Now that we are all self-isolating to help slow the spread of Coronavirus, thoughts are turning to our at-home beauty regimes.
We've already taught you how to whiten your teeth at home with an at-home kit, touch-up your roots, maintain your eyebrows, perform your own gel manicure and do an at-home facial, and now we're tackling at-home hair removal.
There's plenty of laser hair removal devices on the market and yes, you can even have a go at waxing your hair yourself, but if you're looking for a budget and pain-free option, we come bearing good news.
If you're desperate for hair-free skin but can't bear the thought of a wax, allow us to introduce you to an alternative hair removal treatment that could totally change your beauty regime forever.
Sugaring is being touted by experts as a simpler, less painful way to remove unwanted body hairs (if you want to keep yours, we are totally here for that).
If you're looking for a way to remove your hair in lieu of a trip to the salon, we called on expert Bridget O’Keefe, MUA and Founder of Blush + Blow salon, to share everything you need to know about sugaring. You're most welcome.
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By Samantha McMeekin
WHAT IS SUGARING?
It is the act of pulling hair out of the roots using a gel made from sugar, lemon and hot water.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SUGARING?
Sugaring doesn’t stick to skin, it only binds to the hair, whereas wax pulls your skin when removing hair. This makes sugaring especially good if you have sensitive skin, because it causes less irritation and isn’t as painful as waxing. You can also easily clean up after sugaring by simply using water to rinse off, as all of the ingredients in the mix are natural, so they dissolve.
HOW DO YOU MAKE A SUGAR PASTE AT HOME?
2 cups white cane sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
The juice from two lemons makes about 1/4 cup; make sure there's no pips or pulp.
Mix your ingredients in a heavy saucepan and heat it up over a medium-high heat, ensuring you keep stirring it.
Bring the mixture to the boil and then turn the heat down to low-medium. Let the mixture simmer for around 25 minutes, ensuring the mixture doesn't turn dark too quickly.
When the paste is a dark amber colour, it's ready. Remove it from the heat and leave it to cool down for about 10 minutes. Then pop it in an air-tight container.
Once the product has cooled, it's ready. To sugar, your paste needs to be at room temperature. If it's too thick, add a splash of water and microwave it until it's warmed up and less sticky.
HOW SHOULD SUGARING BE DONE PROPERLY?
1. Wipe clean your skin. All serums and lotions, no matter how long ago you applied them, should be removed from the skin. This prevents the sugar paste from sliding off. 2. Next, lightly dust your skin with baby powder and softly massage it in. Applying too much interferes with the hair removal. 3. Apply the warm sugar paste in the opposite direction of growth, with slight pressure so it sticks well. 4. Next, use a fast, flicking motion to remove the paste in the same direction of the hair. Removing hair in the same direction of growth helps to avoid breaking the hair follicle either above or below the skin's surface. This means, you get longer-lasting hair-free results and avoid pesky ingrown hairs. 5. Once finished, rinse the area with soap and water.
So, would you try it?
Bored in isolation? Read our exhaustive list of things to do while you're in self-isolation.
