Are you thinking about waxing with sugar but don’t know what to expect? I share the pros and cons of my first sugaring experience in this article.
I’m a Nair and razor-type of girl.
But when I heard about sugaring, my curiosity grew. As someone who battled with ingrown hairs, a sugar wax sounded like a blessing from above.
This was also an opportunity to save a few bucks and exercise my DIY muscles. Two of my favorite things to do, by the way.
Like you, copious women are thinking about sugar waxing. My first sugaring experience will help you make an informed decision.
The goal isn’t to encourage or discourage your choice. I want you prepared, so I reeled out the pros and cons of sugar waxing.
Let’s get into the meat of the article.
The Pros of Sugar Waxing
Don’t expect your first sugaring experience to be magical. That’s not how this one works. You can, however, expect a few merits from sugar waxing.
· It Does What It’s Supposed To
The goal of sugaring is to remove hair. As a complete newbie, this was a seamless process. I didn’t need a manual to remove the hair without hiccups. Things worked out well; sugar waxed areas were smooth and silky.
With hair yanked from the follicular pore, you can expect regrowth at a slower rate. This means you get to remove hair less often.
· You Know What’s In It
DIYs are attractive because you share in the creation process. You have first-hand, intimate knowledge of ingredients incorporated in your product.
The sugaring wax I made was no exception. There was no need to worry about harmful substances and dangerous preservatives. Preservatives are necessary for some formulations, as they keep microbes at bay. If you are making homemade recipes with water, that you intend to use over an extended period, use a preservative.
· 100% All-Natural Ingredients
The ingredients and compounds of sugar wax weren’t synthesized in a lab.
It gave me great pleasure knowing that I was taking a break from using Nair, which is a harsh chemical (to be honest).
· Inexpensive
I never paid for hair removal treatment before. But Google told me how expensive sugar waxing (or normal waxing) can get when done in a salon.
When you go before a sugar-waxing professional, prices can start anywhere from $30. Different body parts will attract different fees, so bear that in mind.
A full body sugaring experience might run you over $500. This depends on the salon experience and location.
Only 3 ingredients were combined for the sugar wax I used. These included sugar, lime (or lemon), and water. Getting these ingredients cost less than $10!
That was a win for me!
Cons of Sugar Waxing
Are you loving the concept of sugar waxing thus far? Don’t get too excited. My first sugaring experience wasn’t without problems. It had disadvantages.
I didn’t expect these issues, but you can.
· Painful
I’ve always subscribed to the notion that beauty comes with pain. After my first sugaring experience, I threw that idea through the window.
No, I don’t believe having smooth, silky legs is worth the torture I went through.
Do I have a low tolerance for pain? Who knows!
But after my first sugaring experience, I told my husband there wouldn’t be a second one. (I’ll update you if things change.)
Throughout the process, he was chatting with our next-door neighbor. He came in to say that he heard me cracking up. I had to come clean. The laughter he heard was a disguise. I didn’t want the entire neighborhood to hear me bellow, so I had to ‘cute up’ my cavewoman cries by laughing.
The entire process was painful.
Applying the sugar wax to my furry leg was painful. Pulling back the sugar wax to remove the hair was even more painful.
Wait, you don’t understand what that means?
Let me break it down.
When I rolled the wax on to the hair in the direction in which the hair grew, it was mighty painful.
When I lifted the wax in the opposite direction to get off the hair, it was tongue-grabbing painful.
Maybe…
Just maybe, if the only pain involved was during the “pulling back” process, that wouldn’t be so bad.
Either way, every strand of hair the wax touched caused me pain.
· Messy
If you ever want to mess up your home, don’t get kids. Get a sugar wax done.
Did this happen because it was my first sugaring experience?
Beats me.
I had wax everywhere!
Whenever I laid and pulled back the wax, it flew all over the room.
I had sugar stuck on my tiles, couch, and wherever it dropped.
Messy!
Another factor to consider was the mess it caused on the skin. Once the wax warmed, it softened. This stuck to my skin and made it difficult to remove the hair as the consistency was no longer firm.
· Difficult to Clean Up
Once sugar wax falls to the ground, it hardens. This is the same for cutlery used during the wax creation process. It will harden on your spoons, dishes, and pots.
To remove the sugar from my containers, I filled them with water and reheated to soften.
What about cleaning up the tiles and couch? Alcohol did the trick. After dabbing alcohol onto a cotton pad, I scrubbed the area. For areas where a lot of sugar wax concentrated, a knife to scrape it off came in handy.
· Potential Ant Magnet
Remember those tidbits of sugar wax that grew wings and flew away? If the area isn’t cleaned, it will attract ants and other sugar-loving insects.
You cannot clean up while waxing. Both hands are tied up with the sticky substance.
As such, it’s important to keep track, or at least know where the wax settles. I took note of everything and cleaned up afterward.
You don’t want ants colonizing your home. Be on the lookout should you choose to sugar wax at home.
· A Bit of Inflammation
Post sugaring, the hair follicle appeared inflamed. Tiny red welts or bumps appeared. This was insignificant to the entire process. They didn’t deduct from the aesthetics of my skin, but this could have been because I’m colored.
Either way, expect slight inflammation.
I suppose the level of inflammation depends on your skin’s color and sensitivity. The area of hair removal is also a factor worth considering. I’ve heard an experience of someone who bled slightly after sugaring her private area (and she was seeing a professional).
Yikes!
· Time Consuming
Although my first sugaring experience wasn’t a complete hair removal, I got tired.
Can you imagine sitting down to wax both legs and arms? What if you choose to add ‘private’ areas to the mix?
If you have plenty of time to go around and don’t mind the hassle, sugar wax your time away. As for me, I didn’t have that luxury.
I suppose I could get professional help for a full body sugaring? True, but I’d hate to part ways with that cash.
Final Thoughts on My First Sugaring Experience
I didn’t finish the sugaring process.
I dehaired half of my shanks, then decided to call it quits. if I hadn’t run out of wax at that time, would I have continued the process?
Doubtful…
Although painful, sugar waxing was fulfilling in a strange way. Could it have been the thrill of exploring something new? Was it the experience of watching my hair rip away from its follicle?
The world will never know.
Either way, after my first sugaring experience, I doubt there’s going to be another.
If you want to experience sugar waxing, go ahead. Many of the cons are subtracted from the equation if you see a professional. You wouldn’t have to contend with the mess and time factor. Plus, you won’t struggle to dehair difficult to reach places.
You will, however, must deal with the pain.
Author’s Request: Have you tried waxing with sugar? What was your first sugaring experience like? Do you think I should give it a second try? Let me know in the comments.
