How to Make Sugaring Paste at Home
Basic Recipe:
2 Cups Sugar - choose your sugar carefully. White sugar yields a softer sugaring paste than raw sugar.
You have three choices:
- Regular White Sugar - softest results, however, if you really want to stick with the all natural aspect, keep in mind that regular white sugar is processed and bleached.
- Natural / Organic Cane Sugar - Medium consistency results
- Natural / Organic Raw Sugar - Firmest Results
*Edited and corrected
18 tsp (3 oz) Lemon Juice - for best results squeeze the lemons yourself. Bottled Lemon juice does work but keep in mind that there are added preservatives and bottled lemon juice is typically "from concentrate". The juice from two lemons usually yields about 1/4 cup, but be sure to strain it to get rid of any pulp or seeds.
6 tsp (1 oz) Water - for best results use bottled water. Tap water contains added chemicals such as Liquified chlorine, Fluorosilicic acid, Aluminium sulphate, Calcium hydroxide, and Sodium silicofluoride
I previously had 1/4 cup and 1/4 cup - this IS the general recipe however I find the edited amounts 18 tsp & 6 tsp works the best.
What you need:
A good, heavy aluminum saucepan with no teflon.
- As you heat your mixture it will boil and bubble up, so make sure your saucepan is big enough that it doesn’t overflow.
- Using a heavy sauce pan is especially important. If the sauce pan is thin it can throw off the entire temperature and overheat the sugar, making it cook too quickly. Cooking fast isn't good, it needs this time to slowly simmer.
A Candy Thermometer
- Some recipes found "across the web" for cooking sugaring paste will tell you that color is the indication for when your sugar is cooked properly (a medium to medium dark amber color). I respectfully disagree. Yes, your sugar will change color to the dark amber, however, making sugaring paste is a bit of a science and does require temperature accuracy. Sugaring paste is traditionally cooked to HARD BALL. Remember that you ARE cooking sugar. What's the main ingredient in candy? Sugar.
A good metal whisk. Don't use a silicon whisk - the sugar will stick to it like you wouldn't believe. Very messy. Been there, tried that.
Steps:
- Pour your sugar into the saucepan first, then the liquids. Use your whisk to distribute liquids and blend well. Attach your candy thermometer to the saucepan. Make sure the end of the thermometer is 1/4" deep into the sugar. Otherwise, the thermometer will not read accurately.
- Turn your burner on - low - medium low. Any higher you will risk burning the sugar...and making a mess with boilover. **Don’t step away from the stove, especially if this is your first time making body sugaring paste.
- Stir the mixture continuously with your whisk until the sugar reaches a continuous, steady boil. Allow to slowly low simmer for at least 25 minutes. This time window is required to get the final paste just right. If it's not cooked long enough, the end sugar hair removal paste will be too sticky to work with.
- As your sugar reaches a boil, it will begin to thin out. Continue stirring with your whisk. Stirring also helps control the boil level so that it does not boil over. You will see the sugar gradually begin to change to a darker color. Keep in mind: The sugar CHOICE you use will determine the end color result. Bleached sugar will yield the dark amber color, while raw sugar will yield the darkest almost black.
- Your mixture should reach 250 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the "hardball" candy stage. As SOON as it reaches hard ball 250°, remove from heat.
- Allow the mixture to cool off. This is especially important if you are going to use some of it right now for hair removal. You want it to be warm, but not hot, or else you can seriously burn yourself while pouring. Even if you aren’t going to use it immediately, let it cool off before you transfer it into a container. I usually leave my candy thermometer in the sugar until it is cooled to a pourable 210 degrees. I prefer mason jars, as well, because they are tempered heat safe. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the saucepan - try to get it all out so that there is no waste. Use multiple containers if you want to set some aside for a later date.
- Pour your paste into a heat safe container.
- Store your body sugaring paste at room temperature.
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