To say I was apprehensive about using this would be an understatement. They say that having babies creates a strong pain threshold. It doesn’t. It makes you never want to experience pain in your life again, ever - you’ve had your fill. My personal pain threshold is pathetic… so it took me three weeks to gather the courage to use this sugaring kit. I told myself I was ‘letting the hair grow’ *sniggers* - here’s what happened…
Sugaring is a natural hair removal method, considered less painful than waxing (a good start!). Parissa Chamomile Body Sugar is “infused with soothing Chamomile, gently lifts away hair from the root for clean, salon-smooth results up to 6 weeks.” I liked the idea that it was washable… if the pain got too much, I could just jump in the shower and rinse it off.
Kit
The kit contains a tub of sugar, a zillion waxing strips, several wooden spatulas for application and a vial of soothing Azulene oil to rub on afterwards.
Prep
Preparation is key. I’d recommend exfoliating a couple of days in a row beforehand to remove any dead skin and loosen any ingrowns. On the day, ensure you have this lot ready before you even think about starting,…
1. Pain killers (for me, 20 mins before starting) OTT, perhaps, but every little helps!
2. Choose a quiet area where you won’t be disturbed (I had to switch rooms half way through when two small inquisitive children tried to join in, though to be fair the kitchen floor probably wasn’t the best spot.)
3. If there’s no wipable hard floor, put down an old towel… the sugar is washable but it’s sticky and you probably will get the odd drip.
4. Lay out the wax strips where you can easily reach them and a bin/plastic bag for dumping the used ones (though again, they are washable - I really didn’t think all that gunk would do my washing machine any good).
5. Wear something short, with no loose dangly bits that might get in the way!
You’re ready to start…
Warm the tub of sugar in the microwave (aha, that’s why I chose the kitchen!)… before warming it’s wobbly solid - see above - it doesn’t spill.
I found that I needed to warm it several times during the process - the smoother and runnier it was, the easier it was to use. Follow the timings on the instructions (it’s only about 20 seconds)… the consistency should be like runny honey before you start.
Above, packaging directions (more details inside) and one used strip to give you an idea of how it looks… pretty, huh? ;)
Does it hurt?
Now hand on heart, it is not that painful. For me, the pain was totally bearable (remember I did take painkillers before starting). If I hadn’t been sent this for review, I’m not sure that I’d have had the guts to go for it, but I’m so glad I did and will definitely buy it in the future.
I suffer from dreadful itching a day or two after shaving - it literally drives me insane as soon as the regrowth starts. That’s why I wanted an alternative… there’s no doubt that shaving would be quicker and easier, but then the results don’t last so long and it was great not having to worry about hair removal for a few weeks.
I know this will sound nuts but I actually quite enjoyed the process - in the same way that I like to see a lovely shiny bathroom after I’ve cleaned it. It was kind of fun!
Results
It made my legs almost smooth… in all honesty I think the few baby hairs leftover were partly due to my poor technique and I know I’ll be more efficient next time. The results only lasted around 3 weeks for me, but again I think better technique would probably have achieved better results.
The Azulene oil was very soothing, but my legs weren’t sore and stingy like they are after waxing - there was none of that ‘don’t want to wear tight clothing’ feeling afterwards. The hair follicles were slightly pink, but only for about 1/2 hour, whereas this would last 1-2 days for me after regular waxing. I was able to use body lotion, self tan etc with no irritation the next day (12 h later) and was very happy!
My Top Tips
Start with a small amount of wax on first couple of strips, just to get an idea of how it all works, then proceed to longer applications
- apply wax in thin layers - this will remove the hair much more efficiently, use less product and is much more manageable
- leave a space at the base of the wax strip to grip onto as you pull it
- pull upwards, against the hair growth
- hold the wax strip as close to your skin as possible as you pull it up - imagine you’re pulling up a zip. This is key to removing as much hair as possible and minimising discomfort.
- hold the skin taut (below the strip) with one hand as you pull up each strip - this makes it less painful
- strips can be reused: I probably used each one around 3 times and it worked really well. You can also fold over the strips (sticky side) and use one of the outer (clean) sides.
Parissa Chamomile Body Sugar costs £9.74 at Boots.com where it’s currently on offer (usually £12.99)
