Remove Body Hair with Sugar

5 Parts:

What is Sugar Wax and Where Did it Originate?

Why Should I Use Sugar Wax for Hair Removal?

Let's Make Sugar Wax!

Remove Your Hair with Sugar Wax.

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With the cost of razors, hair removal wax, and depilatory creams, it's no wonder so many people are turning to cheaper, more natural methods of hair removal. I first tried using sugar wax years ago, when I was still a teenager. It had taken several tries before I got the wax to the right consistency. When I finally did get it right, I decided that I would never spend money on wax again. Hair removal is not cheap, with one container of wax ranging from $20 to $40, and razors costing upwards of $20 for a refill pack. How would you like to spend under fifty cents for hair removal instead? You can do it, with ingredients you likely have in your home right now!

Sugar wax, sometimes called sugaring, is a simple combination of sugar, lemon juice, water, and salt. When heated to the right temperature, it can form a pliable, sticky wax. Sugar wax has been around since around 1900 BC ^[1] and is gaining popularity again. It's a traditional Arabic way of waxing and was originally made from honey, as sugar wasn't readily available in those areas. I learned this method from a Persian friend I knew in high school. It was her family's preferred method of hair removal, and I can understand why. It's cheap and easy.

The main reason I made the switch to sugar wax is because of the natural ingredients.

With so much emphasis on natural living these days, it's a great way to reduce waste and save a few dollars. You also won't be exposing your body to some of the harsh chemicals found in store-bought waxes. In fact, you can even EAT it. For me, the best part of it is the ease of cleanup. When using regular waxes, if small particles remain on the skin, it can be annoying to get them off. If you get it on your clothing, forget about it. I haven't figured out a way to remove it. Sometimes, you may end up with strands of wax streaking across your bathroom counter, these are extremely time-consuming to remove. If you ever find yourself in this situation, coconut oil is a great way to scrub off the store-bought wax from both your skin and other hard surfaces. For more ways to use coconut oil, or help with what type to buy, visit this article on How to Choose the Best Type of Coconut Oil for Your Needs. With sugar wax, all that is needed is some water and a washcloth! Since the wax is made of sugar, it's water soluble, making cleanup very easy.

It's time to start cooking!

The first few times you make it, it may be a little difficult. It's hard to know the exact time to stop cooking the sugar until you've done it a few times. By about the fourth try, you should have it perfect. If you don't feel like it's right, feel free to try again. After all, it's extremely cheap to make. Sugar wax, or sugaring paste, is a stretchy type of wax that must be cooked and worked with for about 30 minutes. It should be slightly warm during use. Getting it to the right consistency can be difficult. Learning to use is also difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it, you can wax both legs in about five minutes (and for under $.50)! What other methods of hair removal costs so little, removes hair so quickly, and keeps it gone for up to 8 weeks? None that I have found.

1. 1
   To make sugaring paste, you'll need the following ingredients:

   

    

   1. 1 cup of sugar.
   2. 2 tablespoons of water.
   3. 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
   4. 1 teaspoon of salt.

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2. 2
   Combine all of the ingredients in a pan

   .

   

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3. 3
   Turn the heat to medium and allow the sugar solution to come to a simmer

   .

   Stir it often.

   

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4. 4
   Prepare a clay, ceramic, glass, or marble oven safe plate, by pouring a small amount of water in it

   .

   

   Add just enough water to make a thin layer. If you have marble counters, it can be done directly on the counter top.

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5. 5
   Cook the sugar mixture until it turns a deep amber color

   .

   

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6. 6
   Remove from the heat and pour directly onto the prepared surface or plate.

   

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7. 7
   Allow it to cool for about a minute and then begin moving the sugar solution from the edges, toward the center

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   It is still VERY HOT. Do NOT touch it.

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8. 8
   Continue to move the mixture around, it will get thicker as you stir until it forms a sticky, soft ball.

   

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9. 9
   Once it has formed a soft ball, you want to wet your hands with cool water

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   Stretch and pull the wax, wetting your hands again as needed. It will be slightly hot to the touch, but not hot enough to burn you.

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10. 10
    Put it into the container of your choice but make sure it's microwavable

    .

    

    That way, you can easily heat it up next time you want to use it.

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Now you have this sticky wax with a texture like silly putty, but stickier. You might be thinking, "How am I going to remove hair with this?" It's not easy at first, but you get the hang of it. Here's how to do it.

1. 1
   First, be sure your wax is lukewarm

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   It shouldn't be hot, or it will be too runny to remove hair. It shouldn't be cold, or it will be too hard to smear on the skin. If it's too cold, or if you are reheating some previously refrigerated wax, start with ten seconds in the microwave. Check the temperature, and if needed, heat for ten more seconds, until the desired temperature is reached.

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2. 2
   Start by grabbing a piece about the size of a ping-pong ball

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   When you get used to doing it, you can use more or less, based on your preferences.

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3. 3
   Smear it on your skin, against the direction of hair growth

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   On your legs, you will be smearing it upward.

   

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4. 4
   Now, once it has been applied, you are going to smooth it up once more, and yank downward in one, smooth motion

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   Be sure you are pulling it down, close to your skin. If you pull it outward instead, you will bruise the skin.

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5. 5
   Do not try to pull it all off in one shot

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   Do it incrementally, using 3-4 pulls to remove the wax completely. This way it ensures that you won't injure or bruise the skin.

   

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6. 6
   Continue like this until all unwanted hair is removed

   .

   Easy, isn't it?

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Tips and Tricks

• Be careful when cooking it. It's HOT.
• Soak everything you used while cooking the sugar wax in some water as soon as you get a chance. It will dissolve most of the sugar, so when it comes time for cleanup, it will be much easier.
• If you are having trouble getting the wax hard enough, try cooking it a little longer next time. If you feel like it needs more or less of a certain ingredient, feel free to adjust it to your liking.
• If the wax seems too hard, add more water and knead it some more. That will soften it up.
• If you have extra, store it in a microwavable container or a plastic zipper bag, in your fridge. When it's time to wax again, heat it for about 10 seconds, check the consistency. If it's not pliable enough, add more time.
• While using the wax, if it starts to get much stickier, it's time to discard that piece, and use some new wax. If you don't, you'll risk getting it stuck to your skin.
• If the wax gets stuck to your skin, don't panic! My first experience with store-bought wax getting stuck to my skin was miserable. It isn't washable, and I couldn't get the strip to stick. I tried applying more, and it was a mess. I ended up peeling and scraping every painful hair off along with the wax. This wax is washable and completely soluble in water. Just run it under water and rub gently with your hand or a washcloth. That's why I love this wax.
• To make the hair easier to remove, some people will put talcum powder or cornstarch on their skin before waxing. I find that it does ease some of the pain from waxing, as it keeps the wax from sticking to your skin.
• If you exfoliate before waxing, it will help the wax adhere to the hair by removing dead skin cells.

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ Dania Tannir, Barry Leshin; Sugaring: An Ancient Method of Hair Removal

If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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