People ask which one is better. Neither is better. They suit different skin, different hair and different pain thresholds, and a specialist who does both all day will have an opinion about yours within about ten seconds of looking.
What sugaring actually is
Sugar paste is three ingredients: sugar, water and lemon juice. It has been used for hair removal since roughly 1900 BC. In the traditional ball method the esthetician moulds the paste with their fingers, presses it to the skin and flicks it off in the direction the hair grows.
That last detail is the whole difference. Wax is removed against the growth. Sugar goes with it, which means less pull on the follicle and less chance of breakage.
The practical differences
| Temperature | Sugar is applied at body temperature. Wax is warm. |
| Direction | Sugar removes with growth, wax against it. |
| Clean-up | Sugar is water soluble and rinses off. Wax needs an oil-based remover. |
| Short hair | Sugar can grip slightly shorter hair than strip wax. |
| Speed | Traditional wax is usually faster over large or coarse areas. |
Who should choose sugaring
If your skin is sensitive, reactive, or you have had lifting or irritation from wax before, start with sugar. Because it is applied at body temperature there is no heat, and because it is water soluble it does not adhere to living skin the way wax can.
A lot of our male clients prefer sugaring for coarse hair for the same reason. Male sugaring Brazilian is $90.
Who should stay with wax
If you are doing large areas, want it done fast, and your skin has never complained, traditional wax is quicker and usually cheaper. A Brazilian wax is $69 against $72 for the sugaring version, and a full leg is $75 against $90.
The honest answer
Try one of each and see what your skin says. Ask your specialist which they would use on you before they start. They wax and sugar all day and they will tell you straight.