Learn The Art of Sugaring

How sweet it is! Sugaring is a process that is similar to waxing, but the ingredients are different. Sugaring gets it name from the fact that wax is replaced with a mixture of sugar and honey. The resulting goo sticks to the hairs and not to the skin. In the end, you still end up ripping out you hair by the roots, so pain levels run about the same as waxing.

Most people find that sugaring works best on hair that grows on the upper lip and the bikini line. It's a relatively messy process, so do it in the bathroom or some other area where clean-up will not be a problem. Regardless of where you do it, the results last for two to six weeks. Actually, fine hair will start to show around two weeks after the procedure is done, and the thicker, darker hair growth becomes apparent about four weeks later or so.

Homemade formulas work fine. You can easily make your own sugaring solution right at home. You need 1 cup of white sugar, juice from 1/2 of a lemon, 1/4 cup of honey. Mix the lemon juice, sugar and honey in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for about 2-3 minutes, until the mixture just begins to bubble and turns smooth. Turn off the microwave and leave the bowl alone until the mixture has had time to cool down to a safe handling temperature. This could be 5 minutes or more. Besides the actual sugaring formula, you'll need some wooden tongue depressors to apply the mixture, some corn starch to help prepare the skin, and some strips of white cotton cloth. An old undershirt works fine.

Ready, set go!

Make sure that the area to be treated is clean and dry. There should be no residue from soap or body lotions. Apply a dusting of cornstarch to the area to be treated. This will help remove excess oils from your skin. Using the tongue depressor, or another suitable applicator, spread a thin layer of the mixture over the area to be treated. Now cover the treated area with a strip of the cotton fabric and rub your hand a few times over the strip the opposite way that your hair grows. Use a moderate pressure. Grab the end of the fabric strip and quickly rip it off in the opposite direction of your hair growth. Wash the treated area with warm water to remove any sticky residue and apply an unscented skin cream or lotion if you want to.

That's all there is to sugaring!