Sugar waxing is a natural, popular DIY alternative to traditional waxing. It's supposedly a less painful way of removing body hair because the sugar only sticks to the hair instead of your skin. Sugar wax can generally be used anywhere, but not on short or coarse hair. For this reason, it might not be appropriate on your bikini line or upper lip. The best results can be achieved on body hair that's at least one-quarter inch (or 1 cm) in length, to give the wax enough hair to grab onto.
Sugar Waxing Supplies
Sugar wax is made from natural ingredients, which means that there are no harmful chemicals or toxins involved that could potentially irritate your skin. It's considered the gentlest form of waxing and very effective on fine to medium hair types. Plus, it's cheap! Before you start creating your own sugar wax, gather the following ingredients and equipment:
- 1 - 2 cups of granulated sugar
- One-quarter cup of water
- One-quarter cup of lemon juice
- A pot
- A whisk
- A spatula
- Facial and body wax strips
- A container for your wax with a lid (like a glass jar)
Cleansing the Skin
Once you've pulled together your ingredients and equipment, it's time to prepare the skin that you plan to wax. Make sure you exfoliate and cleanse the area thoroughly to remove any dirt or dead skin cells prior to waxing. Bacteria left on the skin can get into your pores and cause infection.
Preparing for and Applying Sugar Wax
There are two main variations when it comes to DIY sugar wax recipes: hard wax and soft wax.
Hard Wax Method
For the hard wax method, you need two cups of granulated sugar, as well as a one-quarter quarter cup of water and one-quarter cup of lemon juice.
- Add the three ingredients into a heated pot on your stove and mix them up with your whisk.
- Bring the mixture to the boil for five minutes, until the color of the sugar wax is rich and dark.
- Remove the pot from the stove and let it cool for a few minutes.
- Pour the wax into your preferred container. If you choose a glass jar, heat it beforehand to prevent the glass from shattering.
- Let the wax sit and cool for 20 minutes.
- Test the consistency of the wax with your finger. It should be light and tacky. If it's too thick, add a little water and heat it up in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it becomes more lightweight. If it's too runny or not sticky enough, pour the mixture back into your pot, add more granulated sugar, and boil for another five minutes before proceeding with the third step.
- Do a patch test prior to applying it to a large area of your body. Use your spatula to apply a small amount of wax to your skin (about the size of a dime), wait for a few seconds, and then pull it off with your fingers. Following this, monitor your skin for 24 hours. If you don't see a reaction, such as redness or irritation, then proceed with using the wax.
- Use your spatula to apply the wax to your skin at a one-quarter of an inch thickness. Apply it in the opposite direction of your hair growth to prevent broken, ingrown hairs.
- Let the wax cool for 10 seconds.
- Rip off the wax in the direction of hair growth.
- Apply slight pressure on your skin to ease any swelling.
Soft Wax Method
For the soft wax method, you will need one cup of granulated sugar, one-quarter cup of water and one-quarter cup of lemon juice.
- Add the three ingredients into a heated pot on your stove and mix them up with your whisk.
- Bring the mixture to the boil for five minutes, or until it is a light honey hue.
- Remove the pot from the stove and let it cool for a few minutes.
- Pour the wax into your preferred container. If using a glass jar, heat it ahead of time to keep the glass from shattering.
- Let the wax sit and cool for 20 minutes.
- Test the texture of the wax with your finger. It should be slightly thicker than honey. If it's too thick, add a little water and heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it becomes runnier. If it's too thin, pop the mixture back into your pot, add more granulated sugar, and boil for another five minutes before proceeding with the third step.
- Do a patch test. This involves using your spatula to apply a dime-sized amount of wax to your skin, waiting for a few seconds, then pulling it off with your fingers. Afterwards, monitor your skin for 24 hours. If you don't see a reaction, such as redness or irritation, you can proceed with using the wax.
- Use the spatula to smooth the sugar wax onto your skin at a one-quarter of an inch thickness in the opposite direction of your hair growth.
- Place a fabric strip over the wax and press it down for two minutes.
- Rip the fabric strip off in the direction of hair growth.
- Apply slight pressure to the area to ease any swelling.
Other Sugar Waxing Tips
There are a few other things you should know about sugar waxing.
Using a Candy Thermometer
Once the sugar starts boiling, it can get really dark in color very quickly. If you let it harden too much, it will turn into candy. A way to prevent this is to use a candy thermometer as your sugar wax is cooking. When it reaches 260 degrees, it should be a perfect consistency.
Re-Using Sugar Wax
During the waxing process, you can roll the wax between your hands to re-use it on different areas of the skin. However, once it loses its stick, you should abandon it and grab some fresh wax from your container.
Storing Unused Sugar Wax
Once you've finished with your sugar wax, you should store the extra wax in a container in your refrigerator, where it will keep for six months. When you want to use it again, warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it reaches a consistency that's thicker than honey.
Caring for Your Skin
Sugar wax doesn't stick to live skin cells, so it won't rip off a layer of skin when you use it. As a result, you should have less discomfort than with traditional waxing. However, if your skin is red and sore after sugar waxing, apply a soothing balm or irritation-reducing lotion to the area (like aloe vera) to calm it down.
How Long It Lasts
Sugar waxing tends to last two to eight weeks before hair begins to re-grow. It's generally considered less high maintenance than some other types of hair removal, such as shaving, as it prevents you from having to keep up with your hair removal routine every day.
When to Avoid Sugar Waxing
If you use Retin A or Acutane on any part your skin, you must be extremely careful when sugar waxing. Avoid it completely if you've used Retin A within the three days or if you've used Acutane within the past year. This is because these chemicals make your skin extremely sensitive and susceptible to damage.
Finding What Works
DIY sugar waxing is extremely straightforward once you know how to do it. Try out both the hard and soft wax methods to discover which option works best for you. It could take a little time to obtain the correct consistency. However, once you've mastered the technique, you might really like sugar waxing as a cheap, easy, and effective way to stay groomed.
