sugaring (instead of waxing)

Factual Questions
1

well, awhile back I posted something about “nads”. It was some sugaring info-mercail. No one really responded, and I completely forgot about it. But recently my curiosity has been aroused again. Does anyone in the teeming millions sugar instead of waxing or shaving? Is there some reason I could not make my own sugaring solution? Is there some reason it wouldn’t work? If not, then how would I go about creating this concotion? I’m thinking about experimenting. :slight_smile: thanks.

tipi :slight_smile:

2

Sally Hansen Natural Cold Wax is actually a corn syrup. My daughter and I use it. I have no idea on how to make your own. I’ve HEARD that some people mix lemon juice with sugar to form a paste, smear it on their legs, and then put linen strips on the stuff, then yank. However, I’d just as soon use the kit, thank you.

Yes, it does hurt. But not nearly as much as cutting myself with a razor.

Lynn the Packrat

3

Body Sugaring Solution

4 cups white sugar - granulated
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice (use lemon juice concentrate)

In a LARGE heavy pot mix the three ingredients together and bring to a rapid boil, stirring constantly. This mixture will foam up fairly high as it boils, that’s why it is prudent to use a large pot. At this point turn the heat down to medium and continue boiling at a gentle boil. Remember to stir constantly as this prevents the mixture from boiling over the top of the pot as well as keeping it from burning. You will notice that the mixture takes on an amber colour, you may begin testing it for “soft ball stage” (pretend you are testing candy - use the cold water in the cup method, drop in a few drops of the sugaring mixture and see if they form little balls) once you are obtaining small balls of a fairly firm nature, remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool before using. This can be stored in jars or tupperware and does not require refrigeration. (Which makes it really handy to prepare a large batch - once you have the technique down).
To use the solution you can follow the same steps as you do for the ‘waxing solution’ that you presently use…heat up the solution until it is liquid - be careful as it reaches high temperatures fairly quickly. Be certain that it is a comfortable temperature to the touch before using it. I use my microwave to reheat the mixture as required. Dust the area with baby powder, spread on the sugaring solution with ‘tongue depressor/popsicle stick’, smooth on the muslin strip and pull off against the hair growth. Finish off with a cool cloth wipe down or soothing moisturizing cream.

4

egads, I’ll stick to shaving, thank you very much

5 
 Well, thank you soooo much for the tips lovelee, but (and this may sound very ignorant), what are muslin strips and where can I get them? thanks  :)

tipi :slight_smile:

6

Muslin is a type of cloth. You could buy it at any sewing/cloth store. Probably even K-Mart. They sell cloth.

No matter what solution you’re using, you’re ripping the hair out. Hurts like hell. I’d rather shave and deal with the nicks, or put that acrid hair removal gook on my legs.

Lissa*

** Name has been changed to protect the guilty.*

7

Slightly off topic, but, has anybody here had trouble using Nair? I follow the instuctions to the letter, and it literally does nothing; my legs end up just as hairy as before.

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.
– Henry David Thoreau

8

For ease of use, I recommend the EpiLady device. It’s a coil spring thing that rips the hair out by the root. The benefit over shaving is no bleeding, and it’s capable of grabbing hairs that are too short for wax to reach. I bought mine about 20 years ago, and it still runs fine.

A piece of advice on the Epilady: it works best on really short hairs, so wax or shave and then try it when the hair is starting to grow back. Since it grabs really short hairs, it doesn’t hurt as much as waxing, and the vibrations of the motor also help anesthetise the area. Plus, it’s cordless and easy to use. Just plug it in until it’s charged, turn it on, run it over your legs, and get dressed. Less time than it takes to shave!

9

Nair has never worked for me and I am hardly cave woman. I have never met a woman who said Nair worked on them…however, I have known two guys whose mother’s made them use Nair in lieu of shaving when they were early teens with the beginnings of beards. It worked on them. Go figure.

Has anyone ever done electrolysis? I have always been curious to how well it works and the cost. I only have a couple of hairs on my brow line that I am sick of tweezing and would love to see a more permanent removal of them.

10

Shirley – will you ask your friends WHY their mothers made them use Nair instead of a razor? I’m really curious – it seems damned odd to me!

Nair has never worked for me, BTW. I guess I have tough hair. My sister and mom bought sugaring kits (off of the TV, but NOT 'Nads brand) and it didn’t work for them. They both went back to waxing their facial hair. And, mle? Yours is the first commendation of Epilady I’ve ever heard. Everyone I know who tried it back when it first came out HATED it! Maybe I’ll buy one at the next garage sale I run into one at and give it a try.

11

Nair failure people: when you take it off, are you just rinsing? Or are you scraping the skin with something? GEnerally something like a popsicle stick / tongue depressor works best, but a coarse washcloth, used vigorously, can work almost as well.

That said, I won’t use Nair. It’s too icky.

>^,^<
“Cluemobile? You’ve got a pickup…”
OpalCat’s site: http://fathom.org/opalcat
The Teeming Millions Homepage: fathom.org/teemingmillions

12

Well, Jess, I didn’t love mine when I first bought it, either. The secret of the Epilady is that you really have to hold it lightly against the skin, and, despite what the directions tell you, you hold it kinda flat against the skin. When I say lightly, I mean lightly, too.

Also, make sure the hair to be removed is really really short. Any longer than just long enough to grab and it tends to pull more. I just run it over my legs every couple of days. Takes much less time than shaving, no bleeding, and not as messy as waxing, nor as expensive. Perfect hair removal for me!

(I also use it under my arms, but I have very fine hair, and hardly any of it anywhere. I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone with significant hair there.)

13

Shirley…electrolysis is kind of an involved process. Prices vary but some charge an amount per session. And you have to keep going back for these reasons-
1)hair goes through growing phases…part of the phase is where it actually lays dormant. Electrolysis won’t work on these. You may get it done and the hair will come out, but if it’s done during that phase it will grow back.
2)each hair grows at an individual rate. Let’s say that you get oh, your upperlip done. you go through the sessions and the hair is gone only to discover more hair months later. What happened (assuming it wasn’t done during the dormant stage)is that there were hairs that were under the skin surface that hadn’t grown long enough yet to be able to have electrolysis on.
I know a few people that had it done and they say it was worth it but it took months (it was some sporadic facial hair that they had done) and quite a bit of money. I believe one of the girls said that it cost her about $20 a session (the sessions that she had were half an hour long, and as I said, things vary from place to place).
I am not licensed to do electrolysis but I did learn the basics, and since i’m not licensed I didn’t learn everything about it. If you want to learn more, see a licensed electrologist (is that what they’re called?). :slight_smile:

MaryAnn
Sometimes life is so great you just gotta muss up your hair and quack like a duck!