DIY Sugar Wax

Besides being annoying, hair removal can get expensive. If you're currently shaving your legs, you could be saving money by switching to waxing. A cheap disposable razor starts around $1 and these usually only last a few uses. I know I switch mine every two weeks or so. This puts shaving at a minimum cost of $26/year, not to mention if you buy nicer razors, use shaving cream, or the cost of all that time you spend shaving. One article that breaks down the cost further can be found at Confessions of the Professions.

I know what you're thinking, that buying those waxing kits or making trips to the beauty parlor for your monthly waxing adds up fast too. That is 100% true and that's why you shouldn't be doing either of those. I can't justify spending $50-$80 to get my legs waxed by a professional, nor can I make myself spend the money to buy the kits which start around $10 for the cheap ones. The solution is to do it all at home. You can make your own sugar wax with natural products at home. This is much gentler on skin than other waxes, easy to make and clean up, and contains only natural ingredients. That means no preservatives or chemicals! I buy my supplies at SAMs club making the overall cost less, but even if you do your shopping at the local grocery store this is sure to be a hit.

What you'll need:

• 1 Cup Honey
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice

Item	Sams Club					Grocery Store
	Size	Unit	Total	Unit Cost	Recipe Cost	Size	Unit	Total	Unit Cost	Recipe Cost
Lemon Juice	96	Oz	$    5.68	$     0.06	$  0.24	32	Oz	$  2.59	$     0.08	$  0.32
Honey	80	Oz	$  16.43	$     0.21	$  1.64	12	Oz	$  4.29	$     0.36	$  2.86
Sugar	160	oz	$    4.48	$     0.03	$  0.20	64	oz	$  2.89	$     0.05	$  0.32
Total Bulk Buying					$  2.08	Total Grocery Store				$  3.50
# Uses					4	# Uses				4
Cost/Waxing					$  0.52	Cost/Waxing				$  0.88

The 4 uses is conservative. Also, if you are only doing the lower half of your leg it will last much longer. This table does not include the cost of a tongue depressor ($0.10) or the reusable cotton strips ($6.99). However, as those items are reusable your cost per waxing will go down the more times you wax. There are also alternatives to using pre-cut fabric strips such as t-shirts, dish cloths, etc.

I used bottled lemon juice as I was not consuming the wax, I found it less important to be from fresh organic lemons. If you choose to use fresh lemons, be aware this will impact your cost. Now on to how to actually make the wax.

Making the Wax:

1. Combine Sugar, Honey, and Lemon Juice in a sauce pot over medium heat.
2. Stir until sugar has completely dissolved and cook a minute longer.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Use once wax has cooled somewhat or store in fridge until ready to use.

Super easy right? Now you have no excuses for not doing it at home. In the next post, I will be showing you how to use this wax that you have just created.