Mix Baking Soda With Vaseline: A Simple DIY Skin Care Remedy

A mixture of Vaseline (petroleum jelly) and baking soda is sometimes promoted as a homemade beauty remedy for exfoliating rough skin. However, baking soda is alkaline and can irritate or dry out the skin, so it should be used cautiously.

🥄 Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon Vaseline
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

👩‍🍳 How to Prepare

1. Place the Vaseline in a clean, small bowl.
2. Add the baking soda.
3. Mix thoroughly until you have a smooth paste.

✨ How to Use It

For Rough Areas

Apply a very thin layer to areas such as:

• Elbows
• Knees
• Heels
• Other small areas of rough, intact skin

Leave it on for about 5 minutes.

Gently wipe or rinse it away with lukewarm water.

Apply a plain moisturizer afterward if the skin feels dry.

⚠️ Don’t Use It on the Face

Baking soda can disrupt the skin’s natural protective barrier and may cause dryness, burning, redness, or irritation, especially on sensitive facial skin.

Avoid using this mixture:

• Around the eyes
• On lips
• On broken or irritated skin
• Immediately after shaving
• On eczema or active rashes
• On cuts or wounds

🧪 Patch Test First

Before trying the mixture, apply a tiny amount to a small area of your inner arm.

Wait 24 hours.

If you develop redness, itching, burning, or swelling, wash it off and don’t use it.

🌿 A Safer Alternative for Dry Skin

If your goal is simply to soften dry or rough skin, plain Vaseline alone is generally a better choice.

Apply a thin layer to slightly damp skin before bedtime. For very dry heels, apply Vaseline and wear clean cotton socks overnight.

Important

Despite popular DIY claims, Vaseline + baking soda does not remove skin tags, moles, scars, or permanent pigmentation. Don’t use it as a treatment for these conditions, and don’t attempt to burn or chemically remove skin growths at home.