How to Make Hair Removal Wax at Home

If you lot're the DIY type, donning egg yolk in your hair or avocado on your face is likely every bit routine as slathering on an in-shower body wash. Pulling out trunk hair, though? Not so much. While there are some things we prefer to leave to the pros (ahem, microneedling), sugaring is ane that—if washed correctly—can be added to your DIY arsenal. Just commencement, let's talk benefits. Sugaring is said to exist the chief method of hair removal in aboriginal Egypt (Cleopatra may have even been a fan), and for skillful reason. For one, the ingredients in the actual paste are all-natural, making them a dream for sensitive peel types. Then there'southward the fact that sugaring pulls from the root of the hair, and less on the pare (re: information technology's less painful).

If you're sporting thick hair, waxing may be a ameliorate fit, simply sugaring is lauded among fine-haired folks for its ease of use and promising results. We spoke to two waxing pros, Cindy Barshop, founder of VSpot Medi Spa and Rachael Gallo of Exhale Spa, to get the lowdown on how to make a sugar wax at habitation.

See the Expert

Cindy Barshop is the founder of VSpot Medi Spa, a medical spa providing non-surgical solutions to vaginal rejuvenation.
Rachael Gallo is the Director of Spa Initiative at Exhale Spa.

Go along scrolling to larn an skillful-approved sugar wax recipe.

What Is Sugar Wax?

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"Sugar wax is an all-natural waxing solution that has been used for many years," says Gallo. "The benefits of sugar wax are the exfoliating and hydrating results, which are not typically institute later waxing or shaving." While shaving tin can cause ingrown hairs in coarser pilus types and hair grows back quickly, sugaring pulls from the root, leading to longer-lasting, more permanent pilus reduction. According to Gallo, the results tin final up to 28 days (impressive) and can exist done with ingredients you likely already take in your habitation (score! ).

Click Play to Get an Piece of cake DIY Sugar Wax Recipe

DIY Sugar Wax Ingredients

Hither'due south all you'll need for an calm sugar wax recipe, according to Gallo.

1 cup white sugar
1/8 cup lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
i/8 cup warm water

Instructions

Place a medium-sized pot on the stove and add all ingredients to the pot.
Bring the mixture to a boil over high rut, making sure to stir frequently to avert called-for.
Once the mixture starts bubbling, reduce to medium heat and proceed to stir frequently.
Remove the pot from heat when the mixture turns aureate brown. The consistency of your saccharide paste should be similar to hot syrup. If it's thick like honey, rut it a little longer.
Transfer to a bowl and let the paste cool for thirty minutes. The wax should notwithstanding exist warm simply easy to manipulate.

Gallo recommends using white sugar (versus chocolate-brown) for a carbohydrate paste, as information technology'south hard to see the color change with brown sugar and it hardens also apace.

How to Prep Your Skin

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Barshop recommends cleansing the expanse to be sugared with a natural soap like Cetaphil's Ultra Gentle Body Wash ($7) every bit well every bit lightly exfoliating. Both experts advise that the area should be make clean and complimentary of lotions and oils—if your skin is decumbent to oiliness, you tin can remove backlog oil with a body wipe or witch hazel, suggests Barshop. If yous're sporting sunburned peel or irritated, open sores, avoid sugaring those areas. Also, Barshop notes that you should stop using oral or topical acne or retinoid medication at least half dozen days before sugaring.

How to Use Your DIY Carbohydrate Wax

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Your DIY carbohydrate wax can be practical on the face or body, so long as the length of the hair is at least one quarter-inch. (Also, sugaring gets bonus points as in that location'southward no need for cloth strips). Here's how to employ the paste, according to Barshop.

Agree the wax with the tips of your fingers and thumb.
Spread the wax in the direction the hairs are growing.
Pull the skin taught with the other manus and pull off wax in a fast movement in the opposite direction.
Always rip off the wax parallel to the skin (never in an upward move).
If yous have actress paste, store it in a plastic container at room temperature.

In a hurry? Barshop says to speed up the cool-down process of the paste past spooning it into a ball and placing it in a basin of room temperature water for a few minutes.

Aftercare

Kopari Coconut Cook $29.00

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"After the hair is removed, remove any wax balance with a skin wax remover or warm h2o and a washcloth," says Barshop. "You tin as well utilise an clarified cream regularly for one to two days post-sugaring." Gallo recommends using kokosnoot oil to reduce the acidity from the lemon juice and soothe the skin (try this one from Kopari for an unrefined, organic pick). Also, if yous're sugaring your bikini area or underarms, avoid working out or taking hot baths—these areas may be sensitive to heat.

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Lim V, Simmons BJ, Maranda EL, Afifi L, Kallis PJ, Jimenez J. Sugaring-modern revival of an Aboriginal Egyptian technique for pilus removal.JAMA Dermatol. 2016;152(6):660. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2015.4864