What is manual shugaring technique and how is it performed?

At all times, women have strived to be attractive and well-groomed. The presence of unwanted hair on exposed areas of the body is one of the problems that has never lost its relevance. To date, it has become possible to solve it using different methods and devices. Manual shugaring has gained particular popularity. In this article, we will take a closer look at what a manual shugaring technique is and how it is performed.

"Shugaring" means sugar (caramel) depilation - this is a cosmetic procedure. It consists in removing excess hair from the surface of the skin on different parts of the body: arms, legs, armpits, in the bikini area. For this, a special biomass is used, the main part of which is sugar. The additional components can be cosmetic wax, aromatic additives and substances of natural origin.

The use of sugar as a depilation agent has been known since the days of Ancient Egypt. The effectiveness of the procedure, the simplicity of its execution contributed to the fact that this technique has not lost its relevance. You can prepare the pasta yourself or purchase a ready-made product at a pharmacy, a specialized store. The availability of material for depilation makes it possible to use the manual shugaring technique at home.

Sugar depilation is more popular among women than wax depilation, which is due to reasons such as:

• shugaring makes it possible for several sessions to completely get rid of unwanted hair on certain parts of the body;
• the composition of the sugar paste contains components that are of natural origin, which allows the procedure to be carried out for people prone to allergic reactions or with an increased level of sensitivity;
• shugaring is a procedure that can be carried out independently, at home, while the cost of biomass for depilation is democratic and affordable;
• the natural character of sugar paste provides additional skin care, after the procedure it acquires a well-groomed, healthy look;
• a low degree of painful sensations - sugar paste, to a lesser extent than wax, grasps with the skin, which allows you to easily, quickly and painlessly remove excess hair;
• the durability of the procedure - after the shugaring, new hairs begin to grow back after 20 days; each time they become more subtle and weak.

Manual shugaring is suitable for any part of the body, including the most sensitive areas: bikini area, armpits, face. Due to the naturalness and environmental friendliness of the sugar mass, the procedure has a limited list of contraindications, namely:

• the presence of diabetes mellitus - contact of biomass with the skin with such a disease can provoke allergic reactions and more serious health problems;
• diseases of the skin, which are characterized by a chronic nature of the course;
• the presence of damage to the skin (abrasions, scratches), which are accompanied by inflammatory processes;
• tendency to varicose veins;
• skin growths of various origins;
• period of pregnancy.

The organization of the correct preparation for manual shugaring will allow it to be carried out as painlessly and efficiently as possible. Consider the basic requirements that are important to comply with before starting sugar depilation.

• Hair length. The maximum length of hair to be depilated should be 4–8 mm. Very short hairs are difficult to grasp with the paste, and too long ones complicate the shugaring procedure and increase pain.
• Psychological attitude. Before carrying out the procedure, one should abstract from possible pain sensations, trying not to think about them. It is noteworthy that those who perform sugaring for the first time are more susceptible to pain than those who do depilation regularly. This procedure takes a short period of time, during which it is important to exclude the involuntary expectation of pain and the psychological stress associated with it.

In order for the shugaring procedure to be as effective as possible, it is necessary to properly organize its implementation. This process consists of several stages.

• Skin cleaning, cooling. Cleaning the skin will help avoid possible inflammation that may occur after the procedure. For maximum cleansing of the epidermis, cosmetologists recommend taking a warm bath first, which will soften the skin and open the pores. This will make it possible to carry out the subsequent cleaning more deeply. To do this, use the following means:
  1. a cleansing lotion that not only cleanses the skin, but also has a calming effect; in the case of foot shugaring, you can use alcohol;
  2. a light scrub (preferably with artificial, not natural granules) or a hard washcloth, with the help of which keratinized particles and fatty film are removed from the skin; it is better to carry out such a procedure a few days before shugaring.

Cooling will reduce painful sensations during depilation.For this purpose, ice is used, which is rubbed on a selected area of ​​the skin. For a while, this reduces the sensitivity of the epidermis, making the painful sensations almost imperceptible.

• Degreasing. The main purpose of this procedure is to provide maximum adhesion of the sugar paste to the hairline. You can degrease the skin with talcum powder (baby powder), evenly distributing it over the entire area where the shugaring will be carried out.
• Application of caramel. The paste is actively kneaded in hands until it becomes plastic. A small ball is formed from the resulting mass, which is quickly but neatly smeared over the surface of the skin against the growth of hairs. The end of the layer obtained is slightly raised to facilitate further removal of the caramel. It is advisable to carry out depilation on sensitive areas in stages, capturing small areas in turn.
• Removal. After 1-2 minutes after application, the paste begins to roll in the direction of hair growth, along the surface of the skin with pressing movements. Due to the sudden movement, the hairs adhering to the caramel are torn off along with the caramel. The faster the final jerk of the sugar mass is carried out, the less imperceptible the pain will be.
• The final stage of shugaring - cleansing the skin from the remnants of the sugar mass. This can be done with warm water, chlorhexidine, or wet wipes.

Experts have developed several recommendations that make it easier to depilate certain areas. They allow you to make the procedure as effective and painless as possible.

• Axillary region. The skin on the armpits is delicate and sensitive, therefore, for its treatment, it is necessary to use gentle, mild cosmetic preparations, excluding the use of any scrubbing agents. Particular attention should be paid to disinfecting the area and talcum powder.
• The skin on the legs is denser than on other parts of the body, therefore, it needs additional manipulations before depilation. First, it must be softened (take a warm bath, make a light pilling). To clean and disinfect the skin of the feet, instead of a professional product, it is permissible to use alcohol. Due to the fact that the hair on the legs is stiffer, thicker and can poorly adhere to the biomaterial of shugaring, talcum powder and sugar paste, in this case, it is necessary to use a larger amount.
• The bikini area is one of the most sensitive areas of the body. The following will help to make the shugaring procedure as painful as possible: time (it is advisable to carry out depilation during the day, from 13.00 to 15.00, when the body is least susceptible to painful sensations), anesthesia (an hour before the procedure, it is recommended to take an anesthetic), cooling (wipe the selected area with ice), correctly the chosen posture (will provide optimal access to the hairs).

Manual shugaring, like other methods of depilation, injures the upper layer of the epidermis. In case of improper subsequent skin care after the procedure, unpleasant consequences such as inflammation, the appearance of pigmentation, the subsequent ingrowth of hairs, and so on can occur. The main irritant of the skin after depilation is bacteria. This is especially true for the underarms and bikini areas.

You can neutralize harmful microorganisms by disinfecting and calming the areas of the body where depilation was carried out. To do this, use the following means:

• antiseptic tinctures, ointments;
• decoctions of medicinal herbs (calendula, chamomile);
• freshly squeezed aloe (Kalanchoe) juices, which have antibacterial and moisturizing properties;
• essential oils of mint, eucalyptus, tea tree, ylang-ylang and others.

It is strictly prohibited in the first 2 days after manual shugaring:

• visits to the sauna, pool;
• hot bathrooms;
• using cosmetics that clog pores (deodorants, antiperspirants);
• sunbathing in direct sunlight, visiting solariums;
• active physical and sports activities.