What Is Sugaring? Everything You Need To Know About The Sensitive-Skin-Approved Service

Hair removal is a rather tricky world to navigate: With so many options out there (threading, waxing, and the conventional razor shave, to name a few), it can be difficult to know which service is best for your personal hair and skin type. But if you're looking for smooth, hairless skin using all-natural ingredients, may we suggest sugaring? Here, your crash course on the popular hair removal service, plus how to do it in the comfort of your own home.

You might regard sugaring as a relatively new player in the hair removal space, but it's actually been around for ages as an ancient Egyptian technique (even purportedly used by the Cleopatra, herself). The paste is made of 100% natural ingredients—just lemon, sugar, and water; after it's heated to a lukewarm temperature, the sugaring paste is able to extract the hair in the natural direction of hair growth. (Unlike a traditional hard wax, which goes against the grain of hair.) 

You can get sugared pretty much anywhere you would expect a wax: There are your classic places, like the bikini line, arms, underarms, legs, back, chest, and stomach, as well as smaller areas like the upper lip, hands, and eyebrows. The only area that cannot be sugared, according to Kelly Vela, licensed esthetician at SUGARED + BRONZED, is men's facial hair—the scruff is usually way too coarse for the sugaring paste to pick up, and it typically grows in a crisscross direction.  

With the right prep and aftercare (more on that later), you can expect results to last for about three to four weeks. However, Vela recommends sugaring once a month to consistently see the best results: "It is important to sugar the hair in its anagen phase (or the active growing phase), which is about every four weeks, for optimal results," she explains. 

Just be sure to assess your hair type: If you have coarse, thick hair, make sure the sugaring paste doesn't leave a few stray hairs behind. To find out which hair removal service is best for your hair type, be sure to reference our sugaring versus waxing guide. 

After the treatment, you'll want to refrain from exfoliating the area: "While we encourage exfoliating regularly, this regimen should be put on hold for the initial 48 hours post sugaring session," Claghorn explains. She also mentions you may want to avoid sweating for 24 hours after sugaring. ("Perspiring could potentially clog the hair follicles," she notes.) Other than that, go about your regular skin care maintenance: Exfoliate as needed, practice safe sun, and try not to use any topicals with harsh chemicals or fragrance.

Have your sugar paste at the ready? Here's how to give yourself a sugaring session at home:

If you're looking for a safe, all-natural hair removal service, sugaring may be a great option for you to seek out. Plus, it's incredibly easy to DIY—no cloth strips or applicators required for this home-friendly method. If you're new to sugaring, just be sure to do a patch test before slathering on the gloop; while sugar paste is sensitive-skin-approved, some people can still face some irritation if they're allergic to any ingredients. As always, consult your esthetician or derm if you have any lingering questions, or watch one of the numerous how-to sugaring videos online—that mold-and-flick motion is strangely satisfying to watch on repeat.