What is sugaring and why have you never heard of it?

I’m telling you this because the horrible, unsightly hair on my hands is not a creation of my subconscious. It’s real. I, Mary Gross, am a real-life wolf woman.

To deal with this issue I have gone down many avenues. Nair, shaving and at-home waxing kits have all been used. (And if you’re interested in trying an at-home waxing kit, I suggest you save some money and just pour boiling water all over your skin. You’ll get the same result.)

But as of last week I’m done with the nightmares, the Nair and the waxing. Why? Because, last week, I learned about sugaring.  

Sugaring is an organic hair removal solution that has been around since 1900 B.C. But even though sugaring has been used for centuries, I was still pretty nervous to try this weird, new (to me) alternative to waxing. To ease my stress, I enlisted Kristen Brown, the owner and esthetician of Charlotte Sugaring, to teach me everything I needed to know about sugaring.

Here’s our conversation:

Me: Let’s start with the basics. What is sugaring? 

Kristen: A lot of people get irritated by shaving and waxing. Sugaring is an all-natural alternative that’s great for sensitive skin. The sugar is made with only three ingredients: sugar, water and lemon. The process is simple. First I put baby powder on the area. 

Next I smooth on the sugar and just flick it off.

Me: How is it different from waxing?

Kristen: Well, there are a few things:

(1) The sugar is warm, not hot, so there’s no risk of burning.

(2) I flick off the sugar in the direction of your hair growth, which reduces irritation. (Waxing removes hair in the opposite direction.)

(3) And finally, the molecules are a lot smaller than wax so it seeps into the follicle and can pull the hairs from the root. (With waxing, most of the hair is being cut off at the surface.)

Me: Does sugaring help reduce hair growth?

Kristen: Yes. When you remove hair from the root on a regular basis, the hair doesn’t get a chance to get fully rooted back in. It breaks down the follicle wall and starts to promote a weak hair. What happens is, your body is designed to grow hair back a certain number of times. Once it reaches that amount, it stops. 

My clients find that after their first sugaring appointment they have a third of the amount of hair. People never believe me until after they try it.

Me: Is sugaring more expensive than waxing?

Kristen: Yes, a little bit. But it also lasts longer and you’re using natural ingredients. I offer maintenance pricing when you have less hair and a loyalty program where you get your sixth visit for free. 

Me: Why haven’t I heard of sugaring before? And why isn’t it offered in more spas?

Kristen: It’s only briefly discussed in esthetics school. Sugaring is more of an advanced skill; it takes more time and practice to master so not everyone wants to do that. 

Side Note: Even though sugaring isn’t very popular in Charlotte, my Google mapping shows me that it’s all the rage on the West Coast.

Me: Who makes the sugar for you?

Kristen: My mom makes it for my sister and I. My sister has owned a spa in San Diego for 10 years. We tried manufacturing it in larger scales but it’s really not the same. 

Me: Have you ever eaten it?

Kristen: I’ve definitely tasted it when I made the sugar myself. If a jar doesn’t turn out right, my kids will taste it too.

Me: Do you sugar yourself?

Kristen: Everything I’ve sugared on somebody else I have done on myself. It’s a lot harder to do on yourself though because you’re anticipating the flick. 

Me: Did you open your own shop because no one else was doing sugaring?

Kristen: I opened my own place because I get to do what I love and make my own hours. I also knew that I could do so much more than work in a spa. I wanted to see how Charlotte Sugaring went, and it took off. 

Side Note: I need to mention that Kristen is not just a business owner. She also owns her own cosmetics line and is raising twin baby boys. And yes, guys, she’s on the market. So book an appointment with her and ask her out because she’s freaking adorable.

After I forced Kristen to explain every last detail to me about sugaring, I was ready to get started. She had me lay down on a comfy table and turned on some soothing music. I must have looked terrified because she kept saying, “Don’t be nervous. You’re going to be OK.”

Turns out, sugaring doesn’t hurt nearly as much as waxing. The flicking just felt like someone was ripping scotch tape off my hands. And as for the aftermath, my hands were only red for about 20 minutes. 

So did it work?  

It sure did. My hands are silky smooth and ready for someone to put a ring on it. Anyone? Anyone?

Cover image courtesy of Charlotte Sugaring