Advantages of Sugaring vs. Waxing

2/27/2013

Waxing is a popular & easily accessible method for body hair removal......but how does it compare to Sugaring?

Sugaring paste is simply made out of sugar, water, & lemon juice. It's even edible!
Wax has many chemical ingredients, mostly resins & preservatives.

Sugaring paste is applied at body temperature & will not burn your skin.
Hot wax must be heated to a high degree in order to become liquified. The heat causes swelling in the tissues which makes hair difficult to remove. Using this amount of heat has the potential to cause burning & scarring.

Sugar paste can be cleaned up easily with water. You will never leave a Sugaring treatment feeling sticky.
Since wax contains resins, chemical solvents are required to remove it's residues.

Sugar cannot adhere to live skin cells. Live skin cells are wet & because Sugar Paste is water soluble, it will not adhere to live skin cells. This means less discomfort for you & less trauma to your skin. Sugaring does remove dead skin cells - so as the hair is removed your skin is also getting exfoliated! It is gentle enough to go over the same area several times to extract stubborn hairs without causing skin damage or irritation. No tweezers needed.
Wax has been known to remove more than just the hair, since it can adhere directly to live skin cells, which makes waxing more painful & irritating. Wax cannot be applied to an area more than twice at the most. Tweezers are commonly used to get the leftover hairs the wax missed.

A single glob of Sugar Paste can be used over & over on different parts of your body then discarded after your treatment. It is never used on any other person.
When using a hot wax pot, the practitioner must use a clean & unused stick each time to dip into the wax for each strip applied. This creates more waste and more chance for contamination.

Sugaring Paste is hypoallergenic & non-comedogenic. Sugar naturally helps control cross contamination & bacteria cannot breed in the tub of sugar.
Cross contamination in a waxing room is always a danger, especially since bacteria will breed inside a tub of wax.

Using the Advanced Sugaring Technique the paste wraps around the hair making it pliable, while seeping into the hair follicle lubricating the hair to make the extraction more complete & gentle. The hair is removed out of the follicle only in the natural direction of growth, which helps to extract the hair intact.
One of the most common problems waxers face is early regrowth due to broken hairs. Waxing can leave 15% - 30% breakage behind. This problem is usually caused not by the esthetitian, but by the wax used. Since wax hardens on the hair, it has the tendency to break it off at the surface, rather than pull it out.

The Advanced Sugaring Technique requires about 1/16 inch of hair for successful extraction (1/8 inch tends to be optimal). Wax products require that you grow the hair out at least 1/4 inch before your next waxing.

After a number of Sugaring treatments the hair follicle begins to deplete. The hair grows in more refined each time. Because Sugar can extract such short hair, it is possible to extract the hair in the early growth phase, which can lead to permanency. You will see superior results in just a few treatments.

(*Information taken from Alexandira Professional Body Sugaring Reference Guide)

Click here for more info about Body Sugaring at the Beauty Temple

45 Comments

Kavita

3/1/2013 06:58:48 am

Thank you Sara, this sugaring treatment was literally painless.I think I may find it very difficult to go back to waxing after this. You are AWESOME!!

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10/25/2013 07:58:02 pm

What a nice article! You’ve shared very useful information. You really did an awesome job. Thank you so much.

Mogi govender

7/4/2014 12:49:30 am

I just wanted to know if sugaring harmful to the skin especially for the over 50's. Thanks

SimplySugaring link

7/19/2014 09:34:10 pm

Sugaring is perfectly fine for older skin. If you are concerned, ask your local practioner for a free patch test.

Sara-ann Swanson

6/17/2016 05:35:58 pm

Yes, sugaring is absolutely fine for mature skin of any age.

Rand link

8/29/2014 09:44:33 pm

Okay well the only wrong this about this article is the length of the hair it's mixed in order to do sugar the hair has got to be at least 2
To 3 weeks and in wax it has to be short it cant be long or it will not work

Jane

8/17/2015 08:54:32 am

That is completely false. I received a gift certificate for the holidays to a salon and the salon told me I had to have at least 2 weeks growth to be waxed.

Brian

10/15/2015 07:02:10 am

I just started sugaring and it is the best. After shaving for a number of years I have never achieved the smoothness that sugaring gives me. It has been 2 weeks since my 2nd sugaring and I am still completely hairless and silky smooth.

