Hair Removal 2 - Sugaring

Sugaring is another one of my favourite methods of hair removal. Unlike threading, not only can sugaring remove the hairs on your face, but you can also use this method to tackle larger areas such as your legs, underarms, back, etc.

Sugaring is similar to waxing in a lot of ways, but in my opinion, sugaring is simply a lot better than waxing. Like waxing, sugaring removes all the hairs at the root so you'll be left with a smooth finish that will last days longer than shaving. However, unlike waxing, sugaring is a lot less painful, it is cheaper and can be done at home, easier to clean up because leftover residue can be rinsed off with water (wax tends to resist water), and the sugar mixture is made out of natural ingredients that are biodegradable!

I found this great video on youtube that demonstrates how to perform this technique once you have the sugaring mixture:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK0TOZoAp-8
I'd like to thank the youtube user Amy11190 for this great video and the sugaring recipe below (which I've slightly modified for my own personal preference).

2 CUPS SUGAR
¼ CUP LEMON JUICE
¼ CUP WATER

1. Put the ingredients in a saucepan and heat on medium-high heat until it boils.


2. Once it starts boiling, turn the heat down low and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.


3. When the sugar turns into a deep golden brown colour, begin testing it by taking a small spoonful of the mixture and dipping the spoon into a bowl of cold water to quickly cool it down. It should be stretchy (if not, the mixture probably just needs a little bit more time on the stove). You can test it on your arm. Do this about every two minutes while the wax is simmering until it stretches out on your arm and pulls off easily. If it sticks and won't come off it's not done, and if it's brittle you've overcooked it.

For storage put the hot wax into a glass container that won't melt. Let it sit for a few hours. Make sure the sugar mixture is cooled down to room temperature before using it. To use it, you only need to grab a small chunk slightly larger than a golf ball.

Notes:
-If you have a low pain tolerance or if you've never had hair removed by waxing or sugaring, I'd recommend getting help from a friend to remove the hair for you. People naturally get nervous about inflicting pain on themselves during the first few times.
-For delicate areas such as the underarms, dust a little bit of cornstarch, baby powder, or powdered sugar to the area before proceeding. This will help avoid tugging on the skin.
-Exfoliate your skin in the shower as soon as you can after sugaring to prevent ingrown hairs or irritation (and to rinse off any sugary residue). Going over the areas with a loofah should do the trick.

-For sensitive and hard to reach areas (such as the bikini area), I'd recommend going to a salon to have it done for you.

Cleaning your equipment
If you've ever made candy before, you'll know that it's almost impossible to clean your pot or saucepan just with soap and water. Here's an easy way to clean that leftover sugar that's stuck to the bottom of your pot.

1. Fill your sugar-dirtied saucepan about a third of the way up with water.


2. Bring the water to a boil. You may also dip your spoon/stirring device in the boiling water to clean that as well. The water will dissolve the sugar, cleaning your sauce pan.


3. Repeat if necessary.

And that's it! Salon prices for full leg sugaring/waxing can cost anywhere from $35-$60. This sugar mixture alone will cost less than $5 to produce, and you'll be able to get many sessions out of it! Pretty nifty, huh?

Tshirt Shrug

Hi there! I came by to share a super simple, super cute tshirt reconstruction tutorial I found the other day. It's an easy way to recycle an old shirt and give it new life as an adorable shrug.

You can find the tutorial here at Cut Out and Keep.

Here are my results:





Pretty wicked if I do say so myself! :)

Power Shift Canada

Are you a young and enthusiastic Canadian who is concerned about the environment? Do you want to go to Ottawa and make a difference this October? Check out Power Shift!

On October 23-26, 2009, over 1000 young people from across the country will converge on Ottawa to take a message of bold, comprehensive and immediate federal climate action to Parliament Hill. Power Shift will be two days of training, strategy and action and one mass lobby day to hold our elected officials accountable to for their part to solve the climate crisis, and to build a cohesive and effective youth climate movement. This will be the largest-ever gathering of young people on the environment in the history of this country.

