Sugaring vs. Waxing: Which Is Better? Hair Removal Experts Weigh In

Whatever you decide to do with your body hair is entirely up to you. But if you're among the group that prefers to remove their body hair, you're likely very familiar with the plethora of hair removal options. And for easily accessible, long-lasting results, waxing and sugaring tend to be two of the most popular methods. To learn more about sugaring and waxing, we tapped two hair removal pros, Shobha Tummala and Enrique Ramirez, to break down what each method entails, how they differ, and even how your skin type factors into which technique is best for you. Keep scrolling for expert insights into the sugaring vs. waxing debate.

What Is Sugaring?

Sugaring hair removal utilizes a natural, sticky paste made of lemon juice, water, and sugar to remove hair. While the recipe described is standard, some technicians may put essential oils or honey in their sugars, too. If you're worried about allergies to ingredients in the sugaring paste, ask before receiving treatment.

What Is Waxing?

Waxing involves applying a cold or warm depilatory wax over sections of the body to remove hair. "Some benefits of waxing are super-smooth results—effectively removing hair from the root. Formulas [may] contain azulene oil to soothe the skin during the treatment. Waxing is also fast and efficient, meaning large areas can be waxed at once," Tummala says.

Sugaring vs. Waxing: The Differences

Technique

In terms of the process, sugaring paste is molded onto the skin using a gloved hand and then removed, while wax can be used with a strip or alone. Both sugaring and waxing can be done at home or in a salon.

Ingredients

"Sugaring is all-natural, which is great for folks who may have allergies to certain ingredients or just want only natural ingredients on their body," explains Tummala. Cleanup after sugaring is also a breeze. "You can also wash the sugar off with water, whereas many waxes have to be washed off with a special cleanser or natural oil."

Pain Level

The level of pain depends on the pain threshold of the individual—no hair removal is truly undetectable. Some tolerate either technique well, and others can't do sugaring without breaking out. Results really depend on each individual and their specific skin type. However, generally speaking, sugaring tends to hurt less than waxing because it is gentler on the skin, Tummala tells us. "It pulls less on the skin while still effectively removing the hair," she says.

Side Effects

Since sugaring is not as harsh as waxing, there are fewer side effects. "Sugaring is also a lot less sticky than traditional wax, so usually the redness and irritation that a lot of people see with wax will not be seen with sugaring," says Tummala.

Cost

At Shobha, the cost for waxing and sugaring will vary greatly depending on which body part(s) you're having hair removed from. But sugaring tends to cost a bit more than waxing. For example, sugaring full legs comes to $95 and a full body with bikini is $306. On the other hand, waxing full legs at the salon is $87 while a full body with bikini is $279.

How to Choose

Choosing between sugaring and waxing will depend on the body area, hair thickness, and length.

Hair Thickness

For fine hair, Ramirez suggests sugaring, and for thicker hair, he recommends waxing. "Clients tend to comment that smoother results last longer with sugaring than waxing," he says. "I prefer sugaring as results last longer, and there's less redness afterward." If any part of your body is particularly heat-sensitive, stick with sugaring, which is done at room temperature. Wax has to be warm to work.

Body Area

"It's the most gentle and natural option for the skin," Tummala reiterates. She also notes how it's important to consider different methods for different body parts. "If people tend to break out or have adverse reactions to waxing, sugaring would also be a better option. I also have more sensitive parts of my body that I sugar, like my bikini area and my arms. For legs, I wax, as it tends to be a faster process because when you sugar, you might have to go over an area two times as it is less sticky."

Hair Length

Sugaring can also remove shorter hair—it only has to be 1/16th of an inch—than waxing can, as to get waxed, your hair has to be at least a half-inch.

The Final Takeaway

When deciding between sugaring vs. waxing, consider your skin type, hair type, and the part of your body undergoing hair removal. Both techniques work by lifting hair from the root for results that last anywhere between two and six weeks. But if you've found that your skin feels aggravated after waxing, you may want to try sugaring, which is better for sensitive skin.