How To Sugar Wax: A Beginner’s Guide

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase.

Body hair is a normal part of being human. All of us have it! However, it’s totally fine if you want to remove certain hairs from your body. 

Do you have sensitive skin though? Would you like natural hair removal to achieve smooth, hairless skin? 

If yes, try sugar waxing, also known as sugaring. Sugaring is the gentler, more natural alternative to traditional waxing that yields longer results. 

The best part about this method is that it’s also easy to make at home! If you want to know how to sugar wax, keep reading to learn more about it!

What Is Sugar Waxing?

Sugar waxing is an all-natural hair removal method commonly made of sugar, water, and lemon. This mixture is then heated until it becomes sticky, forming a hair removal paste. 

Once the sugar wax paste is cooled, you can apply it to the skin, similar to a traditional hot wax. 

You can use this method on any body parts where you want to remove unwanted hair growth, such as the face, arms, legs, bikini area, stomach, and even armpit.  

Sugaring is ideal for sensitive skin since it is less painful and irritating than the usual waxing.

Why Switch to Sugar Wax

Traditional waxing procedures are offered in waxing salons. However, why should you switch to DIY sugar waxing? What could be the benefits of sugaring?

Here are some of the reasons you need to opt for sugar wax from now on:

More Affordable

Getting a waxing session at a salon is expensive. It usually costs around $30 to $100 (or even more!), depending on the body part you wish to be waxed. 

So switching to DIY sugar wax can help you save money over time as its ingredients are usually found in most households. 

Plus, you can easily reuse it when you want another good waxing session. 

All-Natural Ingredients

Most waxing salons don’t use natural waxes. Keep in mind that most commercial products contain hidden dyes and additives that potentially irritate your skin. Some also have oxybenzone, parabens, or chemical antioxidants. 

With homemade sugar wax, you can guarantee that you only apply all-natural ingredients: sugar, lemon, and water! With these natural ingredients, you can ensure it’s safe to use.

More Privacy

Even though professionals perform waxing in salons, some people may feel too shy or awkward to get waxed by a stranger, which is usually the case for bikini or Brazilian waxing. 

DIY sugar waxing is here to the rescue if you are one of these people. You can remove that awkwardness and work it out yourself.

But before you try it, make sure you’ve done enough research on correctly doing sugar waxing on your own. (Read on for important tips!) This way, you can avoid any mistakes and irritations on the skin as you do a home wax.

No Burns

If you have tried the traditional hot waxing treatment, perhaps you’ve been burned during your wax session. If so, you know how painful it can be. 

Fortunately, you won’t be experiencing that with sugar waxing as it only needs to be warmed to body temperature. 

Hence, there won’t be any scars or welts — just smooth skin!

Less Irritation 

If a wax treatment with harsh chemicals, like plasticizers, is used, your skin can get irritated, red, and swollen for days after treatment. 

Sugar wax also doesn’t need to be as hot as the traditional hot wax when applied. 

Most importantly, you will only experience little to no irritation since sugar wax does not adhere to water-containing live cells. Instead, it just removes the dead skin cells. 

So the sugaring process will be less painful but can make your skin smoother and softer. 

Easier to Clean Up

Removing the wax from your skin can sometimes be very difficult when getting a traditional hair wax treatment. This can sometimes make the wax removal process unbearably painful. 

Since sugar wax is water-soluble, it is easier to remove from your skin and clean up than regular wax. 

Aside from that, it won’t feel sticky on your skin after finishing the treatment. To clean it, you wipe it down with water, and you are good to go!

Permanent Results

After three to four successive sugar wax treatments, you’ll notice that your hair regrowth rate is reduced. 

If continued, your hair follicle will achieve atrophy, which means that your hair follicles will be smaller and reduced in numbers. 

As a result, you’ll have permanently smooth skin after several sugar waxing sessions! 

How to Make the Perfect Sugar Wax

If you’re starting to get intrigued with sugar waxing, you might want to try it. But did you know that you can make DIY sugar wax? 

Allow us to show you how to make homemade sugar wax and how to sugar wax yourself.

Ingredients

For a DIY sugar wax recipe, you only need to prepare three ingredients: 

• 1 cup of white sugar
• 1/8 cup of warm water
• 1/8 cup of lemon juice

Instructions

1. Put a medium-sized pot on the stove and add all the ingredients. 
2. Let the mixture boil over medium-high heat. Constantly stir it to prevent it from burning. 
3. Reduce to medium heat once the mixture begins to form bubbles. Keep stirring it.
4. Once the mixture turns golden brown, remove the pot from heat. Your sugar paste’s consistency must be thick. 
5. If it still has a runny consistency, then it might not stick to your skin. In this case, heat it a bit longer until you get the right consistency. 
6. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow the sugar paste to cool for 30 minutes. The wax must still be warm to control it easily during your waxing session. 

