How To Make Sugaring Wax For Hair Removal

When it comes to DIY projects, ripping i'south body hair out at the roots is normally something I'd get out to professionals, simply the ancient technique of sugaring is just so darn accessible.* Luckily for y'all, I already combed through and tried all the bad advice on the Internet (only a minor exaggeration) to relieve you the literal pains associated with less-than-stellar methods. Yes, I have the bruising to prove information technology. No, I'm not proud of that part.

The event, however, I am proud of: A recipe that actually works! I exclaimed aloud (all by myself), "I did information technology!" when I finally got it correct. The stakes were that high.

And then what's the big bargain with sugaring? There are so many ways to remove trunk hair, why get pumped about just one?

1. The Ancients Loved It

Sugaring has been user tested for a casual few millennia. Purportedly dating to the Middle Kingdom of Ancient Arab republic of egypt around 1900 BC, sugaring went on to conquer Ancient Hellenic republic, Ancient Persia, and has been a popular method in the Centre Eastward for centuries.^1,2

ii. It's super simple, cheap, and like shooting fish in a barrel

Essentially, sugaring "wax" is just caramel, and is made of only carbohydrate, h2o, and lemon juice (you lot'll see recipes for salt or other extras – yous don't demand those) – affordable pantry staples that often don't require an extra trip to the store. Plus, sugar is a natural preservative, making this terminal a long time so you don't have to make a new batch every fourth dimension. As someone who works with oil-based products all the fourth dimension, I take to add that this stuff cleans upwards similar a dream. Hot h2o dissolves it. Done. It couldn't be easier!

3. It works – plus, information technology hurts less

This sticky paste pulls hair out at the roots without ripping off the tiptop layer of skin. Yeah, it still hurts a trivial, but way less (personal stance) than waxing. I'm hooked.

4. Information technology's zero-waste, non-toxic, and eco-friendly

Razors create needless trash, and waxing wax has the double whammy against it of being made with questionable ingredients, and needing to be thrown away. Don't even get me started on Nair.

Sugaring, on the other hand, is pretty much a no-waste operation, and dissolves in hot water to literal sugar water. It'south probably not skillful for fish diabetes, only other than that, seems ok. You lotcan swallow this, but I wouldn't recommend it because it's way also sticky to be comfortable on teeth. Consider yourself warned.

Sugaring Methods

Proper sugaring is done with a pliable mass of sugaring paste that is practical and removed with fingers, and tin be reused for multiple sections earlier losing its stickiness. It reminds me of non-toxic, for-developed-purposes Lightheaded Putty.

Likewise many recipes for sugaring "wax" have the dry out-to-wet ratio of the ingredients all incorrect so that the sugar is always too sticky and won't hold into a ball. The authors of these recipes volition tell you to use material strips to remove it like traditional wax, which works, merely isn't sugaring in its best form. It's also wildly frustrating and rather messy to work with. I tried i of these ill-fated recipes in my experiments and used old muslin from a sewing project in lieu of waxing strips. Nonetheless, it's super like shooting fish in a barrel to wash and reuse the strips if you go this road.

How to Make Sugaring "Wax"

ingredients

ane cup sugar (I used organic, fair merchandise cane saccharide)
1/4 cup lemon juice (I used bottled organic – aye, yeah, fresh is better, simply I accept a lemon juice trouble and they're a dollar a piece here)
1/iv cup water

+ a bowl with water of any temperature you like
+ a candy thermometer if you have one
+ a glass jar for storing (a short bricklayer jar works brilliantly – you lot need to exist able to reach the lesser)

Feel free to halve or double the recipe to brand less or more than!

