Hair removal has been a process carried out by women throughout history, and sugaring is a method that can be traced all the way back to ancient Egypt, when Persian women believed that a hairless body was a symbol of youth and beauty. Sugaring is a method that is still used today, and has been making quite the revival in recent years, mostly due to the fact that it is effective, pain-free, and unexpectedly long-lasting.
How Does Sugaring Work?
Sugaring makes use of a paste that consists of lemon juice, water and sugar, which is heated until it forms a hard ball. Once the paste has cooled enough, to the point where it will not burn the skin, it is then spread onto the skin, before being covered with strips of cotton. Once dry, the cotton is then pulled off in the same direction as hair growth, resulting in smooth, hairless skin. The key ingredient in this whole process is, of course, the sugar, which binds to the hair and subsequently pulls it out when it is removed. To ensure that the sugar is able to bind to the hair properly, the hair needs to be at least a quarter of an inch long, and the entire area needs to be well-exfoliated, without any excess oil.
Benefits of Sugaring
Sugar is one of the best natural exfoliants for the skin, meaning not only does the hair get removed, but so do all of the dead skin cells that build up on the surface of the skin and lead to a dry and rough complexion. Being completely natural, it is a method free of chemicals, meaning that it can be used on all skin types, even sensitive skin.
How Does Sugaring Compare to Conventional Hair Removal Methods?
When it comes to the more conventional hair removal methods out there, sugaring actually outperforms several of them. The main advantage of sugaring over shaving is the time needed in between sessions, as hair growth is usually seen in a couple of days with shaving, whereas it takes 4-6 weeks for hair to regrow after sugaring. This timeframe is comparable to waxing, as is the actual process of sugaring, but since the sugar paste only sticks to the hair and not the actual skin, sugaring is considered to be much less painful than waxing. Waxing can also leave behind a sticky residue, whereas the clean-up after sugaring is simple and quick.
The main downside to sugaring is that it can often be difficult to find a professional who carries out this process authentically. There are many salons that claim to offer sugaring, but instead, just mix sugar with wax, and then carry out the standard waxing process, so it is important to find out exactly what is involved before booking yourself in for a session. Now that the benefits of sugaring are more widely known, it is considered to be one of the best hair removal methods out there, as it is not only safe and natural, but also long-term and cost effective.
