Body Sugaring – Natural, Green Hair Removal

There are plenty of eco chicks out there perfectly comfortable with showing off their naturally hairy legs and underarms. I’m not one of them. While I wish I could be so carefree about it, I’m not quite that low maintenance. So, for the longest time I have sought the best hair removal methods that didn’t involve too many chemicals or disposables.

My usual weapon of choice is a razor with disposable blades, since it at least doesn’t involve tossing a hunk of plastic into the trash every few days. But, I wondered if there was something better out there… something that would leave my legs smoother for longer. Thus began my experimentation with body sugaring.

Body sugaring is an ancient art that has been used for thousands of years – it was the favored hair removal method of the ancient Egyptians. It’s a paste normally made up of sugar, lemon juice, honey or molasses. It’s used much the same way as wax, where a paper or fabric strip is used to remove the hair. It’s said to be less painful than waxing, because the mixture only sticks to the hair, not the skin. Plus, since body sugar is washable, it’s easier to use than wax – it comes right off in the shower.

Some women make their own body sugar at home, but I wasn’t quite up to that task yet – if you don’t get the mixture just right, it won’t work. So I went with Parissa Body Sugar Chamomile Hair Remover, which contains chamomile for its skin-soothing properties.

My experience with it was… interesting. Your mileage may vary. I have super-sensitive skin, so my attempts at removing hair even on what I thought would be a relatively hardy area – my shins – was painful and resulted in angry red bumps that didn’t go away for days. But, I think that problem may also be related to the fact that I’m a newbie – most Parissa users report being extremely happy with the product. The two most important tips to avoid excess irritation seem to be keeping the application thin and pulling the skin very taut while removing the strips.

The pros: One jar can last a really long time, and I discovered that you can wash and re-use the strips, which is great. It’s way cheaper than going to a salon. The ingredients are simple and natural, and it’s fragrance free. The whole process is fairly easy.

The cons: If you have sensitive skin or aren’t up to yanking the strips yourself, you may want to stick with shaving or go to a professional aesthetician. As with waxing, you have to let the hair grow out to at least ¼” inch in between removal sessions.

I’m going to continue using it for a while to see if I can improve my technique, but if I fail to get over the squick factor of pulling the strips off myself, I’ll stick with my trusty razor. Does anyone out there have experience with sugaring yourself and want to share some tips?