Sara-ann Swanson link

10/30/2015 07:47:55 am

That's awesome Brian! Welcome to the joys of Sugaring! The other cool thing is that as the hair grows it's much softer than shaving. This is because the a whole new hair is formed after Sugaring and the tip is tapered. Shaving shears off the tip and creates a blunted tip that ends up feeling bristly.

Jessica

1/9/2016 01:23:03 pm

I tired sugaring once. I was sweating for 30 minutes straight. I have extremely thick hair and I've been shaving for years. The practitioner promised that the next time I go in it will be less painful but i am so traumatized

Sara-ann Swanson link

2/16/2016 05:10:35 pm

So sorry to hear that you feel traumatized Jessica. Unfortunately Sugaring is not magically pain-free; though it is typically less painful than waxing. Yes, the first time is always the worst but follow up Sugaring treatments do tend to be easier.

The trick with that is to get Sugared within the early stages of the hairs regrowing. The root bulbs will be smaller and less developed and therefore are extracted more easily and less painfully.

The early growth stage window of time is a bit different for each area of the body but 4 weeks is a good general length of time. This really does make a significant difference.

Nikki

6/17/2016 03:38:59 pm

Yes! Thank you! Sugaring was WAY more painful than waxing. I would wax everytime over sugaring ever again - no thanks!

Sara-ann Swanson

6/17/2016 05:19:52 pm

Nikki, sorry to hear you experienced much more pain than waxing when you tried sugaring. Hey if waxing works better for you, than by all means stick to waxing.

Sara-ann Swanson

6/17/2016 05:33:18 pm

Just thought I take the opportunity to let people know that there are a few factors that can in fact make sugaring more painful than waxing.

First of all, sugaring takes much more skill than waxing does. If you are sugared by someone who is inexperienced you may have a more painful experience.

That being said, sugar is very sensitive to heat and moisture. Body temperature, room temperature, perspiration and humidity in the air all have an effect on the sugar paste. If one or more of those elements are excessive then even an experienced sugarist can struggle a bit.

Overall, most all people do find sugaring to be less painful.

Rowann

2/8/2016 12:00:30 pm

I'm unfortunately someone with fair, sensitive skin and get razor burn/bumps, literally, after every time I shave anywhere. I've tried alternative means of hair removal without any luck and now only do threading for my eyebrows because it would be too painful to do it anywhere else that I'd like hair removal. I've also heard waxing can cause skin sagging or wrinkling, especially on the face. So can sugaring prevent razor burn/bumps, not cause premature sagging/wrinkles, and is it safe for sensitive skin?

Sara-ann Swanson link

2/16/2016 05:48:44 pm

Yes, Sugaring is safe for sensitive skin. Though Sugaring does tend to cause some temporary redness and itchiness, the annoying after affects tend to be significantly less than waxing. You can ask your practitioner to do a patch test on your face 24 hrs or more before your actual Sugaring appointment for your face if you are concerned.

Though the skin has to be pulled taught during the process of Sugaring, it's not too much more 'stretching' of the skin than we do on a daily basis with washing and applying moisturizers, etc. I'm pretty sure Sugaring would not cause premature wrinkling.

Razor burn and razor bumps are so annoying. One of the wonderful things about Sugaring is that you can stop shaving. Trade in uncomfortable and unsightly razor burn, bumps and stubble for skin that looks happier and stays smoother for much longer.

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3/11/2016 12:35:59 am

If you have sensitive skin, can bear the pain, and are willing to pay a little more, sugaring is a great hair removal option.But for me,I prefer hair removal cream because this will remove hair with less pain than other methods of hair removal. It’s a quick procedure, can be done at home, and most depilatory creams are relatively inexpensive.

Sara-ann Swanson

3/11/2016 08:14:08 am

Though hair removal cream can certainly be less painful then actually extracting the hair with sugaring or waxing, I advise against hair removal cream because of the toxic chemicals that are in it. The skin is the largest organ in the body and we do absorb what we put on our skin. I personally do not want chemicals are strong enough to melt the hair polluting the inside of my body too.

Of course it's a personal choice and I mean you not disrespect by this response to your comment. Just trying to be helpful so that other people can make the best choice for themselves. :-)

Nikki

6/17/2016 03:42:07 pm

Honestly I wouldn't bother with sugaring- I'd prefer waxing everytime as it's far less painful and far more efficient.

