I just sugared my legs for the first time this week and so far, I'm extremely impressed. I decided to try it out because I was looking for an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic razors, but it has the added benefit of being super cheap. This is the method I used:
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Cut/tear some cotton fabric into strips the size of waxing strips (~2-3"x6".) Remove any loose threads. You can usually find cotton fabric on sale at any fabric store for really cheap. The one I bought was $3.50/m and I bought a half meter. If you're going to do both legs at once, I recommend buying a full meter.
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Mix 1/4 water, 1/4 of lemon juice (fresh or bottled), and 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan (I ended up making more later, so depending on which part of your body you're doing, you may need more or less- Just keep the ratios the same)
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Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 250°F. (There are tutorials online that tell you how to know approximately when it's done without a candy thermometer, but they're like $5 so I decided to buy one, just to simplify things)
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Pour the mixture into a glass container and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, take a warm bath or shower to help open up your hair follicles. Dry yourself completely and apply some baby powder or cornstarch to the area you want to sugar, to make sure it's completely dry.
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Remove the sugar from the fridge and make sure to test it with your fingers to ensure it's not hot. Fill a bowl or bucket with hot water and keep it nearby. Sit somewhere warm and well-lit and apply a thin layer of sugar against the way your hair grows (I.e. Hair grows downwards, apply it in an upwards motion) with a butter knife or popsicle stick. Place the cotton on top of the sugar and rub it in the direction of hair growth to make sure it sticks. Make sure to leave a couple cm of fabric loose above where you've applied the sugar so you have a bit to grab onto. I recommend starting at the bottom of your and working your way up, since it tends to be less sensitive at the bottom. I don't recommend jumping straight in with sensitive areas like the bikini line until you have more experience.
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Hold your skin taut with one hand (if you're doing your armpits, you may need an assistant.) I forgot to do this for the first few strips and my skin got really red and irritated in those spots. Grip the top of the strip with your other hand and flick your wrist in the direction of hair growth. Try to keep it close to the skin and flick downwards (or whichever direction your hair grows) rather than pulling outwards. Swear if necessary. Honestly, it wasn't half as painful as I expected it to be, so I didn't feel the need to, but everyone experiences pain differently, so if you need to drop a few f-bombs to make it more bearable, go ahead.
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Place the fabric strip in the hot water and apply pressure to the area you just waxed. You don't have to do this, but if you're prone to swelling, your legs will thank you.
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Repeat until done. If the sugar starts to get too hard, you can submerge the container in the warm water to melt it a little. If you have leftovers or just want to take a break and finish up later, you can store it in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.
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When you're done, apply a soothing gel or lotion such as aloe Vera. Make sure to keep your legs clean to avoid infected follicles and you may want to avoid wearing tight pants for a few days if your skin is a bit tender or itchy. (I didn't find it necessary.) Give the strips a swish around in the water to make sure all the sugar is dissolved and hang them on your shower rod (or wherever) too dry. The water can just go down the drain.
And voila! Smooth legs for a couple bucks (pennies once you've already got all the supplies!) I've heard it's supposed to last 4-6 weeks, but ymmv. If you're nervous about the pain, just know that it's supposed to be way less painful than waxing, although I've never tried waxing, so I can't speak from experience. Apparently the wax sticks to your skin as well as your hair and can pull off skin cells, whereas sugar only sticks to your hair, so that's why it's not as painful. If you need a visual example, there are plenty of YouTube tutorials out there. There is also another method where you use a harder sugar "wax" and no fabric, but I've heard from a few people that it's not as effective, so I decided to try this one.
Lastly, this is very important, men and other testicle-having people, DO NOT SUGAR YOUR BALLSACK. Just don't do it. Because if you do, you're going to have a really bad time. If you want a silky smooth scrotum, shave, nair, see a professional, whatever, just please don't attempt to do this on yourself because you could cause some serious damage.
December 29, 2017 at 12:59PM