To help you out, here’s a detailed tutorial on how to make hard sugar wax:

How to Store Sugar Wax

Now that you know how to do sugar wax on your own, you also need to learn how to store your DIY sugar wax. 

• Use a microwaveable glass jar to store your sugar wax and store it in the fridge if you want to maintain its consistency for future use.  
• You can also store the mixture in a plastic container. However, make sure to wait about 30 to 60 minutes or until the wax is cool enough to pour into the container so the wax doesn’t melt the plastic. 

If you’re planning to have another good wax session in the next few weeks, all you need to do is to reheat your extra sugar wax paste.

Just place it in your microwave and check for about 15 seconds or so until it is warm and soft. If the wax turns out a bit too hard, try to reheat it until it gets syrupy. 

How to Dispose of Used Sugar Wax

DIY sugar wax can last for at least six months if stored properly. 

You’ll know that you need to start making a new homemade sugar paste when the texture and color change, when it starts smelling funny, and when it won’t stick as much as it used to.

If this happens, you can dispose of your used sugar wax. Since this wax is made of water, sugar, and lemon juice, you can wipe it with a washcloth soaked in warm water and let it dissolve down the drain. 

It’s also safe to bury in the garden. 

Sugar wax is an ethical alternative to traditional waxing products, thanks to its ingredients. 

So not only is it gentle and less painful when used, but it is also water-soluble, biodegradable, recyclable, and eco-friendly!

How to Prep Your Skin for Sugar Waxing

A good pre-wax routine can help keep ingrown, infections, and pain to a minimum. Before you delve deeper into how to use sugar wax, make sure to know the following tips to prepare your skin before sugaring:

Allow Hair to Grow a Bit

Before waxing, it’s best to let the hair grow to approximately ¼ inches. The wax won’t easily stick to the hair shaft if it’s shorter than that. As a result, you will get a patchy wax job. 

Here’s how to estimate a quarter-of-an-inch hair growth:

• If you recently shaved — at least 10 to 14 days of hair growth. 
• If you recently waxed — at least four weeks of hair growth.
• If you recently sugar waxed — at least 4 to 6 weeks of hair growth.

Exfoliate the Skin

To get the best sugar waxing results, you must exfoliate your skin gently before and in between waxing appointments. 

To do this, you can use a loofah three days before you do sugar waxing. This duration should be enough to remove dead skin flakes while letting any irritations or micro-tears heal. 

Avoid Excessive Sweating

Take note that doing sweat sessions can open your pores, making your skin more susceptible to infection.

So as much as possible, never do anything that can make you profusely sweat within 24 hours of sugar waxing.

These activities include soaking in the tub, doing a hot yoga class, working out, and visiting the sauna. 

Avoid Too Much Sun Exposure

Remember that sugar waxing and sunburn are not a good combination — it’s an ouchy one! So keep out of the sun for at least 48 hours before sugar waxing. 

If you can’t skip sun exposure, you should at least cover the parts of your body you plan to wax. 

Don’t Drink Too Much Alcohol and Caffeine Before Waxing

According to dermatologists, caffeine and alcohol intake can make you more susceptible to bleeding. 

If you don’t want a bloody waxing session, avoid drinking too much caffeine and alcohol at least 24 to 48 hours before you perform sugar waxing on any parts of your body. 

Things to Remember When Applying Sugar Wax

Here are some of the important things to remember to master how to sugar wax at home properly and effectively remove unwanted hair:

• Feel free to use sugar wax anywhere there is unwanted hair you wish to remove. 
• Start with clean and dry skin
• Perform sugaring after a bath or shower (but make sure your skin is totally dry and not damp!)
• Make sure your body hair is not too long (¼ of an inch is preferred)
• Use baby powder, cornstarch, arrowroot powder, or rice powder over the area you want to wax to help sugar wax stick to the hair. 
• Scoop out and use about a lime-sized sugar wax paste.
• Pull the paste by stretching it against your hair growth’s direction.
• Flick only as far as your wrist can go.
• Don’t pull wax out or up; pull along to the natural direction of your hair.
• Sugar the area multiple times if needed to totally remove hairs. 
• When it gets painful, gently rub and put pressure on the area with your other hand to minimize pain.

How to Sugar Wax Legs

Wondering how to wax with sugar on your legs?

