DIY Sugar Wax – An Ancient Arabic Beauty Secret
Kelly Vaghenas
Sugar wax or sugaring, whatever you want to call it there is an old, tried and true way to wax, naturally. Many beauty regimens do more harm than good as many products contain harsh chemicals including toxins, hormone disruptors and even pesticides! That’s why we have scouted out an ancient Arabic beauty regimen that does not threaten your body or your bank account for that matter. See below to learn how to make your own sugar wax used to remove unwanted hair.
It’s an attractive recipe. According to Habiba’s Diary of the Middle Eastern countries, this all-natural sugar wax is most popular in Egypt and Lebanon. eHow presents efficient instructions on how to proceed with the depilatory “cooking.”
Ingredients:
Sugar, white or brown (1 cup)
Water (2 Tbsp)
Lemon juice (1.5 Tbsp)
Salt, optional (1 tsp)
Combine these above natural ingredients in a saucepan and simmer on low heat. Allow the mixture to thicken and turn golden-brown. (Just like freshly baked cookies you know it’s good when it’s golden-brown.)
Stir the mixture with a spoon, making sure the sugar crystals dissolve. Within roughly eight minutes, it will thicken considerably and take on a syrupy consistency. Be careful not to let it burn.
Watch as the mixture turns a darker brown, turn off the heat, and let the forming wax cool for a couple of minutes.
And voilà (as this is also called Parisian waxing), there you have your wax. Apply where desired and pull in the opposite direction of hair growth. The wax is totally reusable so stick the leftover portion in plastic and put it in the fridge. 10 seconds in the microwave will be enough when you want to use it later.
As an Arabic student, I was familiar with Maha’s videos before I came across this one.
In it she sets aside the Arabic language books and instead gives a full demonstration on how to make this sugar wax. The effervescence of the wax mixture as it congeals in the saucepan does not quite match up to her personality however. She opens with the disclaimer, “I’m not going to show you.” Lively Arabic music plays throughout the demonstration. Take a look:
The sweetness of this sugar wax cannot be denied: it’s sticky, like toffee, and the color of caramel. It’s also effective, cheap, and non-harmful. Great for sexy legs. So try it at home. I know I will!