Sugar Wax

[Kristin]

Sugar Wax

How To Make Sugar Wax

Getting waxed at a salon can be expensive! You can make sugar wax with 3 simple ingredients and do your own waxing at home. All you need is granulated white sugar, lemon juice, and water. Sugar wax is also less painful than traditional hot wax because it doesn’t remove the hair follicle, making it a great option for those with sensitive skin.

When it comes to DIY projects, ripping one’s body hair out at the roots is usually something I’d leave to professionals, but the ancient technique of sugaring is just so ■■■■ accessible.* Luckily for you, I already combed through and tried all the bad advice on the Internet (only a modest exaggeration) to save you the literal pains associated with less-than-stellar methods. Yes, I have the bruising to prove it. No, I’m not proud of that part.

The result, however, I am proud of: A recipe that actually works ! I exclaimed aloud (all by myself), “I did it!” when I finally got it right. The stakes were that high.

So what’s the big deal with sugaring? There are so many ways to remove body 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 Egypt around 1900 BC, sugaring went on to conquer Ancient Greece, Ancient Persia, and has been a popular method in the Middle East for centuries.1,2

2. It’s super simple, cheap, and easy

Essentially, sugaring “wax” is just caramel, and is made of only sugar, water, and lemon juice (you’ll see recipes for salt or other extras – you don’t need those) – affordable pantry staples that often don’t require an extra trip to the store. Plus, sugar is a natural preservative, making this last a long time so you don’t have to make a new batch every time. As someone who works with oil-based products all the time, I have to add that this stuff cleans up like a dream. Hot water dissolves it. Done. It couldn’t be easier!

3. It works – plus, it hurts less

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

4. It’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’s probably not good for fish diabetes, but other than that, seems ok. You can eat this, but I wouldn’t recommend it because it’s way too sticky to be comfortable on teeth. Consider yourself warned.

Sugaring Methods

Proper sugaring is done with a pliable mass of sugaring paste that is applied and removed with fingers, and can be reused for multiple sections before losing its stickiness. It reminds me of non-toxic, for-adult-purposes Silly Putty.

Too many recipes for sugaring “wax” have the dry-to-wet ratio of the ingredients all wrong so that the sugar is always too sticky and won’t hold into a ball. The authors of these recipes will tell you to use cloth strips to remove it like traditional wax, which works, but isn’t sugaring in its best form. It’s also wildly frustrating and rather messy to work with. I tried one of these ill-fated recipes in my experiments and used old muslin from a sewing project in lieu of waxing strips. However, it’s super easy to wash and reuse the strips if you go this route.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar (I used organic, fair trade cane sugar)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (I used bottled organic – yeah, yeah, fresh is better, but I have a lemon juice problem and they’re a dollar a piece here)
• 1/4 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 mason jar works brilliantly – you need to be able to reach the bottom)

Place a medium-sized pot on the stove. Even though this recipe makes a fairly small batch of sugar wax (approximately enough for 2 legs), use a medium or large pot to make it. The mixture starts to bubble when you heat it, and it can overflow if you use a small pot.

Add the white sugar, lemon juice, and warm water to the pot. Measure out the granulated white sugar and dump it into the pot. Then add the lemon juice and warm water. Stir to combine them.

• Use white or brown granulated sugar. Powdered sugar won’t work at all.
  
  
  

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Turn your burner on high and let the mixture heat up until it starts to boil. Stir frequently. Keep an eye on the mixture, since it will start to bubble as it heats up.

• Take care not to burn the mixture. If you do, it will completely solidify once it cools down, making it unusable.
  

Reduce the heat to medium. Once the mixture starts bubbling and boiling, turn the heat down to medium. Continue to stir frequently. The sugar should be completely dissolved in the liquid at this point.

• If the mixture continues to bubble rapidly at medium heat, turn it down to low.
  

Remove the pot from heat when the mixture turns golden brown. Keep stirring the mixture as it simmers. Once it reaches a smooth consistency and becomes a deep golden color, turn off the heat and move the pot to another burner.