At Power Shift Canada, we will deliver our message of change to our elected officials. Youth of all backgrounds will come together to create a fresh, positive, and inspiring vision of the future, one focused on our potential to overcome the challenges of the 21st century, build a clean energy economy, create millions of green jobs, increase global equity, and revitalize our economy. Now is the time for action. Now is the time for boldness. We will accept nothing less from the people with whom we have entrusted our future: our elected officials, and most importantly, ourselves. 2009 will be a year history will remember.

For more information and to find out how to register, please visit http://powershiftcanada.org.

Follow Power Shift Canada's facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=84993838717.

Indulge in a nice bath.

I know what I'm about to post isn't exactly the most water-friendly entry. Bathing can use up more water than showering. A part of me kind of feels guilty for what I'm about to post, but come on, we've all have those moments when we just want to melt and unwind into a nice hot bath after a long day. I don't think that's unreasonable, and I won't tell if you don't tell. ;)

When I feel I deserve a good bath, I always try to do something to the bath water to make it just a little more special. You can too and you don't even need to buy those fancy bath products either.

I recommend trying the following depending on your mood. You deserved it!

Add rose petals into your bath. The natural oils and fragrances from the petals will hydrate your skin and make it feel smooth, as well as leave you with a nice smell.

You can soften your skin with baking soda too! Just add about half a cup to the water.

Feel warmer in baths by adding a tablespoon or two of ground ginger or fresh ginger slices. This tip is great if you want to feel warm without using so much hot water (awesome tip for cold winters!). If you're using ground ginger, please add it to the water gradually. It can and will feel too intense if you put too much at once.

Relieve tension with chamomile tea. Just hold a few chamomile tea bags under the faucet as it runs. I haven't tried this yet, but apparently the tea contains healing properties that will relax your muscles.

Olive oil soothes dry skin. Make sure you soak in your bath for about 5 minutes before adding in the olive oil (2 tbsp will do). Presoaking will open up your pours to allow the olive oil to be absorbed into your skin.

Feel so fresh, so clean by adding the juice of a lemon (or two) into your bath. You'll feel cool and refreshed (awesome for hot summers). It also doubles up as a toner and tightens your skin (so it's great for people with oily skin too). I heard grapefruit and oranges also works well.

After you've had your happy alone time, it's time to snap back into reality. Rinse off with a (quick!) cool shower. It'll close your pours to lock in moisture and it's a nice way to end a nice, lazy bath.

Happy bathing! Don't use too much water.

Hair Removal - Threading

Originating in the Middle East and Asia, Threading is an ancient method of hair removal that requires only a piece of thread. I've been using the threading technique for quite some time now. I use it to shape my eyebrows and to remove the fine hairs on my *cough* upper lip. Threading grabs the hairs and pulls them out from the root. It is quicker than tweezing, a lot less painful than waxing and lasts longer than shaving.

Now let us begin.

Step 1.

First you will need to cut off a piece of thread that is about 1.5' - 2' long. Any kind of thread will do, but make sure it is strong and thin. I'm only using this thick black thread so you can see it easier.

Step 2.

Next, tie the two ends together so you will end up with a loop.

Step 3.

Wind the thread around with one hand until you end up with about an inch of the thread winded up in the centre of the loop.

Step 4.

To hold your thread, refer back to the image in step 3. You may hold the thread how you feel is the most comfortable to you, but keep in mind that your thumb and index finger will need to be able to move to manipulate the thread.
Practice opening your left hand and then your right hand. Notice the winded part of the thread will go from one side to the other. If you open up your left hand, the winded thread will twist to the right, and vice-versa.

Step 5.

This is basically how the hair removal will work. You want to remove the hairs against the grain (against the direction of the hair growth). As the winded section of the thread comes close to the hairs, it will grab other hairs along the way, twisting them around the thread until they are out of your skin. It'll feel like you're being lightly pinched, but that's okay because that means you're probably doing it right! It takes a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to remove hairs from eyebrows and upper lip in a matter of minutes!

And that's it! If you have any questions or comments, please post. Thank you for reading.