Contents
What is sugaring?
Sugaring is a completely natural hair removal method that removes hair from the root. Because the hair comes out root and all, results last for weeks – and with every session the hair follicles weaken, so hair grows back more slowly and/or more sparsely than before. Sugaring is generally suitable for sensitive skin too, and it doesn't leave the long-lasting red bumps that many other methods do.
How is sugaring done?
Whether you sugar at home or book a professional, the basic sugaring technique is exactly the same and uses the same kind of products – only the brands and quality differ. What they all have in common is that sugaring paste always works on the same principle: it wraps around the hair and pulls it out from the root.
Sugaring is also taught to beauty therapists on professional courses, but in this guide we focus on how you can learn the technique yourself, at home!
The most important steps in sugaring are:
1) Hair long enough for the sugar to grip
👉🏼 Stop shaving in good time, at least two weeks before sugaring – the hair needs to be at least 4 mm long. Hairs grow at different speeds, so some may take longer, up to two and a half weeks.
2) Clean, dry skin
👉🏼 Only clean skin guarantees optimal grip, so don't apply lotion before sugaring. Moisture and oils not only weaken the paste's grip significantly, they can also change its texture. So cleanse your skin thoroughly before sugaring – ordinary oil-free soap works well. On your underarms, make sure every trace of deodorant is gone. Salons usually use an alcohol-based skin cleanser.
3) Application and removal directions
👉🏼 The paste is always spread against the direction of hair growth so it can be removed in the natural growth direction. Take your time spreading: the only goal at this stage is to get the paste as close to the hair root as possible – and wrapped around every single hair. So you always spread in one direction, and you can work the same area several times before flicking the paste off.
If the paste is wrongly removed against the growth direction, it will probably break hairs and give you a result much like waxing.
4) Hand, strip or spatula technique?
👉🏼 The original Egyptian hand technique is still used by professionals in studios, and you can switch to it at home too if you like – as long as your technique is solid. With the hand technique, the warmth of your hand transfers to the paste, warming it and slightly changing how it handles, which makes it more challenging.
The spatula technique is a method HejBuddy brought to Europe in 2020: you sugar entirely with a spatula, without getting your fingers sticky. A spatula has always been included in the Sugar Buddy starter kit, so you can start sugaring with this one kit alone.
Ready to sugar at home?
Find more instructions and tips in our Sugaring School.
HejBuddy® Cosmetics is a Finnish brand founded in 2020, bringing professional sugaring techniques and relaxed sugaring services to everyone.
