(looking for) very specific sugaring advice.

[Sybil]

Okay, so I made a batch of sugaring gel but what I think I really wanted was paste. I want paste because it removes hair up to 1/16" in length, whereas gel only removes 1/4" (similar to traditional waxing).

With paste, you create a glob and use only your hands with it. There are no applicators or strips involved.
Link: http://hairremoval.about.com/od/sugarwaxing/ss/how-to-sugar.htm

With gel, you spread on a thin layer and apply a strip, then tear it off as you would with wax.
Link: http://hairremoval.about.com/od/sugarwaxing/ss/sugar-gel.htm

Here's the recipe/guide I tried to follow:
Link: http://hairremoval.about.com/od/sugarwaxing/ss/sugar-hair-removal-recipe.htm



This is what I did: 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed, filtered out pulp and seeds), 1/4 cup water.

I brought the mixture to a boil on medium-high, then set the heat to low and let it simmer for 25 minutes while stirring occasionally. I came up with a blood amber type color to match what was in the guide. The mixture I made was a little too hard. As a tip at the end of the guide suggested, I had to put a little bit of extra water in it and put it in the microwave, then stir it up so that it was a smidge more malleable. It kind of worked, but not entirely. It really didn't get all of the hair in a given spot. I think that means I made it incorrectly in general.

I'm also not even sure I used a heavy saucepan, the description there seems kind of ambiguous. Is it a saucepan with a very thick, layered bottom or simply a saucepan that is strong and well-built (I used the latter)? My thermometer frequently told me the temperatures were too high even though I had my oven setting on lowest. Whatever the case, the recipe seems extremely sensitive and I'm not sure just exactly what to do to manage a paste solution.

Any tips on what to do and what not to do? I'd really appreciate hearing some thoughts. This is a very economical solution that I think has some promise, and it would help me out immensely to manage it right. I really hope to hear from some of you. Thank you for reading!

[Cyndigurl45]

Well yes actually they are speaking of a heavy on the bottom sauce pan, a thick bottom layer is used to prevent burning, I use a similar method in a cast iron pot

[Penny Gurl]

Ok I have actualy made and used stuff.   So far it sounds like you may have done everything correctly.  Honestly the pan dosen't mean as much as the time and temp.  I've made mine is a small pot before, also I added some honey into it to help with the release off the skin.  Really for the best results you need to have the hair longer when you apply it.  Spread it on in the OPPOSITE direction of hair growth and then pull in off in the direction of the hair growth. Kinda the opposite of what you would do with waxing.  I've used it on my hands and it works well.  As the surgar starts to heat up with your body it starts to get just un useable, so either thow out the small part that you used or set it aside in a seperate container to cool.  But you need to use it at the lowest workable tempature and just keep rolling into a ball, spread and RIP! Hope that helps.

[Sybil]

Thanks for the replies. One of my issues was that what I made was WAY too sticky. I found it impossible to roll it into a ball so that I could use it as the paste solution. The mixture would just stubbornly mold around my fingers.

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to get around this? Did I maybe not cook the mixture long enough? I'm unfortunate in that I have a lot of arm and leg hair and some chest hair, and I also don't want to let my hair grow to 1/4" so that it'd be visible to any boyfriends - even if they know all about me, I'm sure that'd be a huge turnoff for them. 1/16" is really where I want to take care of it and the only (non-laser - all in due time!) solution I know of for that is the ball/paste solution. I've really got to get the non-strip method down.

Any further tips? Was the stickiness a good sign or a bad sign? Should it have been more sticky, less sticky? What are some of the ways that you like to use to measure temperatures more consistently, and what temperatures do you prefer to cook at? I didn't feel like there was any particularly "right" time to be checking. I only put the thermometer in at random to see how the temperature was now and then, and tried to keep it in the ballpark of 118* C -- I didn't do a very good job with this, it was usually a few degrees too hot. I couldn't figure out how to make it consistently 118* C.

I really appreciate the input, ladies (and any gentlemen!). If I can manage to get this working for myself, I will try to turn my first post into a future compendium for anyone else interested in the sugaring route and return the help to the community.

[Penny Gurl]

if it's too sticky and unworkable then it may have needed more time.  I know the batch that I use is pretty hard until I warm it up.

[Sybil]

Okay, thanks a bunch. I'll try cooking up a new batch and keeping it on the heat a bit longer, and maybe try and see if I don't have a "heavy" saucepan somewhere.