Is Baking Soda Good For Your Skin? A Dermatologist Weighs In

I recently came across a video of a content creator using baking soda as a cleanser, and it stopped me in my tracks. Her skin was absolutely glowing and (appeared to be) entirely wrinkle-free—she attributed those positive traits to this twice-weekly ritual. 

When I further researched the topic on TikTok, I found a few dermatologists' reaction videos that answered my pressing question: Is this the simple skin care hack truly that transformative?

It turns out, not really. As board-certified dermatologist Andrea Suarez, M.D.,FAAD, explains in a response video, a DIY baking soda cleanser is not worth the risk for most people.

“I don’t recommend putting baking soda on your skin," she shares. "It’s very caustic, can disrupt your skin’s pH, leading to a lot of dryness and irritation, and can really aggravate underlying skin problems like acne and atopic dermatitis.”

Her response is just one of many anti-baking soda videos from dermatologists and estheticians on TikTok, suggesting that most people should skip this DIY hack—especially folks with sensitive complexions or inflammatory skin conditions. 

Baking soda does have antibacterial properties1, which is why people may assume it's safe for acne-prone skin, but the cons outweigh the pros in this situation, as dryness and irritation will likely make acne worse.

This doesn’t mean baking soda fans are necessarily lying about their glowing skin, but research doesn’t quite seem to back up the lofty claims that it will reduce wrinkles and give you a glass-like complexion. 

Even if you can tolerate baking soda on your face, Suarez says, “It still does not explain how these people look the way they do.” 

See, the amount of fine lines and depth of wrinkles you have as you age has much more to do with lifestyle factors, cumulative sun exposure, and genetics, she notes. Which is why it’s much more important to focus on those research-backed contributors than test out TikTok remedies.