Tried sugaring for the first time and failed

Hair Removal Methods Waxing and Sugaring
#1

I am a 20-year-old male who has grown tired of my chest and abdominal hair. Because I am a college student, I don’t have much money or access to hair removal products other than my trusty razor. However, dealing with stubble the very next day is not very pleasant.

In any case, I tried a sugaring recipe that called for a cup of sugar, 1/4 cup honey, and the juice from half a lemon mixed together and microwaved. I shrunk the ingredients from there as I only have a small bit of chest and abdominal hair. My first two attempts resulted in a mixture that hardened to a rock when cooled.

I played around with different proportions and finally ended up with a recipe that was workable while hot. It was pretty runny straight from the microwave, but was like the consistency of honey when cooled to a point that I could touch it to my skin.

I applied it in the direction of my hair growth and rubbed a strip of fabric I took from a bolt I got from a fabric store. I then rubbed it firmly against the hair growth, ripped it off, and…nothing happened. So I tried again using different thicknesses, different strips (I cut up an old sock to try even), and different temperatures. I tried ripping the strip off immediately after rubbing and after letting it sit for as long as 10 minutes. For the most part, I felt the pain of the strip tugging at the hair and skin, but absolutely no hairs were ever removed. Other times when I applied the mixture as thinly as I could, there was no pain and no hair removed.

What am I doing wrong? Do I need to use a different kind of strip? Is my recipe off? I’m a complete newbie to sugaring, so any input at all would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

#2

hi there, silver,

I sugar my legs as often as i can and its great. The trick with sugaring is seeing an expert first make it and do it on you. Its a hard anchient art form to learn and that was how i learnt it. i watched my mom do it and then i was able to do it myself. I really dont know what more to say… but i am thinking that you let the sugar cook to much (or maybe too little)…

what colour is the syrup once you remove it off the stove? it should be clear orange colour and very liquidy. not stiff or hard at all. then how you test is to take your spoon, spoon up a little of the syrup and drop a little drop on the counter next to you and carefully touch it and see how it stretches out as it cools under your finger. It should form like a white golden sticky string as you pull your finger off the drop on the counter. get it?? its kinda confusing… but thats the consistency you should be looking for. if the colour of the syrup turns redish, then you cooked it too much and its practically useless at this time.

do a search on this website and you’ll get a lot more stuff on sugaring. but do try to see somebody make it. its the sure way to learn it.

by the way, why dont you try store bought sugaring or waxing? Yes it will cost you some money, but it saves you time and fuss and one container will last you a while. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

good luck!
-rachel

#3

Oooh…that’s the problem, then. Yeah, my sugar always came out a very dark reddish-brown. Though I did get a successful concoction that sounds kind of like what you described. It was a clear, runny orange, but still did not act as I might expect. Do you think the cloths I was using were okay? Do you think a strip cut from a sock would work?

What recipe do you use and how long do you let it microwave? I think my nuker might be a bit more powerful than most, but I suppose I can let it cook for a couple of seconds at a time so I have more control. What consistency should I be aiming for before it cooks? And how long does it usually need to cool before I can put it on my body? Does it still need to be hot/warm? Should it still be runny when it’s cold?

I also read that you need to apply the sugar and the strip and let it sit for several minutes before ripping it off. I had always seen people apply the sugar, apply the strip, rub, and then rip off right away. Does either method work?

Sorry for the many questions, and thanks so much for your input!

#4

Do you think the cloths I was using were okay? Do you think a strip cut from a sock would work?

I think the fabric in most socks is too stretchy to get the kind of tension you need. Go to a fabric or crafts store and get a yard of muslin. It should run you around two bucks. Cut it into strips and have at it.

You also might want to pick up some craft (popsicle) sticks while you’re at it. They’re good for spreading the sugar.