How to Make & Use DIY Sugar Wax -CatchyFreebies

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Hello and welcome to #SpoilYourselfSunday, where we celebrate simple and frugal ways to enjoy a little me-time. Get in the spirit – write your own tips on our Facebook wall, or tweet @CatchyFreebies with the hashtag #SpoilYourselfSunday. If we choose your tip for a feature, we’ll send you a sample from our stash!

This #SpoilYourselfSunday is also National Microwave Oven Day! So, to celebrate the utility of many a college student’s favorite cooking appliance, we’re bringing you a beauty DIY you can make with the help of your trusty microwave: DIY sugar wax! Sugar waxing has been around for centuries in Arabic countries, and it’s a great way to get rid of unwanted hair while avoiding the irritation and skin damage associated with shaving or traditional Western waxing practices.

To make your own exfoliating and moisturizing hair removal treatment, you’ll need just a few ingredients:

A microwave
2 cups of sugar (your choice)
2 tsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
3/4 cup water, plus more as needed
A hand towel or other small towel
Coconut oil, olive oil, or other natural moisturizer
Peppermint, rosemary, and/or lavender essential oil (optional)

To make your wax, simply mix the sugar, lemon juice, and water. You can use the microwave for this part, but you’ll have to stop it every 10 seconds or so to stir and make sure the sugar is dissolving. It’s probably better to use the stove for this part, and save the microwave for later. Bring the mixture to a boil in a pan, then reduce heat to medium and stir occasionally until it turns deep golden brown, about 20-30 minutes. If it’s too sticky or watery, let it cook a bit longer or pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then pour your mixture into a microwaveable container – preferably a shallow dish that will allow the wax mixture to cool more quickly. Let it cool until it hardens a bit into proper wax, and you can roll it into a neat ball between your fingers.

Once your wax is cool enough to use, grab a golf-ball-sized glob and get to work! You’ll want to shower or wash the area you’ll be waxing beforehand, so the wax doesn’t grab a whole bunch of dead skin cells – but make sure your skin’s not wet, greasy, or sweaty when you apply the wax, because otherwise it won’t stick. You can also rub some baby powder or cornstarch onto the area to let the wax grip the skin more effectively. Once you’re ready, smooth the wax onto a patch of skin against your hair growth, smoothing it on 3 times over the same spot, then “flick” the wax back in the direction of hair growth to remove the hair (for a good visual on how to do this, watch this video). Then roll up your wax and use it on a different spot; you can absolutely use wax that’s got some hair on it – it will likely even work more effectively that way! If your wax gets too hard, add a few drops of water and stick it in the microwave for a few seconds.

When you’re finished waxing, add a few drops of essential oils and some coconut oil or other moisturizer to your towel, then put it in the microwave for a minute or so. Cover your just-waxed skin with the towel, adding extra moisturizer as necessary, to open up your pores and moisturize the skin you just exfoliated.

By the way, this recipe makes enough wax for your whole body! It can even be reused another time, especially if you’re only using it for your legs. Just store it in a container with a lid and pop it in the fridge; when you’re ready to use it, nuke it for a minute or two until it’s workable.

Have you ever tried sugar waxing? Leave us a comment on social media using the hashtag #SpoilYourselfSunday!

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