First up: that red-hand situation. Baking soda is alkaline—its pH is around 8 or 9, depending on how you mix it. Your skin’s natural pH is more acidic, about 4.5 to 5.5. So when you slather on a thick paste and leave it for ten minutes… yeah, that’s a chemical exfoliation you didn’t ask for. It can strip your skin’s protective barrier, leading to dryness, irritation, and that lovely “I just wrestled a cactus” feeling Karen described.
The fix? Don’t use it as a facial scrub or a hand mask. It’s a cleaner for sinks, not your face. If you do use it for cleaning, rinse your hands immediately afterward. And please, for the love of all that is holy, dilute it. A paste should be wet, not a concrete block. Your epidermis will thank you.
