How to Make Your Own Sugaring Kit

Ever thought you'd be able to use as much sugar as you like for as long as you like---without gaining a pound? These days, you can make that claim by creating confections that were formulated as long ago as the days of Cleopatra when Egyptians mixed up sugary serums to rid themselves of unwanted body hair. Today's cosmetic market offers plenty of variety in the sugaring kit department, but why not take a tip from the pharaohs and mix up your own? You'll save a bundle---easily enough to treat yourself to shorts and heels---just two of the fashion-forward items you'll want to own to show off your sexy, silky legs.

Things You'll Need

• 2 cups sugar
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup water
• Candy thermometer
• Jam-preserving jar
• Tongue depressors
• Cotton cloth
• Scissors
• Essential oils (optional)

Instructions

1. Mix sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan and heat it to a softball candy stage or around 250 degrees F. The mixture should come to a gentle, rolling bubble. Make sure it doesn't reach a full boil.

2. Allow the sugaring mix to cool before pouring it into a clean glass jar that's been manufactured for making jellies and preserves. Cosmetologists recommend cooling the mix down at least 15 minutes before you try it on your skin.

3. Test out the sugaring mixture on a small area of your body to see how it sets up. If the formula is too thick or too thin, remix and heat the new batch until it reaches a consistency you like for handling the hair removal job.

4. Slather the reformulated sugaring mix on your legs using a tongue depressor (you can also use a tongue depressor to stir the mix while it's cooking).

5. Cut cotton cloth into strips. Apply the strips to your sugar-coated legs or other areas slated for unwanted hair removal. Allow the sugar coating to dry. Pull away the cotton strips to remove hair, and then throw the strips into the laundry where they should be washed, dried and folded for future use.

6. Store remaining sugaring mixture in the refrigerator. Place an adhesive sticker on the jar or lid and mark the storage date so you can throw away sugaring mixture that's still in your fridge after 30 days or so.

7. Reconstitute the sugaring kit at any time within the recommended 30-day window by bringing it back up to the desired temperature (250 degrees F) in the microwave and reapplying the salve, as described in Steps 4 and 5.

8. Wash your legs after each sugaring treatment; then layer on a soothing cream. Sugaring offers the advantage of slow regrowth of hair, so you'll be able to enjoy your great-looking legs with plenty of confidence for a longer period of time than you did when you used those pesky razors.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want your sugaring experience to be more than utilitarian, add essential oils to your recipes before you store them away in the fridge. Choose any fragrance you wish---from cooling peppermint and wintergreen to soothing lavender---for an extra touch of sensory pleasure.