We’re well into the depths of the hot season, and for majority of us, that means a whole lot of shaving, laser, or waxing.
And while it’s totally fine (and preferred by some) to grow hair in all the parts of your body you want to, for the gals that prefer the hairless option, we know that waxing provides more downtime in between hair removal sessions than shaving does.
Yet out of all the hair removal methods out there, though—and there are many—waxing probably takes the cake as the one that’s not only the most intimidating, but also the most painful. Plus, if you get it done by a pro, it can also get very costly.
That’s where sugaring comes in.
You might have seen it while on a late-night TikTok scroll sesh (we certainly have), or even on the menu at your local spa (it’s being offered more frequently in spas, and entire studios dedicated to the service have been popping up alongside standalone waxing and threading centres), but the popularity of sugaring is no joke: the hashtag #sugaring has over 1.4 billion views and counting on TikTok, and all of this isn’t without good reason. As it turns out, sugaring can be a fairly gentle, cost-effective, and natural way to remove body hair, and that’s why the internet’s buzzing about it.
So what exactly is it? And why might we choose to go the sweeter route? Here, you’ll find the pros and cons of sugaring so you can decide whether this method may be right for you.
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What is sugaring?
As sweet as it sounds, sugaring is another form of hair removal where instead of the traditional waxing method, the sugaring paste is literally made out of sugar, water, and citric acid (lemon juice) and removes the hair with the hair growth.
Interestingly the technique isn’t new at all and some form of this method actually dates back to ancient Egypt.
According to Daria Nartov, founder and CEO of SugaringNYC, each ingredient in the paste, which gets boiled together, has a role to play in the de-fuzzing process:
- Sugar: the main component, which acts as the adhesive that binds to the hair and pulls it from the root.
- Lemon juice: citric acid in the lemon juice prevents the mixture from crystallising and has natural antibacterial properties.
- Water: this is added for consistency to make the mixture pliable enough for application.
What can I expect at a sugaring appointment?
At a sugaring appointment, you can expect the paste to be applied to your body against the direction of hair growth and then flicked off with the hair growth to remove the hair at the root.
As for prepping for a sugaring appointment, it’s similar to what you’d do for other types of hair removal: cleanse and gently exfoliate the area getting sugared about a day before your service, and have a fresh shower just before if possible to ensure your pores are clean before removing the hair.
Before your appointment officially starts, be sure to communicate any concerns with your sugaring technician, esthetician, or dermatologist. This includes if you are actively taking any medications that may make your skin compromised.
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What are the benefits of sugaring?
Aside from being a potentially all-natural method of hair removal, sugaring is said to be gentler on the skin than other techniques and can be done virtually anywhere on the body, including the face, arms, legs, underarms, bikini line, and more. This also means it’s a great option for those with compromised or sensitive skin because the paste used is all-natural and contains fewer potential allergens than some waxing products.
“It is 100% natural and chemical free – you could even eat it! Sugaring is virtually pain-free, softens your skin and results last up to 6 weeks,” explain the team at Sydney’s Nature’s Energy salon. “With a course of treatments, hair is reduced dramatically. Sugaring can be performed on all hair from 2 weeks after shaving”
For best results, Nature’s Energy salon recommends your hair be at least the length of a grain of rice to be sugared. The longer the hair, the easier it is to remove properly out of the hair follicle.
Sugaring vs Waxing
“Sugaring can be a good alternative to waxing, for sensitive skin, as most waxes are made primarily of resins and contain artificial fragrances, dyes, chemicals, and preservatives. Sugaring is also good for sensitive skin and perfect for blonde and very fine hair,” explain the team at Elizabeth Skin Care and Electrolysis clinic.
The main two differences are the ingredients and the process: sugaring is made up of three natural ingredients—water, lemon juice (citric acid), and sugar—whereas wax is made up of multiple oils, resin, and a lot of additives. As for the process, the technician applies the sugaring paste with their gloved hand, against the hair growth and then flicks it off, to then remove the hair with the hair growth where as with waxing the technician would apply the hard or soft wax with an application stick with the hair growth and then remove against, making it easier for hairs to break in the process.
Aftercare
Like waxing, aftercare truly helps with maintaining your sugaring results. After your appointment, your pores will be open for about 24 hours after your sugaring service and will be more susceptible to bacteria, so you’ll want to make sure you keep contact with this area light. Avoid tanning, hot showers, friction, tight clothing, exercise/sweat, and open water for 24 hours.
After that 24 hours, try exfoliating three times a week to prevent ingrown hairs.
