Baking soda, apart from being a kitchen staple, doubles as a beauty superstar. It acts as a great cleansing agent, soothes burns, and deodorizes odors. Plus, it’s very affordable. Scroll down to learn the best prettifying tricks baking soda can do for you.

1. It preps your nails before a manicure.
The gentle exfoliating nature of baking soda makes it a perfect ingredient for scrubs. For a neat mani, mix baking soda and a bit of water until it turns into a paste, then rub on your cuticles, nails, and hands. This will soften cuticles and remove stains, stat.

2. It acts as a salve.
Soothe razor burn and bug bites by applying a solution of one tablespoon of baking soda and one cup of warm water directly on these nasties. Baking soda balances the pH levels of skin, thus reducing itching and inflammation.

3. It acts as a natural deodorant.
Ran out of deodorant? Solve this emergency by dusting baking soda under your arms. Baking soda absorbs and neutralizes unwanted odors.

4. It keeps dandruff at bay.
Hold off using your favourite shampoo and massage baking soda on your scalp. Baking soda is an inexpensive alternative to clarifying shampoo because it does a great job in sopping product residue and accumulated dirt.

5. It cleans up brushes and combs.
Soak dirty hairbrushes and combs in a tablespoon of baking soda and a cup of water, and watch all the gunk float off your hair tools.

(Photo courtesy of Andrew Myers via Flickr Creative Commons)