Here’s a quick summary of what you need to do for flawless, smooth legs:

1. You may soften your sugar wax in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes if it’s too firm. If too gooey, try to place it in your fridge for at least 10 minutes. 
2. When your sugar wax has a perfect consistency, apply it against the direction of the hair growth on an area of your leg. You may use your hands, a popsicle stick, or the usual wooden waxing spatula.
3. Leave it on your skin for about 10 to 15 seconds for the wax to heat up naturally. 
4. Then remove it in the natural direction of your hair growth. You may also use a waxing strip for this.
5. If the first strip hasn’t picked up all of the hair, the sugar is gentle enough on your skin to perform a second strip. 
6. Try applying it in various directions or diagonally around your ankles to eliminate all hairs. 
7. Continue using the same if it still picks up hair. If the sugar wax isn’t picking up hair anymore, you can scoop a new amount of sugar wax. 
8. When finished, wash your leg off with warm water. 
9. Get a warm washcloth and gently wipe it on your skin to remove any residue of sugar wax.
10. Lastly, apply a soothing solution, soothing mist, or body oil to hydrate your skin. 

Here’s a video that shows how to effectively sugar wax hairs on your legs:

How to Sugar Wax Armpits

1. Apply powder to your underarm to allow excess oils to be absorbed. 
2. Use your hands, a popsicle, or a waxing spatula to scoop a lime-sized amount of sugar wax. 
3. Spread the wax three times against the direction of your hair growth.
4. Leave the sugar wax on your skin and let it naturally warm up for at least 10 to 15 seconds. (Skip this step if the sugar wax can be applied easily and is warm enough.)
5. Flick the wax in the natural direction of the growth of your hair.
6. Do steps 2 to 5 again for the next area. But this time, apply the wax in a different direction since armpit hairs grow in multiple directions. 
7. You can reapply over the same area to remove all missed hairs. 
8. Wash skin and spatula with warm water after waxing. 
9. That’s it! Enjoy itch-free, smooth skin for up to three weeks!

Check out this video and learn how to wax your armpits:

How to Sugar Wax Brazilian?

1. Remove your underwear and wear the towel around your waist.
2. Sit on the bed or chair before a mirror and spread a towel. 
3. Keep your legs wide open, then dab your intimate parts using a paper towel and put baby powder on them to eliminate moisture.  
4. Get a scoop of sugar wax and knead it in your fingers well. 
5. Hold the skin taut using your opposite hand, and start applying the sugar wax to the bottom parts of your privates against the direction of natural hair growth. 
6. Flick the wax in the natural direction of the hair growth. 
7. Do it again until the middle private parts are hair-free.
8. After finishing the middle area, you can repeat steps 4 to 7 to wax the bikini area. 
9. Check whether you missed any hair.
10. If the missed hairs are too short, you can tweeze them out. 
11. And you’re done! 

Sugar Waxing Aftercare

After your wax session, you also need good waxing aftercare to keep your freshly waxed skin smooth and non-irritated. These must be done 24 to 48 hours after waxing your hair. 

Let Your Skin Breathe

Only wear loose-fitting clothing and avoid using all body and bath products, such as creams, deodorant, makeup, and lotions on freshly waxed skin for 48 hours. 

After that, you can start applying an all-natural moisturizer to soothe and replenish moisture on your skin. 

Exfoliate

You can start gently exfoliating your skin two days after waxing. This can help your skin feel smooth and ingrown-hair free. 

You can try a salt scrub, sugar scrub, or coffee scrub or use an exfoliating glove or dry brush and move in a circular, gentle motion. Keep doing this every 3 to 4 days. 

Avoid Excessive Sweating

Similar to our pre-wax tip, avoid doing anything that may cause excessive sweating for 48 hours post-waxing.

Avoid Touching

Do not touch, pick, or scratch recently waxed skin if you don’t want to irritate it. 

7 Sugar Waxing Mistakes That Can Sabotage Your Results

1. Applying the wax in the wrong direction of hair growth
2. Applying wax to damp skin
3. Exfoliating right before waxing
4. Working out right before or after waxing
5. Skipping waxing aftercare
6. Using antiperspirants after waxing
7. Waiting too long between applications (this makes waxing more unbearable)

Conclusion

Sugar waxing is a natural hair removal technique used similarly to traditional waxing but is less irritating. 

If you have sensitive skin, sugar waxing is perfect for your hair removal needs.

So try out the tips we listed here starting now and experience smoother and hair-free skin for weeks!

Want to read more DIY beauty tips?

You may read:

• 7 Best DIY Cuticle Removers To Try At Home
• DIY Dry Shampoo Recipes + Hacks You Should Try
• 16 Hairspray Alternatives: Store-Bought And DIY