How to sugar wax at home
WHILE some salons and barbershops are now partially open under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ, grooming services remain prohibited.
For women and some men who regularly availed waxing services before, it means more growth of unwanted body hair.
This shouldn’t be the case, however, since they can actually get rid of their hairy problems with a homemade solution: sugar waxing. Easy as can be, it only takes three ingredients make it — sugar, water and lime.
Ancient roots
In “FaceAroundtheWorld,” author Margo DeMello noted that sugaring was one of the methods ancient female Egyptians and Greeks used to remove hair from their entire bodies.
In modern times, this hair removal method became popular since it claims to be less painful (it does not pull the skin) and more affordable compared to hot wax.
Luckily, the humble sugar wax also comes in handy during lockdowns when waxing is identified as a non-essential service.
Trio of basics
There are many different recipes online in making sugar wax but one of the most popular is from YouTuber AbetweenE. Her video has garnered 5.1 million views as of writing.
According to the video, sugar, water and fresh lemon juice are the basic ingredients to make the paste.
Using salt and honey ney like other tutorials say y are unnecessary extras. s. Sugar acts as the binder to the hair while exfoliating the skin. Lemon juice, meanwhile, while, can help fight bacteria and lather the skin with vitamin C. To make the wax,
AbetweenE recommends her simplified recipe below:
1/2 cup (100 grams) white or refined sugar
2 tbsp fresh or bottled lemon juice (can be replaced with calamansi juice)
2 tbsp water
Instructions:
1. Combine the ingredients in a pot and cook on medium high heat. The mixture can easily burn so be careful not to use maximum heat.
2. Stir constantly until the mixture turns from light yellow to warm golden color. As soon as you reach the latter color, take it immediately off the stove to avoid burning.
3. Let the mixture cool off — about 30 minutes to an hour — with constant stirring until it thickens.
4. When you reach the consistency where the paste holds a shape against the spoon for a few seconds before it melts, it is ready for kneading.
5. Start kneading only at a temperature you are comfortable with. You can do this by moving the paste from one hand to the other while constantly dipping your hands into a bowl of water from time to time. The latter will keep the sugar from sticking to your fingers.
6. When the color starts to turn opaque, the paste is ready for use.
Application:
1. Now that you have the sugar wax, it’s time to pull. But first, do a patch test of the paste. Although the ingredients are all organic, better be on the safe side and see if you are allergic to any of the ingredients.
2. Prep the skin and wash it to remove excess lotion or oil. You can also use powder to make sure it’s dry, otherwise the paste won’t get the hair.
It should also be noted that the hair must be at least 1/4 inch long (shorter ones are difficult to remove) to 1/2 inch long (longer ones are more painful). For the latter, you may opt to trim, not shave, the hair first.
3. Apply the sugar paste on the opposite direction of your hair growth, continuously stretching without lifting the paste from your skin.
4. Taut or stretch tight the area around the skin you are waxing then pull the paste away in the direction of hair growth.
5. Reform the paste into a ball and move on the next area. You’ll know it’s time to use a different batch when the sugar can no longer stick to the hairs.
6. When done, clean up using a towel soaked in lukewarm water to remove traces of the paste. Wait a few more hours before washing the area with water; avoid excessive sweating; and do not put cream, gels or lotions for at least 24 hours.
Happy sugar waxing at home!