What is Borax and is it Good for the Skin?
Borax is a naturally occurring mineral that has been used for centuries in various ways to benefit the body as a micronutrient. Its use as an ingredient in natural remedies for various skin conditions is well-known among health practitioners and manufacturers.
Borax for Skin
Multiple Borax Uses
Sodium borate has many applications in industry and households. In industry, it’s used as a fire retardant, antifungal, and cleaning agent. In households, it’s often used as an all-purpose cleaner or as a mold and mildew remover. It can be used for laundry, cleaning, and keeping flowers fresh. It can also be used to maintain the pH value of swimming pools and as a food additive.
In addition, the compound inhibits or reduces bacterial growth in products such as bath bombs, salts, shower gels, body lotions, and shampoos. This makes it an ideal ingredient for use as a preservative or buffering agent in these products.
Outside the home, it has many other uses, including glass making, pottery, and welding.
Boron compounds are also used in skincare products to kill bacteria and remove dead skin cells and excess oil. While it is considered safe for use on the skin, it is important to use it in small quantities to avoid any potential irritation.
How Borax is used in Skincare
The borax powder can be used as an ingredient in skin care products. It helps maintain the skin’s pH balance and absorb excess oil.
The commercial product is partly hydrated. When the compound reacts with water, the reaction stimulates the release of minute amounts of hydrogen peroxide. As most of us are probably aware, hydrogen peroxide is widely used as an antiseptic to prevent skin infections.
This property aids various products in inhibiting microbial growth on and in the skin. Furthermore, the compound found in cosmetics, particularly lotions and creams, loosens the water phase of the product, allowing opposing oil and water elements to bind well with each other.
The compound’s emulsifying action also lowers the surface tension of the water-based constituents of cosmetic products, permitting combination with additives such as beeswax and oils, thus extending the product’s shelf life.
Essentially, the compound in cosmetic products can function as a preservative, emulsifying agent, water softener, cleanser, particle suspender, or buffering agent. The high pH value of sodium borate, i.e., 9.5, allows it to behave as a buffering agent.
Here’s how to use a sodium borate mask:
- Take half a teaspoon of borax powder, one teaspoon of glycerine, one cup of distilled water, and half a teaspoon of camphor lotion and stir them to make a paste.
- Use this paste to treat the problem areas.
- Wear the mask until it gets dry, then wash the face with lukewarm water. Splash some cold water on the face and gently tap with a clean towel
Is Borax Safe For Skin?
While the compound is generally considered safe, some precautions should be taken. Here’s what you need to know while using it on the skin.
- Long-term exposure can cause liver cancer, liver failure, and skin peeling.
- When used in high doses, sodium borate can also interfere with hormone balance. It’s best to avoid using it if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.
- As the skin can soak sodium borate into the system, do not apply above the recommended dosage. Also, after interacting with it, thoroughly wash your hands.
Personal Care Products With Borax
Some of the personal care products with sodium borate are –
- Abra Therapeutics Aromasaurus Aromatherapy Bubble Bath, Stress
- Suki Moisture Skin Cleansing Lotion
- Abra Therapeutics Cellular Detox Bath, Grapefruit & Juniper
- Abra Therapeutics Abracadabra Organic Herbals Bubble Bath, Hula Lula Tropical Fruit
- Now Solutions, MSM Healthy Skin, Liposome Lotion Rejuvenating Cream
- Aura Cacia Aromatherapy Mineral Bath, Tranquil Chamomile
- Indigo Wild Zum Face Gentle Facial Cleanser
- Morning Song Garden Face Hand & Body Bee Balm Cream, Fragrance-Free
- Pete and Pedro Shave Cream, Eucalyptus Mint
- Zum Face Charcoal Sugar Facial Scrub