• The consistency should be similar to hot syrup. If it’s thick like honey, heat it a little longer.
  

Pour the mixture into a bowl or jar and let it cool for 30 minutes. Unlike traditional hot wax, sugar wax should not be used hot. Pour it in a bowl or jar and give it about 30 minutes to cool down. If it still feels hot or warm enough to be uncomfortable, let it cool for several more minutes before proceeding.

Part2: Applying Sugar Wax

Scoop up a small amount of wax with your fingers. The wax should still be warm but cool enough to touch, so you can use your fingers for the entire process. Scoop up a small amount and roll the wax into a ball with your hands.

• You can use a butter knife or a wooden popsicle stick instead of your hands, if you prefer.
  

Apply the wax to a small strip of skin. You can apply it with your fingers or a popsicle stick. Be sure to apply the wax in the opposite direction of hair growth. Spread it evenly until it’s about 1/4 in (0.6 cm) thick. Work in small sections that are only a few inches in length and width.

• Yields enough wax for both legs (approximately)
  

Take a deep breath and pull! Get a firm grip on the wax with your fingers and pull it off in the opposite direction of your hair growth. Make it quick, just like you are pulling off a bandage. It may hurt a little bit!

• You can also use your fingers to roll or pull it off, but this prolongs the pain. It’s better to make it quick.
• If desired, apply paper strips on top of the wax, smooth them out, and pull those off instead of the mixture itself.
  

Continue to apply the wax in small sections until you’re done. You can reuse the same piece of wax 3 to 4 times, if you like. Or you can use a fresh amount of wax for each section of skin.

Pour any leftover wax in an airtight container and refrigerate it. If you have leftover wax, pour it into an airtight container, like a sturdy plastic Tupperware container. Pop it in the fridge and use it within 4 to 5 weeks. Reheat it before you use it.

[Moazzama_Shakeel]

Sugar wax’s every woman’s need. To get rid of unnecessary body hair, to get plump face features and smooth silky legs. Let’s discuss what it is? How to make it? What is it’s history? And what are it’s benefits?

What is Sugar waxing
Sugar waxing is often compared to standard waxing. During the process, a sugaring substrate sticks to and essentially removes hair without attaching to the skin, making it far less painful than waxing. The substrate can be applied at room temperature or heated to a lukewarm temperature, minimizing the risk of burns. For this reason, sugaring is generally preferred over waxing when it comes to removing hair from larger areas of skin. If someone has sensitive skin, sugaring can nevertheless result in skin irritation and reaction. However, this can sometimes be prevented by taking an anti-histamine. Sugar itself is otherwise hypoallergenic.

There are some distinct differences between home and professional-use sugar paste. The majority of store-bought products contain wax, while homemade pastes often utilize sugar and other natural ingredients.

It’s History Originated from Persia
Sugaring, sugar waxing, or Persian waxing is a method of hair removal that has been in use since 1900 BC.Historically, sugar was confined to the regions surrounding Persia until the first millennium AD. As a result, it is speculated that honey was the first sugaring agent. Sugaring was also known as sukkar or ḥalawa in the Middle East, as ağda in Turkey, and as moum in Iran.

How it’s paste is made
Sugar wax can be prepared with common household food items such as water, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, honey and molasses. Lemon juice is added for its acidity, which breaks up the sucrose into fructose and glucose. As in candy making, this gives the finished sugaring wax a non-crystalline, or amorphous, structure. Getting the correct consistency takes practice for most users. Pre-made sugar paste is also sold. This includes professional and retail versions, which may contain guar gum for texture or essential oils to condition skin. Since sugaring paste is water-based and water-soluble, the substance can be easily cleaned up with warm water. Sugaring is sometimes preferable to waxing because it has no resins, except for guar.

