Sugaring vs. Waxing: Everything You Need to Know
Let’s be honest: we all want baby-smooth, hairless, perfect skin this summer but no one wants to go through the painful waxing process to get it. There is nothing comfortable or fun about a wax; it’s personal, you get anxious beforehand and irritation afterwards and it just plain hurts! Thankfully, there is a gentler alternative that has been popping up all over the country – Sugaring.
It’s all natural
Sugaring has been practiced for centuries throughout Greece, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. It is a hair removal treatment that consists of sugar, hot water and lemon juice formed into a paste that removes hair from the root without pulling at the skin follicle. The paste is applied at body temperature to areas of the skin with unwanted hair growth and then slowly peeled off bringing the hair with it. As the paste is applied, it wraps around the hair making it pliable and lubricating the follicle to fully and gently extract the hair. Though this sounds similar to waxing, the process is said to be a lot less painful and irritating to the skin.
It’s less irritating (and painful) for the skin
Skin cells are wet, so the water-based paste does not adhere to live skin cells, only dead ones. When the dead skin cells are removed, it not only takes the hair away from your skin but also exfoliates the area too, leaving you baby soft and irritation free! Waxing, on the other hand, often pulls up more than just the hair with it. This causes serious pain, irritation, unsightly bumps and ingrown hairs. When you get a wax it is essentially shrink-wrapping the hair and pulling it from the root which often leaves puckered, red skin follicles. Sugaring is a less blunt removal method so that the follicle will raise a lot less than with the abrupt yanking of a wax.
It’s not as sticky or messy
Wax contains resins which require chemical solvents to properly remove all residue. Because the paste used in sugaring is water soluble, there isn’t a pile up of residue left behind after the treatment and it can all be easily cleaned with a wet cloth. This means you can leave the salon and go right on with your day without worrying about your clothing sticking to your skin or smelling like whatever chemical was used to wipe off the wax residue.
Tips for sugaring:
- Make sure the hair is at least ¼ inch long so the paste is able to bind to the hair and pull it all the way out.
- Be sure to exfoliate the area fully before the process in order to open the follicles.
- The aesthetician should prep the skin with powder to absorb the oil. Talcum powder is often a good choice because it makes the hair stand out and separate itself from the skin.
- The paste should be applied in the opposite direction of the hair growth so it grips it from the root.
- Post-sugaring – you should avoid anything that will heat up your skin or cause irritation for 48 hours – don’t go to the gym or sauna, avoid hot showers or baths, wear loose clothing so there isn’t a risk of rubbing against the sugared areas.
- After 48 hours you should gently exfoliate the area to avoid ingrown hairs and then apply a gentle bikini balm with TrueLipids 1% Hydrocortisone Barrier Cream to soothe the skin.