diff --git a/src/base64.rs b/src/base64.rs
index dc2ba8a..86abea1 100644
--- a/src/base64.rs
+++ b/src/base64.rs
@@ -191,6 +191,12 @@ impl ToBase64 for [u8] {
     }
 }
 
+impl<'a, T: ?Sized + ToBase64> ToBase64 for &'a T {
+    fn to_base64(&self, config: Config) -> String {
+        (**self).to_base64(config)
+    }
+}
+
 /// A trait for converting from base64 encoded values.
 pub trait FromBase64 {
     /// Converts the value of `self`, interpreted as base64 encoded data, into
@@ -317,6 +323,12 @@ impl FromBase64 for [u8] {
     }
 }
 
+impl<'a, T: ?Sized + FromBase64> FromBase64 for &'a T {
+    fn from_base64(&self) -> Result<Vec<u8>, FromBase64Error> {
+        (**self).from_base64()
+    }
+}
+
 /// Base64 decoding lookup table, generated using:
 /// ```rust
 ///     let mut ch = 0u8;
diff --git a/src/hex.rs b/src/hex.rs
index 08d25fd..22d2e5d 100644
--- a/src/hex.rs
+++ b/src/hex.rs
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ impl ToHex for [u8] {
     }
 }
 
+impl<'a, T: ?Sized + ToHex> ToHex for &'a T {
+    fn to_hex(&self) -> String {
+        (**self).to_hex()
+    }
+}
+
 /// A trait for converting hexadecimal encoded values
 pub trait FromHex {
     /// Converts the value of `self`, interpreted as hexadecimal encoded data,
@@ -155,6 +161,12 @@ impl FromHex for str {
     }
 }
 
+impl<'a, T: ?Sized + FromHex> FromHex for &'a T {
+    fn from_hex(&self) -> Result<Vec<u8>, FromHexError> {
+        (**self).from_hex()
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use hex::{FromHex, ToHex};