3 Foolish Mistakes I Made When I Tried At-Home Sugaring

Quarantine has made me bold. After over a year of doing a lot of new things on my own or from the comfort (confines) of my home, I’m ready to take on any challenge that comes my way. One thing I’ve been doing significantly less is shaving. I have so enjoyed not having any irritation or stubble or anything else about shaving that causes discomfort. But, I still prefer the look and feel of being shaved on myself. I saw sugar waxing was trending on TikTok and boldly assumed that I would be able to do it myself. So I got the wax and went to work. Upon reflection after my experience (and several attempts), here are three main problems I had and some suggestions to make it a better experience for yourself.

Problem #1: It is so sticky

It got everywhere. On my hands. On my rings. On the counter. On the floor. On my cats. I found it days later. I really don’t know what I was expecting because I have never handled wax before, but apparently, I did a really bad job.

Solution #1: Protect yourself

First thing’s first: get yourself some gloves. Like latex nursing gloves. Luckily, we had some on hand when my girlfriend’s mom sent us an arsenal of PPE and gallons of hand sanitizer last April. Second, water is your friend. I’m not sure about the hydrophilic math on this, but when I wet the gloves, it didn’t stick at all. It was also much easier to clean up with a wet paper towel. Third, put a very light layer of baby powder down so the wax doesn’t stick to your skin for the rest of the day. Once it stops sticking everywhere, it’s a lot easier to manage.

Problem #2: It hurts

Again, I have no idea who I thought I was trying to give myself a full Brazilian expecting not a tear in my eye. I’ve only ever had my eyebrows waxed, and that is absolutely no comparison to the hairs on the rest of my body. I was a fool.

Solution #2: Prepare for battle

The big thing is to mentally prepare yourself. I’ve heard it gets easier after the first few times, but I cannot speak to that at this time. At the absolute very least, take ibuprofen 1-2 hours before you wax yourself. It’ll help with the pain and also the swelling. Start with your armpits or your legs to get used to the sensation before going right for the goods. It’s not totally unmanageable, but it’s definitely a new sensation.

Problem #3: There is a wrong way to do it — many wrong ways in fact

So, as it turns out, it is not advised to just slap it on and yank it off. That is exactly how I got the bumps that I was trying to avoid in the first place. Once again my zealous nature has failed me.

Solution #3: Do it right

The proper technique is to apply the wax in the opposite direction of the hair then pull in the direction of the hair. Also, make sure the wax is getting the whole hair and not just sitting on the top. Watch a couple Youtube videos. This tutorial shows you how to make and then use the paste:

Now that the mistakes are out of the way, it should be smooth ride to smooth skin.