Every sugarist has had a client who tells them that they have been sugared before but who gets confused when the sugarist picks up a ball of sugaring paste. Why? It is because there is still a lot of confusion between sugar waxing and sugaring. So, to help clear up the confusion, we would like to compare and contrast the two techniques.
What is Sugar Waxing?
Sugar waxing utilizes the waxing technique with a sugar paste or gel instead of a wax. The sugar waxing technician will use sticks and stripes and will remove the stripe opposite to the direction of growth. Sometimes this is also known as ‘strip sugaring’. However, keep in mind that whether they call it sugar waxing or strip sugaring, it is still done using the basic waxing technique.
One benefit sugar waxing has over regular waxing is the use of all-natural ingredients. Strip sugar is usually made with lemon juice, sugar, and water. Those that are looking for natural ingredients will enjoy this aspect of sugar waxing. Additionally, strip sugar is biodegradable and is, therefore, more environmentally friendly than traditional wax.
Another benefit of strip sugar is that it allows for incredibly easy clean-up. Any waxer who has ever spilled wax on the floor has spent some time on their hands and knees, scrubbing the wax off with a wax remover. Thankfully, strip sugar is incredibly easy to clean. Its water solubility makes it easily removable with just a warm, moist cloth.
What is Sugaring?
Sugaring uses an entirely different technique then waxing and sugar waxing. The sugarist will collect a ball of sugar and then mold it onto the skin. Once the sugarist has molded the sugar, they will flick it off in a smooth motion, in the direction of hair growth. This technique results in thorough hair removal, with minimal breakage, and hair removed directly from the root. It is this different technique that distinguishes sugaring from sugar waxing.
Sugaring also results in zero waste. Sugar waxing, as effective as it may be, still requires sticks and stripes, since a new stick is used every time the waxing technician dips it into the waxing pot. When there are many appointments in a day, this can lead to more waste than sugaring, but less than waxing when you consider the waste of normal wax itself. In fact, normal wax never biodegrades, will strip sugar will dissolve as soon as it comes in contact with water!
Sugar Waxing Vs. Sugaring: Which One Should You Offer Your Clients?
With proper technique, both methods can quickly lead to a reduction of hair growth and each method has its pros and cons. On one hand, sugaring leads to zero waste. On the other hand, the mold and flick technique can become very tiring and time consuming, especially when doing larger areas such as legs or arms.
At the end of the day, the choice is up to you. You can choose to only do one or the other, or you could use strip sugar for legs and arms, and traditional sugar paste for the rest of the body. Another option is to offer both services and leave the decision to your client. No matter what you decide, you can rest easy knowing that your clients are being treated with an all-natural product to get amazing results, no matter which service you choose to do!