The claim that a homemade baking soda cream can reduce wrinkles and dark spots is not supported by good scientific evidence. In fact, using baking soda on your face regularly can do more harm than good.
Here’s why:
- Baking soda is highly alkaline (pH around 8–9), while healthy skin is naturally slightly acidic (pH around 4.5–5.5).
- Frequent use can damage the skin barrier, leading to dryness, irritation, redness, and increased sensitivity.
- There is no reliable evidence that baking soda reduces wrinkles or fades age spots.
If you’re looking to improve wrinkles or dark spots, options with better evidence include:
- Daily sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) to prevent further skin aging and pigmentation.
- Retinoids (retinol or prescription tretinoin) to reduce fine lines over time.
- Vitamin C serums to brighten skin and help with pigmentation.
- Niacinamide to improve skin tone and support the skin barrier.
- Azelaic acid or products with gentle exfoliating acids (AHAs) for some types of dark spots.
If you still want to use a homemade skincare product, choose gentle, moisturizing ingredients rather than baking soda. And whenever you try a new product, test it on a small area of skin first to check for irritation.
If your dark spots are changing in size, shape, color, or bleeding, or if a new spot looks unusual, it’s important to have it evaluated by a healthcare professional, as not all skin spots are harmless.