the procedure

Pour saccharide in the bottom of a bucket, beingness conscientious not to get any crystals on the sides.
Pour in your liquids, being sure to cover all the sugar. No dry out spots!
Place saucepan over medium-high heat (don't go too crazy on the heat, this volition burn in a jiffy).
At present, I've watched every season of The Bang-up British Bake Off (making me a confectionary expert, obviously), and they always say, to avert crystallization, Exercise Not STIR CARAMEL. There are unlike opinions about this, but if it'due south good plenty for Mary Berry, it's adept enough for me. I did a low-cal swirl to incorporate the ingredients and had no bug. With that said, my understanding is that the heavy quantity of acrid helps to ward off crystallization – just stir at your own hazard.
Lookout man your pot, I promise it will boil, and it volition fire while y'all casually check Instagram while you wait.
Watch for your mixture to change to a warm beloved colour (not too dark!), and pull it from the heat. You tin can ever put information technology back on. If you lot practice take a processed thermometer, heat the mixture to 240˚F (soft ball stage) and pull from the oestrus. The perfect temperature is going to be different depending on the heat and humidity where you live. Delight read the notes on temperature, below.
Turn off your stove. (Baby brain + slumber impecuniousness makes this a necessary reminder)
If you desire to get going right now, when your candy is cool enough to touch on (seriously, sugar burns suck – DO NOT Fire YOURSELF), dip a finger in your h2o and spread it across your fingers and palms so your easily are slightly damp only not wet. Scoop out a hunk of processed and knead it by stretching information technology betwixt your easily like taffy (stretch, fold, stretch, fold). If you cease up with syrupy hands, y'all've got besides much h2o going on. You'll know information technology's ready when the candy turns opaque. Roll it into a ball and y'all're ready to brainstorm!
If storing, oil your storage jar as lightly equally a jar can be oiled before putting your kneaded ball in. This will make removal much easier.
If you opt to skip the kneading and to pour your processed into your storage container unprepped, run the drinking glass under hot water first so it doesn't shatter when you add the hot liquid. Keep h2o out of the interior, though. Kneading before storage volition make your sugar easier to handle in the hereafter, simply if you opt to store sans kneading, I recommend a softer ball phase to make removal from the jar easier.

how to use your sugar

Make sure that the hair is nigh a i/iv-i/2 inch long. Hair as well long volition exist more painful to remove.
Make certain peel is clean, dry, and costless of any lotions, oils, etc.
Beginning at the bottom of the intended pilus removal surface area, rest the brawl of saccharide against your skin, and use three fingers to push the ball into your skin and up against the direction of hair growth. Without lifting information technology from its electric current location, re-stretch the putty across the surface area to brand sure you've got good adherence and coverage. If your saccharide pulls upward from the skin every bit you effort to stretch it, you've got too much moisture. Attempt dusting a tiny amount of arrowroot powder or corn starch on the skin to absorb excess moisture.
Belongings the skin taut (super important, specially in delicate regions similar armpits or bikini – or simply go to a professional), pull sugar putty abroad from your skinin the direction of the hair growth and as parallel equally possible with your body. You may notice it easiest to do this in a flicking motility.
Reform the ball and go along going. Use the same brawl of wax until it'south not sticky anymore and so start fresh with a new one.
When finished, remove any lingering stickies with a clean luke-warm wash cloth.
Wait 24 hours for whatsoever hot showers, repetitive movement activities (e.g. running), or soothing ointments or serums. Exist actress careful to go along the surface area clean. After 24 hours, you lot can apply soothing oil (coconut oil recommended for its antimicrobial properties) or aloe vera. If y'all don't take an aloe plant on hand, brand sure you're using a store bought aloe with the cleanest ingredients possible. The stuff at the drug shop is normally icky and full of crap. Try something like this one from Amara Beauty. (If you're curious near why aloe tin can't simply be "aloe" on the ingredients list, jump down this rabbit pigsty.)
Later 48 hours, exfoliate the area and repeat 2-3 times a week. This helps prevent ingrown hairs.

important notes on heating your sugar

Realistically, you're going to have to exercise this a couple times to find what works best for you. I recommend starting with the soft ball stage (lighter beloved color) considering y'all tin can always heat more, but not less. This will probably be a good temperature for you if you live in a colder region. If you live somewhere hot and humid, you may find that y'all demand to heat your mixture to the house ball (250˚F) or hard ball (260˚F) phase and so that information technology doesn't get melty and sticky as you lot piece of work. If you're heating to a firmer stage, it's highly recommended to knead earlier storing, or yous'll need to reheat your mixture to get information technology out of the jar. Please keep in listen that the warmer your sugar is, the softer it volition be. So if you're working with information technology right away when information technology'southward still warm, and it'due south likewise loose, y'all can either heat it to a firmer land, or look for information technology to absurd more than.

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*Support your local sugaring salon, if you're financially able to do then!