The practitioner had to sugar the same area repeatedly until my skin was raw and I STILL had hair left - I had to go home and put ice packs under my arms. I've never had this experience with wax.

Sara-ann Swanson

6/17/2016 06:38:55 pm

Awww....ouch! That sounds awful Nikki.
Like I mentioned before, sugaring takes much more skill than waxing does. If you are sugared by someone who is inexperienced you may have a more painful experience. Not to say that your sugarist was inexperienced.

Sugar paste is very sensitive to heat and moisture. Body temperature, room temperature, perspiration and humidity in the air all have an effect on the sugar paste. If one or more of those elements are excessive then even an experienced sugarist can struggle a bit.

Eventhough sugaring can have it's challenges, overall, most all people do find sugaring to be less painful and less irritating. I hope this helps explain a bit.

I encourage you to seek out a really experienced sugarist.....or, just stick to waxing of course. :-)

Samantha

3/29/2017 10:02:47 am

Hi Nikki! I haven't sugared or waxed my underarms (I'm a cheapskate) but I have an epilator and let me tell you it is MAGICAL under the arms. I used to have a five o clock shadow under my arms and NEVER let anyone see them (I'm very fair skinned with the thickest follicles). It was absolutely horrendous my first time, but it'll be better for you since you've waxed before. Now it grows in so thin, so light, with no ingrown hair issues like I had with shaving. It was a $40 purchase and I use it weekly all over my body (with the exception of the most sensitive area... bikini not excluded). You should check it out :)

Natalie

7/1/2016 10:30:54 am

If I have been growing my hair out for about 6 weeks now and have thicker hair, will sugaring be more painful?

Sara-ann Swanson

1/19/2017 08:17:01 am

The longer the hair is left to grow out, the more the hair root bulb matures. Extracting hair with matured root bulbs tends to be more painful than hairs with root bulbs that are not yet matured.

For instance, it is common for clients who get a Brazilian to come in every 3 or 4 weeks because they find it to be much less painful than waiting 6 weeks or more.

Nur Hidayah

1/18/2017 08:27:51 pm

I'm sorry to ask..is sugar waxing can be used on miss v??

Anna

5/19/2017 05:21:39 pm

Yes, I just got it done today (first time ever getting a Brazilian). I've only shaved down there my whole adult life and although it was painful, it wasn't that bad. My skin was not irritated by the sugar, it wasn't hot on the skin, it didn't hurt to go over an area more than once, and my skin is silky smooth now. If you get this done around the time you're supposed to get your period, it will hurt more. If you're on certain birth control, it'll hurt more. I'm not in the 2 week buffer before my period, I had one vodka/cran, and took 2 ibuprofen an hour before my appt. All of those factors helped make it less painful. The person that did my sugaring also had 4 years of experience with it, which seems to be helpful as well. I'm going to do sugaring instead of shaving from now on.

Sara-ann Swanson

8/4/2017 05:52:04 pm

Yes, Sugaring can absolutely be used on both female and male genitalia. Most all of my clients that have had a Brazilian wax and then experience Sugaring say how much less painful Sugaring is. They also report that the grow back process is more pleasant and that getting their genital area Sugared regularly diminishes the hair. The process becomes quicker and less painful over the course of a couple visits and clients love that.

Afton link

7/18/2017 12:03:48 pm

I didn't realize that sugar hair removal is easily cleaned up with water to ensure there are no leftover resins. My sister has been looking for ways that she can avoid shaving her legs. This option seems like something that could reduce the amount of hair she has in a natural way.

Sara-ann Swanson

8/4/2017 05:56:33 pm

Yeah it's really a plus that sugar paste doesn't require any toxic solvents to clean sugar residue off the skin. I use use a wipe with witch hazel on clients after I'm done Sugaring an area to clean off any remaining sticky bits and to soothe the skin.

Sharon

8/4/2017 05:47:33 am

I wish I read this forum before I had my waxing done yesterday. I am a fair skinned lady and because of years of waxing have really thick follicles and ingrown hairs which causes lots of unsightly red spots on my legs. I just have a question, is it true that sugaring don't cause ingrown hairs?

Sara-ann Swanson

8/4/2017 06:12:57 pm

You can still get ingrown hairs with Sugaring but you are less prone to getting them than with waxing. The reason why is that with waxing there tends to be more hair breakage....and broken hairs can lead to ingrown hairs.

