According to Ilyas, there are two categories of hair removal: epilation, which removes hair from the root rather than the surface of the skin, and depilation, which removes hair only above the skin, leaving behind the root and follicle. Sugaring is considered the former.
Epilation is an especially great option for many people since it can lead to longer-lasting effects than shaving, according to Lindsay Holdorf, Dermstore’s in-house esthetician.
Sugaring is the process of applying a paste, typically made of sugar, water and lemon, to any part of the body in the same direction as its hair growth that you or an aesthetician subsequently rips off with a flicking motion. Sugaring paste sticks to your dead skin and hair at the follicle. When you rip the paste from your skin, it removes the entire hair — follicle and all. The paste becomes malleable — and therefore rippable — through body heat. Some paste requires you to heat it to a warm temperature in a microwave, but typically it can also be just slightly warmer than room temperature. Once you’ve ripped off your sugar concoction, you can wash off any remnants of the paste with warm water and a washcloth. Since this paste is made with only three ingredients, it also tends to be better for sensitive skin, according to Holdorf.
Interested in sugaring? Several salons offer sugaring — many of our editors love Sugared and Bronzed. You can also try at-home sugaring products, but we recommend that you proceed carefully and cautiously. The last thing you want to do is inadvertently hurt yourself.
When making this list, experts recommended I look at three key factors:
Ingredients: Sugaring paste is typically only made with water, sugar and some sort of acid (lemon being the most common), according to Holdorf. When looking for at-home sugaring kits, I looked for formulas with no more than three to four ingredients.
Price: Salon prices, on average, can range from $20 to $100, in my experience. The kits I compiled below range from $20 to $44 — all of which you can reuse at least once.
Ease of use: Sugaring is generally a user-friendly epilation method. Most of the kits on this list come with tools to help beginners and a few of the brands even have storage bags that can be useful for travel.
The below products all have 3.8-star average rating and above on Amazon or Ulta. Before using one, each set should be patch-tested and applied in accordance with its directions.
When learning sugaring techniques, you want to practice getting the paste in an isolated area. Otherwise, you’ll be ripping off too much hair at once. Sugardoh Mini Doh is a great choice for sugaring beginners — the consistency is firm, making skin application smooth and precise, according to the brand. Like all sugaring paste, the mixture also comes off your skin with warm water so you don’t need to worry if you make a mistake while using it. It’s made from natural sugar, purified water and organic citric acid and you can use it for about three leg sugaring sessions.
According to the brand, the paste in this kit is made from sucrose, water and citric acid. The kit includes the paste (which you can wash off), gloves, and a spatula to help you spread the sugar — everything you need except the hair. If you need extra guidance, the brand has online tutorials to walk you through the removal process.
The Luxury Pro sugaring paste has four consistencies: super soft, soft, medium, and hard. The consistencies determine how malleable the paste is (i.e., how precise the application will be). A super soft paste is extremely malleable and thus might be harder for a beginner to control. According to Luxury Pro, the 43-ounce jar of sugaring paste should last several hair removal sessions, depending on where you apply it. It has a 3.9-star average from 2,278 reviews on Amazon.
Sugaring can make your hair grow back thinner over time, largely because it pulls the hair out by its root, which over time leads to a weaker hair follicle, says Holdor. She also notes the weaker hair follicles tend to produce thinner hair and can help prevent ingrown hairs. By pulling the hair from the root, you restart its lifecycle. This means it will take longer for the hair to thicken; the thinner the hair, the less likely it is to get trapped in the follicle, according to Ilyas.
Our experts agree that at-home sugaring is safe if you follow your kit's directions closely. Compared to waxing, sugaring lowers the risk of an unintentional burn and you can easily wash the paste off with warm water. Always ensure you patch test your skin first to check for irritation, allergies or reactions.
Although sugaring paste is a natural exfoliant (due to its glycolic acid), exfoliating your target area before use is always a good idea. According to Ilyas, using a glycerin-based moisturizer before will also help the skin hydrate and act as a protective layer.
Post-sugaring is when the skin is most sensitive and dry because you pulled off a layer of dead skin full of hydrating natural oils, says Ilyas. To rehydrate it, Ilyas recommends using fragrance-free products, such as vitamin E oil and Aquaphor.
According to Holder, there are three main differences between sugaring and waxing:
How it adheres to the skin: When you apply wax to the skin it adheres to the first layer of skin and removes it, which typically causes skin irritation after waxing. On the other hand, sugaring only sticks to dead skin and your hair follicle, making it less likely for you to experience redness and irritation. This is one of the reasons Holdor recommends sugaring for people with sensitive skin.
Chemical makeup: Sugar paste should only have three ingredients: sugar, lemon and water; wax is typically made from rosin and beeswax. While there is nothing unsafe about wax, it’s a man-made chemical that can irritate the skin, says Holdor.
Technique: The sugaring application process is mostly tool-free. Many beginners use a spatula-like device to apply the paste onto the skin, following the direction of the hair growth. However, the more comfortable you become with the process, the less necessary it becomes. Wax, on the other hand, requires wood sticks for application and cloth strips for removal.
Heat: Sugaring requires very little heat; it typically should be warm but d never hot, like wax. This lack of heat makes it unlikely that your skin will get burned during the process, which is painful and can take years or months to heal.
“Sugaring is great for most skin types,” says Dr. Annie Chiu, a board-certified cosmetic and general dermatologist. However, it may not be ideal for those using medications or skin care products with retinol, according to Chiu. That’s because retinol can loosen the skin, making it easier for things like wax and sugar paste to take off a layer of healthy skin, leading to discoloration, infection and more, says Ilyas. If you want to try sugaring but are currently using retinol, it’s best to consult a dermatologist before and stop all use of retinoids at least a week before you do any kind of hair removal, she says.
At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Dr. Erum Ilyas, is a board-certified dermatologist focusing on adult and pediatric medical dermatology, cosmetic dermatology, and skin cancer treatment.
Dr. Annie Chiu is a board-certified cosmetic and general dermatologist and founder of The Derm Institute in Redondo Beach, California.
Alexa Casanueva is an NBC Page with an interest in skincare and wellness. For this piece, she interviewed three skin care experts to discuss the safety and benefits of at-home sugaring.
