I’ve always preferred going out to a waxing salon to get my body hair pulled. Why suffer at home when you can get someone else to do your personal care? If you aren’t sure if it’s for you, I wrote about the differences between sugar wax and hard wax here.
Disclaimer: I’m not a professional, just speaking from experience. If you’ve never waxed before, go to a professional first. I’m probably overly cautious because I have extra sensitive skin and bruise easily, even with professionals. If you aren’t experienced, the chances of bruising goes up because of not being gentle with yourself. Sometimes it’s just genetics. If you do this at home, start with areas that are used to abrasives, like your legs…in winter or a week before the party. That will help you get used to the process before going to that bikini party with redness and/or bruising.
After experiencing it all, I prefer waxing over shaving. It was always a bit painful for my sensitive skin to go get waxed–especially in the bikini area. I swore off waxing strips forever after a bad experience (yup, even with professionals this can be an unpleasant experience) but I had no idea there were less painful alternatives.
It wasn’t until I discovered hard wax that I finally gave it another try, and after discovering I can sugar wax at home, I’ve been able to stick to a regular schedule–especially during the Pandemic. Sugar wax is known for being great for sensitive skin because it doesn’t stick as much to the skin, just the hair. It’s also a fraction of the cost of going to a salon.
Why Sugar Wax?
Besides being just 2 ingredients (unless you count water as an ingredient, then 3, but I digress) DIY sugar wax is so much easier than you’d think to make. Bonus: natural waxing has some major advantages, like it washes off easily with warm water, is great for sensitive skin, and has a long shelf life. No more need for baby oil when I can’t get the wax off my waxer left on me. It is definitely my favorite method of hair removal compared to traditional wax hair removal techniques.
Because sugar wax is water soluble and comes right off with warm/hot water in the shower, it is the perfect wax for anyone to use.
If you didn’t heat the wax properly or it gets stuck in a hair follicle, you can just jump in the shower and get the wax off immediately without having to continue. There is no point of no return. If it hurts, just rinse it off, dry your skin, and start again.
The Skin Prep
How long should my hair be?
I typically wax once my hair growth is the length of a grain of rice, which is about a ¼ inch long.
Exfoliate
I exfoliate the skin I want to wax the day before to take off that extra layer of dead skin before waxing. This helps expose any ingrown hairs, decreases pain during waxing, and prevents hair breakage.
I’ve started using Nerra (the ingredients are so luxurious and high quality!) the day before my wax day and everything has been going so much smoother (pun intended haha). The reason I love this system before wax day is it not only exfoliates, but it also hydrates my legs so the hairs don’t break mid-wax. This prep feels so good that I use it on my whole body.
Numbing Cream
Since starting my microneedling journey, I’ve used NumbSkin for anything and everything painful. I barely feel anything more than a tug after letting it sit on my skin for 30-45 minutes. The key for me has been to put seran wrap over the area (always avoid eyes/mouth/nose) so it sinks into the skin as deeply as possible.
I do concur with the majority that sugar waxing is less painful than regular waxing, but if you have dense hair that you are pulling (ahem…Brazilian) definitely opt for numbing cream (all skin types handle waxing a little differently). Just remember that not being able to feel pain level means take extra care to sensitive areas (aka bikini wax).
Dry Skin
Once the numbing cream is dry or you wipe it off, you’re good to begin waxing!
What you need
Candy thermometer
Really any reliable thermometer is helpful for consistent results, but not completely necessary since you can judge the wax by the color. I use this thermometer. Touch the wax with your fingers before applying to make sure it’s a safe temperature for you.
Lemon Juice (acid)
I typically use fresh but I don’t think it will matter if it’s fresh or bottled. The reason you use lemon juice in this mix is to keep the sugar soft and it acts as a preservative. I’ve heard you can use most acids from lime/orange/vinegar, but lemon juice is the standard. If you decide to go for vinegar, use half the amount, 2 tbsp, since it will be more acidic than lemon juice.
Cane Sugar
Go ahead and use cheap sugar since you’ll be throwing it away. I typically use this one.
Optional (but for me, essential): Wax Warmer
After using a sugar wax for about a year and having one horrible ‘too hot’ temperature incident from reheating my sugar wax, I will never again do sugaring without a wax warmer for temperature control.
All it takes is forgetting to check the temperature even once and you can get burned or even scarred…so do your body a favor and get a wax warmer with temperature control like this one.Easy solution for peace of mind.
Optional: Storage Container
I typically don’t have any leftovers after doing my bikini/legs/arms, so double the recipe if you want to store in a glass jar or something for next time. Glass is great because you can throw it in the microwave without the container melting.
Optional: Popsicle Sticks
I uses my fingers because I can test the consistency and temperature that way. Popsicle sticks are often used to smooth on wax to keep the wax level and to keep hands clean. With sugar wax, water will keep your hands clean, so feel free to use your fingers to check if your mix is room temperature or if you need to turn the heat up or back down to medium, etc.
If you make this recipe ahead, you can reheat by microwaving. I do 10 second intervals, then stir (and/or use a wax warmer). If I have a big jar, I do 20-30 second intervals, then wait for it to cool again until the sugar is a gummy texture.
- WP Recipe Maker #2810remove
Sugar Wax Prep Time: 5m Cook Time: 30m – Candy Thermometer (whatever accurate thermometer you can put in boiling water) – 2 cups 2 cups white sugar – 1/4 cup lemon juice – 1/4 cup water 1) Add the ingredients to a pot on the stove 2) Bring the ingredients to a rolling boil, approx 235 degrees (soft ball stage) until the mixture starts to turn golden brown 3) Reduce temp to medium until the mixture turns dark brown and syrupy. This can take up to 30 minutes. 4) Cool for 30 minutes, then use! (I usually put on my numbing cream while it’s cooling) If the mixture is too sticky to use, it may need to be re-boiled or cooled a little longer. It should be pliable with your fingers, almost like taffy. Troubleshooting: If the mixture is too hard, try adding a little water and heat again till blended or start over.
Aftercare
- 24 hours rule: After waxing, most professionals suggest staying away from saunas, hot showers, gyms, etc.
- 48 hours rule: Don’t use self-tanners. Consider your skin an open wound for 48 hours whether you do this yourself or go to a professional.
- Ice is very helpful for bruising.
- CoolFix (Sold at Sephora and Amazon)is the only thing that took away my redness after trying everything. Again, I have very sensitive skin…this was a miracle worker and my gold standard for getting rid of soreness after waxing. I’m usually fine the next day even with extremely sensitive skin.
- CBD – I love having Potency 710 Gold Serum around for anything skin related. CBD helps with inflammation and this serum has a host of other great oils to heal quickly.
- Vitamin C – This can help your skin heal faster and help with bruising as well.
That’s it! Usually I’ll slather on some gradual self tanner after I’m done. It’s the perfect time to get that glow after I’ve exfoliated and waxed, but not the time to go dark (wait 48 hours for that). Currently loving the B. Tan line, especially Just Act Natural because it’s clear and doesn’t rub off. Their applicationmitt is awesome and I’ve never had any color issues. Let me know how you like sugar waxing below!
