Blog Tour: Arm & Hammer Baking Soda For Beauty!

DH and I have been talking about making our home more chemical free. We'd like to cut down on the chemicals and see if we can't just be more healthier overall. I don't remember what product I picked up off my bathroom counter the other day, but it had Propylene glycol in it - which is used to de-ice airplanes! That can't be good for our bodies!

So I headed onto the Internet to check out more natural ideas. I remembered my great grandmother speaking of using baking soda as a toothpaste, and of course you could use it for cleaning around the home, but that was the extent of my knowledge. When Mom Central asked if I would be interested in joining the Arm & Hammer Baking Soda beauty tour, I happily said yes - it was the perfect opportunity!


They sent me on over a lovely natural spa basket so I could have some ME time all to myself. (All 5 seconds of it! LOL) Look at how nicely it was presented:



And here is all the goodies inside:


Included was a little book with a bunch of beauty recipes inside that all used Arm & Hammer baking soda. Here are a few of them:

Facial Glow:
Mix 3 parts Arm & Hammer Baking Soda with 1 part water. Cleanse skin as usual, followed by the gentle scrub. (Be careful to avoid eye area). Rinse with warm water. Leaves skin feeling nourished and refreshed.

Exfoliating Pedicure:
Blend 2 tablespoons of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in a basin of warm water. After a nice soak, make a scrub using 3 parts Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and 1 part water. Follow with an application of a rich moisturizer and a warm towel foot wrap. Let sit for 5 - 10 minutes. Feet will feel smooth and clean.

Brightening Manicure:
Dip brush into Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and scrub nails and cuticles. Make a paste of 3 parts Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to 1 part water. Rub in a gentle, circular motion over hands and fingers to exfoliate and smooth. Rinse clean with warm water and apply polish as usual.

I barricaded the bathroom door started with the Exfoliating Pedicure - boy, were my feet begging for a nice soak. I had some Lavender essence sitting around, so I added a few drops in hopes the calming effect would kick in STAT! lol It was a nice five minutes of soak time - honestly, I can't even remember the last time I soaked my feet. (and the bonus is that it seriously only cost pennies!)

I also started trying to use just the Arm & Hammer Baking Soda as a stand alone product in my daily ME routine. Yep, I brushed my teeth with it! All you have to do is wet your toothbrush, then dip it in the baking soda. I suggest finding a small container with a lid to pour some in, so you don't ruin the whole box (contamination and all) This was, shall we say, an acquired taste thanks to the powdery sensation in my mouth (I have issues! lol) As a heads up, this makes it fluoride free unless you have a bunch of it in your water system. It doesn't bother me, but it might bother you if you are trying this.

The ultimate sacrifice was giving this a whirl as a deodorant. Oh boy, was I hesitant on this one! I'm not a stinky person, but still. To use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda as a deodorant, you'll lightly dust some under your arms. If you have an old make up poof, this might help - otherwise, be careful how you apply it, or you'll have baking soda all over your bathroom floor. LOL! You only need a little bit! My verdict? If you sweat a lot, it may not work for you. After reading up on this, I read that sometimes, the smell you get in the first weeks of trying this (and other natural deodorants) is the chemicals coming out of your body? I probably haven't used it enough in this case. I'll admit, when we went out the other day I ended up using my regular deodorant. (I was worried!)

The last way I incorporated Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in my daily ME routine was to add a small sprinkling into my hand alongside my shampoo. (This works for me because I wash my hair in the sink. It's probably not easy for most if you wash your hair in the shower, since you have the baking soda in a paper box? lol) Now, doing this is supposed to help remove any extra build up in your hair from styling products. I don't use anything on my hair most days besides shampoo & conditioner (hey, I'm home all day!) so I can't say I saw a difference - but it certainly wasn't harming it, so I think I will continue this one.

...you know if you need a container besides the box to dispense the baking soda, consider saving a Parmesan cheese shaker or spice shaker when it's empty, then cleaning it thoroughly and letting it air out for a few days before filling it with the Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. This might make it easier for your beauty routine! You can also purchase Arm & Hammer in a plastic shaker - be sure to keep it so you can refill it. (The environment thanks you)

I was pleasantly surprised at all the different ways I could be using Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in my beauty routine, and I'm sure many of you reading this probably are too. If you already use it for beauty, do you use it a different way than the ways I mentioned above? If you do, will you share it with me? (Please?) I'd love to hear all ideas!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Arm & Hammer and received a beauty basket to thank me for taking the time to participate.