I tried ‘sugaring’ at home to remove my armpit hair

Natural body products are becoming increasingly popular. I have always had sensitive skin so I have become particularly interested in them myself. One area of my skin that has always been more prone to irritability is my armpits – no matter which razor I use my armpits are always scratching and irritated for days after. So, when I heard of sugar waxing as an alternative to remove unwanted hair, I was all in.

“Sugaring”, or sugar waxing, is a mixture of lemons, sugar, and water heated to a low boil, cooled, and then applied to the skin to wax (in my case, my armpits). I personally used fresh lemon juice from three lemons, one cup of sugar, and a splash of water. I then used an old cotton towel cut to use as a waxing strip.

The solution itself was simple to make and fast. I used a juicer to obtain my lemon juice but I am sure store-bought lemon juice will work just fine. It was an interesting texture and almost began to just look like lemonade concentrate which then dawned on me that was what it basically was.

The sugary wax paste was still warm when I applied it. I attempted to spread it evenly on my armpit and then placed the cloth on top of it and let it sit for a little over a minute. I was having a hard time believing how sticky it actually was until I felt it on my fingers – this paste would for sure rip.

The removal itself was not actually an agony inducing, regretting this decision kind of pain, but just a quick band aid rip sort of pain. I realized though after staring at the cloth filled with my armpit hairs that it could be due to the fact that only a few hairs were actually removed.

So, I tried again, this time applying an even thicker coat of the paste and letting it linger even a tad longer than before. This gave me the results I was looking for but still could have used a couple more rips for a completed wax.

The after tingle on my armpit was slight and I was pretty proud of the results.  I was not most concerned with the effectiveness of the removal itself, but more so avoiding the side effects I was used to getting from my classic women’s razors. So, I was happy to notice, or rather not notice, any awkward needing to scratch my armpits at work or any other awkward public gatherings. It was actually quite refreshing as I felt extremely fresh. Not only did the itching subside but I could also feel good about applying my deodorant without unfortunate dry crumble. I was also feeling very earthy and self sufficient with my shave.

Ultimately, the time I spent to create my own formula of sugaring and waxing myself was cost effective and did the job. Sure, I will always have those quick armpit shaves in the sink with a razor when I decide to wear a tank – but when given the time and when I am organized just enough, I will use this natural “sugaring” technique again and I think my armpits will thank me for it.