How To Exfoliate With Baking Soda Before Spray Tan
Baking soda is one of those miracle products that should be kept in every kitchen pantry. It has so many uses, from a powerful natural cleaning product to being used for skin care.
When it comes to spray tanning, baking soda can swoop in to help as well. Exactly how does baking soda help to give you the perfect spray tan?
It is all in the preparation! Baking soda is super effective with helping to exfoliate the skin before being spray tanned.
It is cheap, readily available, and probably sitting in your kitchen right now waiting to be used!
Why You Should Use Baking Soda To Exfoliate
Baking soda Acts as one of the most effective skin exfoliants around while being substantially cheaper than other exfoliators on the market.
Baking soda is made up of small, finely ground granules that make it a worthwhile exfoliant.
Due to its texture, it easily removes dead skin cells without causing much irritation to the skin.
To add to its remarkable ability to exfoliate, baking soda is a neutralising agent, which allows it to counteract other acids and soaps on the skin, removing them to prepare for a spray tan.
The baking soda exfoliant will not penetrate down into the skin but instead helps to only remove excess skin cells and products from the surface of the skin, which is exactly what you need to prepare for a spray tan.
Many store-bought exfoliators contain microbeads, made from plastic, which help to scrub the skin.
To avoid using excessive plastic when other alternatives are available, baking soda can be used.
The granules dissolve in water, so you will not be flushing tiny plastic balls down the sink each time you exfoliate.
Baking soda remains one of the most cost-effective ways to exfoliate your skin before a spray tan, and can be found in almost any store!
The Importance Of Exfoliation Before A Spray Tan
It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to exfoliate your skin before getting a spray tan.
Without exfoliating your skin, you will likely be left with a patchy tan, featuring stripes and streaks, particularly in drier areas such as the ankles, knees, and elbows.
Spray tans, like self-tanners, contain an ingredient called DHA. DHA reacts with the top layer of dead skin, creating a darker tone that resembles a tan.
An excess of dead skin cells in some areas can cause the DHA to darken that area more than others, resulting in a very blotchy tan.
Removing excess dead skin cells will also help ensure that your tan lasts longer.
The top layer of dead skin cells will slough off after a short amount of time, and by removing these, you are ensuring your tan won’t fade as the dead skin cells are sloughed off.
Exfoliating also helps remove old products from the skin, such as old lotions or perfumes, which may act as a barrier to the spray tan, preventing it from reaching the skin properly and potentially causing patches and dark spots.
To add to it all, exfoliating helps to clean your skin, and clean skin holds a spray tan much better.
Creating the perfect canvas for your spray tan is one of the best ways to ensure you achieve a natural-looking, flawless and even tan, free from streaks and patches.
How To Make Baking Soda Exfoliator
Making a baking soda exfoliator is so ridiculously easy. For the most basic baking soda exfoliator, all you need are two ingredients: baking soda and water.
Start with two tablespoons of baking soda, placed in a small dish.
Then, add a tablespoon of water and stir until smooth. You can add more water if you prefer, but ensure the exfoliator has a thick consistency and remains sufficiently wet to spread evenly over the skin.
The paste should be able to be scooped out of the bowl easily without running and messing anywhere.
Variations
- Essential oils – To give your skin an extra boost of care, you can add a few drops of essential oils to the paste. Spearmint and lime are a good choice as they hydrate the skin and smell great, but you can use any essential oil you prefer.
- Lemon juice – You can also add a few drops of lemon juice. This helps to further cleanse the skin of any excess dirt or buildup.
How To Exfoliate With Baking Soda
Using your baking soda exfoliator is almost as easy as making it.
Remember not to scrub too hard, and instead trust the baking soda to remove dead skin cells and old product from your skin on its own.
With your baking soda exfoliator paste, hop into the shower. Gently massage the body scrub onto your body using your fingers in small, circular motions.
Remember to focus on the drier areas of your body, such as the ankles, knees, and elbows. Leave the baking soda on your skin for a minute or so, and rinse it away in the shower.
As a facial scrub, you can gently massage the baking soda exfoliator onto your skin, leave it for a minute or two, and rinse it off in the bathroom sink.
Using an exfoliating mitt will further enhance the process by adding an extra texture that helps remove any buildup of skin cells or old product left on the skin.
You don’t only have to use a baking soda exfoliator to prepare your skin for a spray tan, but using it once a week, it works wonders on the skin.
Do not use it more than once a week, as regular use can dry out the skin and strip it of its natural oils, which keep the skin hydrated and moisturised.
Exfoliate your body using the baking soda paste 24 hours before your spray tan.
This will remove all excess buildup on your skin, allowing your skin enough time to rehydrate and recover before the spray tan product is applied.
As an extra tip, shave your legs and any other body parts that will be spray-tanned while you are in the shower, rinsing off your body scrub.
This creates an even smoother canvas for the spray tan, as there will be no barrier between your skin and the spray tan product.
It also saves you from having to shave soon after your tan, which could strip some of the colour off your skin.
Does Baking Soda Really Do The Job?
There is no doubt that baking soda helps prepare the skin for a spray tan. It will leave your skin smooth and even, ready to be gifted with the most gorgeous bronze glow!
It is essential to moisturise after exfoliating, as your skin may be slightly dry after using the baking soda body scrub.
Use a moisturiser that does not contain oils, alcohol, or perfume, as these might block some of the product from reacting evenly with your skin.
Related Questions
Can baking soda help to remove a spray tan?
Using a paste made from baking soda and water, you can remove a spray tan.
Simply by rubbing the paste over the skin and leaving it for a few minutes before washing it off, the tan will fade as the skin cells on the outer layer of the skin are removed by the exfoliator.
This method also works to even out a patchy tan when applied and rubbed into darker areas to lighten them.
What else can baking soda be used for?
There are almost too many uses for baking soda to be listed in one article! Some of the more popular uses of baking soda are:
- A natural cleaning ingredient in homes
- Facial scrub
- Teeth whitener
- Absorbing bad odors
- Treating heartburn
- Relieving itchy skin
How else can I prepare my skin for a spray tan?
In addition to exfoliating your skin 24 hours before a spray tan, you should also shave any areas that will be spray tanned.
Use a moisturiser to rehydrate the skin, providing it with extra nourishment to help retain the tan for longer.
You should avoid using deodorant, makeup, or perfume before getting your spray tan, as these can interfere with achieving an even and flawless tan.
Baking Soda Exfoliator for Spray Tans
Sometimes, the simplest and most affordable options are the best, and this is evident when using baking soda as an exfoliator before a spray tan.
Spray tanning can be quite an expensive beauty habit, so finding a cost-effective way to prepare your skin for the spray tan is a significant win.
Not only is baking soda a cost-effective exfoliator, but it is also incredibly easy to use, accessible, and non-harmful to the skin.
With so many uses, there is no reason not to stock up on baking soda for your home.
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