Page 18 - Prevention (February 2020)

PUL S E

INGREDIENT ID
BAKING SODA AS A

BEAUTY PRODUCT

DIY skincare recipes with the kitchen staple have been
around for decades, and now beauty brands are incorporat-
ing it into their formulas. Are the packaged baking soda
products worth it? They do have a key advantage:
“Applying pure baking soda to your skin can
throw off its pH balance, which over time
can cause skin to become more vulnerable
to irritation, dryness, and acne,” says
Heather Woolery-Lloyd, M.D., a derma-
tologist in Miami. “A skincare product
that contains baking soda, on the other
hand, will likely be pH-balanced to
avoid this problem.” If you’re prone to
breakouts, baking soda can help buff
away dead skin that can clog pores (try
Bioré Baking Soda Cleansing Scrub,
$10, drugstores). Skip baking soda
for your hair, though, experts advise:
It’s too abrasive. Use a shampoo with
zinc or salicylic acid to treat an oily scalp

without causing irritation, says
Kevin Mancuso, a hairstylist and
trichologist in New York City.

GETTY IMAGES.

16 PREVENTION.COM • F E B RUARY 2020