ethical toothpastes if you have sensitive teeth or your dentist advises against it.
I noticed when I moved to Europe that my pores were clogging up on a more often than it had before I lived there because of all the pollution (chemicals everywhere!) so I started exfoliating my face with baking soda.
The baking soda I use ("Bob's Red Mill" brand) isn't as granulated as "regular" (Arm & Hammer, etc.) baking soda so it’s not as harsh as you’d imagine for your delicate kitten skin. However I do suggest doing a spot test before going all in if it's your first time. And always overload on the coconut oil after exfoliating to keep hydrated.
Baking soda is also great for use as a natural deodorant. Try mixing a bit of it with coconut oil for use under your arms; sprinkle some in your shoes to deodorize them; put a bowl of it in the fridge to absorb smells. You can use it as a cleaning supply (replacing all other sprays or chemical solutions you have en masse cluttering up the cupboard under your sink), and you probably already bake with it.
God I sound like martha fucking stewart.
But how great is that?
A couple dollars every three months to clean your entire house, body, teeth and hair? Plus contribute to saving the environment?
I've done it and I would never go back.
But I'm curious to know... What do you think? Could you replace your entire arsenal of beauty products with some white powder and nut oil? Let us know in the comments below!