Sugar paste is flicked off with the direction that the hair grows. Wax is ripped off against the growth of the hair which makes the hair more susceptible to break in the process.

Also the sugar paste seeps down into the hair follicle as it's being spread on and helps lubricate and better grab the hair making for successful extraction and less chance of breakage.

The best way you can prevent ingrown hairs post hair removal is to thoroughly exfoliate the area every couple days. This keeps the dead skin cells from building up and keeps the hair follicle clear for the new hair to pop through unobstructed.

You can exfoliate with a scrubby cloth or mitt or use another type of manual exfoliating product. You can also use a product with AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) that helps to keep skin cells turning over at a quicker rate.

If you do end up with broken hairs post Sugaring or waxing, the best thing to do is to carefully remove them right away with tweezers taking care to remove it with the root bulb intact.

Rae

8/23/2017 12:04:08 pm

Since sugaring has lemon in it, does it also lighten the armpit area if they've been dark from shaving? I used to shave, but i hated how it turned my armpits dark, so now i wax but it's still darker than I'd like it to be.

Sara-ann Swanson

9/2/2017 05:30:17 pm

I don't think that the lemon in the sugar paste would assist in lightening the skin in armpit area. It's possible that over time with regular Sugaring, the area may seem not as dark because of the hair actually thinning out. It would have nothing to do with the skin actually being lightened though.

With Sugaring you can extract the hair sooner than with waxing because of the difference in technique. The chance of getting the hair to diminish and perhaps never grow back is much greater when the hair is shorter and in an earlier part of the growth cycle.

With Sugaring you only need about 1/16 inch of hair for successful extraction (1/8 inch tends to be optimal). Wax products require that you grow the hair out at least 1/4 inch before your next waxing.

Karen

9/2/2017 08:30:15 am

I tried this four times. Watched tutorials too. Complete failure. The wax would not roll into a ball. Just created a gooey mess. The claim about it being less painful and non-irritating is total BS! My leg is fire red and still painful 30 minutes later. Never again!

Sara-ann Swanson

9/2/2017 06:31:16 pm

Hi Karen...So sorry to hear your at home experience with Sugaring feels like a complete failure. You used the word wax in your comment but I'm guessing you're referring to an at home Sugaring kit that you purchased. Yeah?

The thing about Sugaring is that it does take a fair mount of patience and persistence to master. Most professionals go through extensive training and then even after that it tends to take quite a bit of practice to really be able to do it well. I personally had many many struggles in the beginning while I was still learning this skill...like for months and months.

Yes, Sugaring certainly has the potential to be an awful experience especially when trying to do it to yourself. It can be quite difficult to control and can pull the skin in a very irritating way if not done in just the right way. If done properly, Sugaring is less irritating than waxing but not necessarily non-irritating. Some inflammation is normal but you know something went wrong when the skin is painful and fire red 30 minutes later like you experienced. That sucks. :-(

I suggest going to a professional who specializes in Sugaring and seeing what you think of that experience. If you're attached to doing it yourself you may want to get a Sugaring kit the uses strips. Using strips with sugar paste is much easier than trying to control the glob of it. You won't quite get all of the benefits that you would with using the advanced sugaring technique but I think you'd have more success.

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12/28/2017 03:45:41 am

Hi Sara,

Thank you for sharing this amazing information. Came to know about some real benefits of sugaring here.

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6/7/2018 03:50:45 pm

A group of friends and I were interested in getting facial waxing services. We wanted to learn more about this type of service and if it is beneficial for us at all. It is nice to know that there are exfoliating benefits that come from getting this done.

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2/26/2020 07:27:55 am

Sugar waxing is SO much better for you in every way than regular waxing. Over the years, I swear I must have saved hundreds of dollars, plus it doesnt hurt nearly as much as regular waxing does.

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11/10/2021 03:07:35 am

Sugaring paste is applied at body temperature & will not burn your skin. Hot wax must be heated to a high degree in order to become liquified. The heat causes swelling in the tissues which makes hair difficult to remove. if you want to know to remove hair properly then read out this blog.

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8/31/2022 07:49:51 pm

It got me when you said that sugaring can be less painful and has less trauma to the skin, because it will not adhere to live skin cells. I guess I will choose this for the natural Brazilian hair removal that I want to try for the first time. It will definitely be a great choice for that part of my body, because I am quite anxious about the process of getting my hair completely removed from there.

Advantages of Sugaring vs. Waxing

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