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Have you ever left a waxing appointment with your skin just a little too tender? Or felt that, um, “refreshing” itch of nonstop razor burn? It seems like no matter what you do to try and get rid of unwanted hair, it leaves you less than impressed after you’re finished. 

That’s not the case with body sugaring services! With the right aftercare, you’ll not only have smooth skin, but it will be hydrated, supple, and ready to show off for weeks to come!

What Sugaring Does

Before we get into the aftercare, let’s quickly look at what exactly is going on when you use sugar for hair removal. The warm, sticky paste removes hairs from within the follicle, in the direction of growth. This means less breakage and a smoother result. 

Because the paste is saturated with water and sugar, it will not bond to living skin cells in the process. It will, however, exfoliate the area and get rid of the layer of dry, dead skin on top. It’s like two treatments in one!

This affects your aftercare treatment, the products you should use, and the activities you can do in the days following your appointment. Here’s a quick summary what you should do after:

  • Avoid direct sunlight, hot tubs, tanning beds, etc. for 48 hours, as your skin needs time to build up its protective layer again.
  • After the first two days, exfoliate 1-2 times a week to clear out clogged pores and get rid of additional dead skin cells. Our best-selling S3 exfoliant roll-on will help prevent ingrown hairs, too. It ensures regrowing hair is able to break through the skin instead of getting trapped.
  • Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and using a high-quality moisturizer regularly.

What to Expect After a Brazilian Sugaring

So, you want to get all the hair down there? No worries – we’ve done it a thousand times. Here’s some sugaring do’s and don’ts for after you let out your inner Brazilian:

What to do after Brazilian sugaring

One of the biggest things to remember is how important it is to exfoliate. For the first two days, keeping a clean bikini area is super important, as it gets rid of bacteria that would otherwise build up in pores and follicles. There aren’t many worse places to develop a little pimple!

What not to do after Brazilian sugaring

As mentioned above, avoid anything that might stress the skin of the area – friction, sweating, excessive heat, lotions with chemical scents, etc. For a few days, let your skin and follicles recover and go easy on them. After the third day, you can return to a normal routine, complete with plenty of moisturizer.

Does Body Sugaring Cause Ingrown Hairs?

Ingrowns are usually caused when the tip of the hair either cannot break through the skin at all, or spirals back into the follicle and grows downward. Neither of these are common with sugaring, as the process fully removes the hair from the follicle – root and all. It’s more likely to happen with waxing or shaving, as they break or cut the hair right around the skin layer, causing distortions that lead to inward growth.

Long story short – it’s not unheard of, but it’s also not very likely. With the right aftercare and exfoliation habits, your chances of ingrown are about as low as humanly possible!

Does Sugar Waxing Cause Small Bumps or Pustules?

Similar to waxing, sugaring on the face may occasionally result in small bumps or pustules. This could arise for a couple of reasons. First, if sugaring isn't performed correctly or if your skin is particularly sensitive, this can irritate the skin, potentially causing pustules to develop.

At times, sugaring might break the hair beneath the skin's surface rather than pulling it out entirely. These broken hairs can become trapped under the skin, which may result in pustules. This is less common with sugaring than with other methods, but it's still a possibility, and we want our clients to be fully informed.

How to Heal Small Bumps or Pustules from Hair Removal

If you find yourself with pustules following a sugaring session, there are several steps you can take to aid the healing process:

Maintain Cleanliness:  Use a mild cleanser on the affected area to eliminate any impurities or bacterior that might aggravate the pustules.

Hands-Off Approach:  Avoid fiddling with or picking at the pustules to prevent further irritation and the chance of infection.

Acne Treatments:  Seek out over-the-counter acne solutions containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to help soothe inflammation and combat bacteria.

Sugaring Hiatus:  Allow your skin to recuperate and the pustules to heal before considering another sugaring treatment to avoid further irritation.

Should the pustules continue or become more severe, we advise seeking advice from a dermatologist for a more comprehensive assessment and treatment recommendations.

Facial Sugaring Aftercare

After your visit to Sucre Body Sugaring, you'll leave not only with silky, hair-free skin but also with a clear understanding of how to maintain that smoothness. Here are the key things to keep in mind post-treatment:

Skin Irritation: Individuals with delicate skin might notice some redness or discomfort and, in rare cases, an allergic reaction to the ingredients in sugar wax. To be safe, we recommend a patch test on a small section of your skin before you commit to a full facial treatment. At Sucre, our rule of thumb is that if your skin has reacted negatively to waxing in the past, it might react similarly to sugaring. It's not a guarantee, but we believe it's important for our clients to be aware of the possibility.

Temporary Redness: It's typical for your skin to show a mild flush or feel a bit irritated right after a sugaring treatment, but rest assured, these signs are fleeting and usually disappear within a few short hours. 

Ingrown Hairs: Ingrown hairs can be an occasional side effect of sugar waxing your face, just as they can with other hair removal techniques. To help prevent them, make it a habit to gently exfoliate and keep your skin moisturized. After sugaring, consider applying rosewater to soothe your skin and refrain from touching the area with your hands. Also, avoid the use of oils and lotions right after your session to allow your skin to settle naturally.

Discomfort: Though sugar waxing is typically less painful compared to other hair removal practices, a small amount of discomfort is still possible for some individuals.

Booking a Sugaring Appointment

We’re on a divinely sweet mission to bring sugaring all across western Canada, and you can find our salons in Kelowna (just north of Bernard), Calgary (17 Ave, Crowfoot, and McKenzie Towne), Sherwood Park, and Edmonton (Whyte Ave and Stony Plain Rd).  We regularly draw people from surrounding towns and cities too such as Cochrane, Chestermere, and Okotoks!

If you’ve never had the joy of a silky-smooth sugar sesh before, we know you’ll probably have a lot of questions about what to do before, during, and after. That’s okay – it’s what we’re here for! Ask away and we’ll be happy to walk you through everything you need to know. Your job is to simply lay back and let that unwanted hair vanish. 

When you’re ready to be your best self, get in touch with your nearest Sucré location and book a spot. We can’t wait to meet you!

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