How to do Sugar wax
With the strip method, known as sugar waxing, the area to be epilated is typically dusted with powder (commercial or corn starch) prior to application of the sugaring solution, which is spread on with a spatula or tongue depressor. Some eco-friendly salons have noted that these products are not necessary for applying the sugaring solution.After the sticky paste is applied to the skin in the same direction of hair growth, a strip of porous cloth or paper is pressed into the preparation and quickly removed, with the strip taking hairs along with it. In contrast to traditional waxing, any sugaring paste residue left can be washed off with water. The process can be repeated after 8–10 days of hair growth, unlike the 3–4 weeks worth of hair growth traditional waxing requires.

Traditional sugaring is done with only a ball of sugar paste and no strips are needed. This method includes applying the paste to the area against the direction of hair growth and removing the sugar paste in the direction of hair growth. This produces less pressure on the hair shaft, leading to less breakage, and resulting in smoother skin than traditional wax or sugar waxing.

How to make sugar wax at home

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
• 1/8 cup (30 ml) lemon juice (preferably bottled)
• 1/8 cup (30 ml) warm water

STEPS

• Place a medium-sized pot on the stove. Even though this recipe makes a fairly small batch of sugar wax (approximately enough for 2 legs), use a medium or large pot to make it. The mixture starts to bubble when you heat it, and it can overflow if you use a small pot.

Add the white sugar, lemon juice, and warm water to the pot. Measure out the granulated white sugar and dump it into the pot. Then add the lemon juice and warm water. Stir to combine them.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Turn your burner on high and let the mixture heat up until it starts to boil. Stir frequently. Keep an eye on the mixture, since it will start to bubble as it heats up.

Take care not to burn the mixture. If you do, it will completely solidify once it cools down, making it unusable.

4. Reduce the heat to medium. Once the mixture starts bubbling and boiling, turn the heat down to medium. Continue to stir frequently. The sugar should be completely dissolved in the liquid at this point.

If the mixture continues to bubble rapidly at medium heat, turn it down to low.

5. Remove the pot from heat when the mixture turns golden brown. Keep stirring the mixture as it simmers. Once it reaches a smooth consistency and becomes a deep golden color, turn off the heat and move the pot to another burner.

The consistency should be similar to hot syrup you’ve created. If it’s thick like honey, heat it a little longer.

6. Pour the mixture into a bowl or jar and let it cool for 30 minutes. Unlike traditional hot wax, sugar wax should not be used hot. Pour it in a bowl or jar and give it about 30 minutes to cool down. If it still feels hot or warm enough to be uncomfortable, let it cool for several more minutes before proceeding.

Applying Sugar Wax

1. Scoop up a small amount of wax with your fingers. The wax should still be warm but cool enough to touch, so you can use your fingers for the entire process. Scoop up a small amount and roll the wax into a ball with your hands.

You can use a butter knife or a wooden popsicle stick instead of your hands, if you prefer.

2. Apply the wax to a small strip of skin. You can apply it with your fingers or a popsicle stick. Be sure to apply the wax in the opposite direction of hair growth. Spread it evenly until it’s about 1/4 in (0.6 cm) thick. Work in small sections that are only a few inches in length and width.

Yields enough wax for both legs (approximately)

3. Take a deep breath and pull! Get a firm grip on the wax with your fingers and pull it off in the opposite direction of your hair growth. Make it quick, just like you are pulling off a bandage. It may hurt a little bit!

You can also use your fingers to roll or pull it off, but this prolongs the pain. It’s better to make it quick.

If desired, apply paper strips on top of the wax, smooth them out, and pull those off instead of the mixture itself.

4. Continue to apply the wax in small sections until you’re done. You can reuse the same piece of wax 3 to 4 times, if you like. Or you can use a fresh amount of wax for each section of skin.

5. Pour any leftover wax in an airtight container and refrigerate it. If you have leftover wax, pour it into an airtight container, like a sturdy plastic Tupperware container. Pop it in the fridge and use it within 4 to 5 weeks. Reheat it before you use it.

Conclusion
There are many ways to remove hair but sugar waxing is the most cheapest, easiest and accessible way. It keeps your body smooth for two months and so.