The summer season calls for wearing short clothes and going out more, which means it's time to start grooming once again. It’s the season to wax and shave all stray hair away! But even the most time-taking waxing sessions often leave you with discoloration and prickly hair. Say hello to Sugaring, a safe and organic alternative to traditional waxing to get bare legs, stubble-free armpits, and a baby-smooth bikini area. Take your crash course on sugaring here, including tips from licensed esthetician Andrea Schwartzman, the manager of operations at Sugaring NYC.

What Is Sugaring?

Sugaring is an alternative waxing process with a different paste and a different application method. Here, a simple sugar paste is prepared from just sugar, water, and lemon juice. There's no inorganic component in it and it's actually edible! The paste is then applied using the fingers, while the person is wearing gloves. This helps the substance to get right to the root. Then the paste is flicked off and the hair is taken out in the direction of growth, not the other way around like traditional shaving. As a result, there is no breakage, and each time the process removes the hair effectively and from the root.

The Things to Remember

Schwartzman breaks down some important points to keep in mind while using this method of hair removal. Every time we shave our hair, it only gets thicker and strengthened. That means sugaring is a little harsher when used for the first time. Sugaring effectively breaks down the strength and as a result, the hair grows thinner and softer next time, giving less painful subsequent sessions. Also, the hairs need to be as long as rice grains to do sugaring. And last but not the least, exfoliating every three days is essential after a sugaring session to prevent ingrown hairs.