Sugaring vs. Waxing: Which is better for you?
Let’s start with the basics, we all know what waxing is. But... have you heard of sugaring? Dating back to ancient Egypt (as far back as 1900bcE) sugaring is one of the oldest methods of hair removal.
WHAT IS SUGARING?
It is exactly as it sounds, simply just sugar! With sugar, the hair is extracted in its natural growth pattern. This helps to prevent breakage and in-grown hairs, leaving you with a smoother, longer lasting result. It is made with just three simple ingredients: sugar, water and lemon juice. Those ingredients are cooked together to form a thick paste. This paste is then applied directly onto the skin against the hair growth pattern and removed without any sticks or strips. This method is ideal for the sensitive areas like the underarm and bikini/brazilian area.
DOES SUGAR HURT MORE THAN WAX?
Absolutely not. If anything, it hurts much, much less (Especially for the bikini and brazilian areas). It is ideal for sensitive, in-grown prone skin. Sugar doesn’t adhere to the skin like a wax so your skin is not as irritated and inflamed after. It is far more delicate and not nearly as abrasive.
CAN I SUGAR EVERYWHERE I WOULD NORMALLY WAX?
Sugaring can be used anywhere on the body you would wax, however, there are some areas where waxing will yield a faster more precise result: For example the face, the arms and the legs. Because sugar is applied with just the hand and not a stick it can take a lot longer for those larger areas like the legs and arms. Since those areas aren’t typically super sensitive or prone to in-grown hairs, a soft wax used with strips will get the job done the quickest and most efficientLY. As far as brows and facial waxing, you don’t want a cumbersome finger so close to your brow when a tiny stick with hard wax would be best and most precise. A quality hard wax is ideal for all facial waxing.
HOW OFTEN DO I NEED TO SUGAR?
Sugaring lasts a little longer than waxing so you can wait between 4-6 weeks before returning for your bikini/brazilian and 3-4 for your underarms. It is not recommended to exceed 6 weeks as it will start to become more uncomfortable. Stick with 4 to 5 weeks between appointments. This will not only lead to permanent hair reduction faster but it will also be less painful. Yes, sugaring over time will lead to less and less hair growing back!
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT AT A SUGARING APPOINTMENT?
Your service should start with a little pre-cleanse of the area to be sugared followed by an application of powder. The powder helps with perspiration and provides a little barrier between your skin and the sugar. As the sugaring starts you should expect your technician to describe the process to you as they’re performing it so you can get a better understanding of how it works and why it feels the way it does. The sugar should be warm and soft, not cold and stiff. This will ensure a smoother application and a more comfortable experience. You will feel a slight tugging during the application and then the prick of the hair being forced through the follicle when removed. You will notice a difference right away from waxing, as there won’t be any heat or burning sensation!
WHAT’S THE AFTERCARE POST SUGARING?
It’s super important to care for your skin post sugaring services. To prevent ingrown hairs we recommend keeping your skin exfoliated and hydrated. The most common cause of ingrown hairs is over exfoliation. Most people manually exfoliate with exfoliating gloves or buff puffs and end up scrubbing too hard. What that does is creates minor abrasions in the skin so it tries to heal itself quickly and grows over the hairs that are trying to pop out. It is very important to learn the delicate balance between mild exfoliation and overdoing it. I always recommend using an all natural chemical exfoliant like this Sweet Exfoliator Serum instead of manually exfoliating. This serum uses AHA’s and BHA’s to keep dead skin sloughed off without the risk of over exfoliation. For keeping the skin hydrated, healed and in optimal condition use this Tamanu Salve. You want to use these both daily, apply the serum first followed by the salve!
