Baking Soda for Oily Skin

As someone with PCOS, I know the extreme havoc it can wreak on our skin.  For most of my life I've had oily skin, and I had always assumed that it was because I had Italian in me.  Heck, maybe the Italian thing plays a factor in my oily skin, too.  However, I do know that many women out there (who are not Italian) with PCOS complain of oily skin.  It makes sense that oily skin would be a symptom of PCOS, because acne most certainly isn't shy in people with PCOS.  And yes, I have the acne prone skin, too.  :(

When your skin gets oily (or "glowy" as some overly-kind people have to referred to it), you may notice that you are more prone to clogged pores and blackheads.  I know I am.  I have spent hundreds of dollars and received tons of free samples of products that claim to unclog pores and diminish oil on the surface of the skin.  In my search for the Holy Grail of pore uncloggers, I always come back to good ol' sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).

Baking soda is the only thing I've found that consistently dimishes the oil in my pores (at least, so far).  Not only that, but it makes my skin much smoother and softer (you may be able to tell in the photo below).  It has also had a nice effect on my cystic acne.  It doesn't make the cystic acne go away, but it definitely makes it hurt a lot less!  I use it on my scalp as well (because my scalp tends to get oily a little too quickly for my taste) and because it removes the excess oil, it gives my hair the appearance of having more volume.  BO-NUS!

Now, I'm not claiming that baking soda will solve all your skin problems, but do I feel confident that you will at least notice a difference if you use it correctly.  As with any product, the more often you use it, the longer your results will last.  So let's get down to it...

1.  Create your "mask" with a mixture of baking soda and water.  I have found that one tablespoon of baking soda to one teaspoon of water will create a paste with the best consistency.  When I make mine, I use two tablespoons of baking soda and 2 teaspoons of water, because I add half of the mixture to my hair..  Set your mixture right outside the shower so you can easily reach it when you're ready for it.

2.  Get into the shower and run the hottest water you can stand without burning yourself (use common sense here).  Let the steam and the hot water open your pores for about 3 minutes or so.

3.  Grab your baking soda paste and using your fingertips, gently exfoliate your skin, avoiding the eye area.  Concentrate on areas where clogged pores and blackheads appear most often, primarily the T-zone.  I do not recommend putting this mask on your neck or décolletage, because it can be quite drying on areas that are not oily.

4.  Rinse the mask with cold* water immediately after exfoliation, especially the first time you are using it.  You may find that you can leave it on your skin longer for better results, but it's always best to test your reaction to new treatments a little at a time.  Currently, I leave my mask on for about 3-5 minutes, depending on how much of a hurry I'm in.  I use this mask once daily, but you may find that it dries out your skin too quickly, and you may only be able to use it once a week.  You will have to experiment to find your own happy medium.

*Why use cold water when rinsing the mask?  The cold water will close (or tighten) your pores so that less dirt can get back in there and clog them up.  If you really want to safeguard yourself, you can also run an ice cube over your face when you get out of the shower.

 How many of you have tried this method of oil removal?  Love it?  Hate it?