By Emma Stessman

You may be kicking sugar off of your plate and out of your go-to cocktails (good for you!), but that doesn’t mean there’s no place for it in your beauty routine.

Enter: sugaring, the all-natural hair removal technique that involves applying a ball of caramel (sugar, water, and lemon) to your skin so that  it seeps into your hair follicles. When pulled, it removes unwanted body hair.

Why would you choose this method if you’re someone who has a standing waxing appointment or you’re a lifelong shaver? “It’s safe for all hair types and skin textures, it’s super gentle, you’re never going to get burned, and it’s never going to tear skin,” says Danielle Correia, esthetician and founder of Sugaring LA, “and you’re using all-organic paste, so you’re being environmentally friendly.”

Sounds pretty sweet, huh?

Keep reading to find out what the process is like and what you need to know before scheduling your first appointment.

6 Things You Should Know Before Trying Sugaring

1. It’s probably going to hurt

For everyone hoping for a magic, pain-free hair removal method, we’re sorry to disappoint. (We were really hoping for that too!). Like waxing, sugaring hurts… after all, you are still ripping out hair. Correia says the degree of the pain depends on your tolerance and if you’ve been sugared before.

2. Start with clean, dry skin

On the day of your sugaring appointment, you probably want to skip your usual rotation of skin products, “We don’t want any lotion or oil on the skin, because the sugar won’t adhere to it,” Correia says.

3. Say goodbye to redness

Unlike waxing, where you often leave feeling (and looking) like a freshly-plucked chicken, pink bumps and all, sugaring has little to no recovery time. Your skin won’t be red, hot, or irritated, which means you could schedule an appointment to get your eyebrows sugared before a big date if you wanted to. However, Correia says, if you’re a sugaring newbie, that might not be the best time to do it. “You won’t get harsh lines, but you might be a little red on your face if you’ve never done it before or if you have super sensitive skin,” says Correia. “But for the most part, it’s really gentle.”

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4. Exfoliate between appointments to prevent ingrowns

“You’re really not going to get [ingrown hairs] if you take care of your skin,” Correia says. The best way to do this? Exfoliating and moisturizing your skin every day between sessions. Skip this step on the day of your appointment, though, as the sugar will do the exfoliating for you.

5. It can double as a skin treatment

“Sugaring is a skin-conditioning treatment,” Correia says. The sugar paste only adheres to the dead skin cells, not the live ones, she explains. It’s why sugaring causes less of a reaction than waxing. It’s also why you’ll leave the appointment with silky smooth, freshly exfoliated (and hair-free!) skin.

6. Keep scheduling appointments for more permanent results

“It lasts anywhere between four to six weeks depending on who you are, how fast your hair grows, how long you’ve been doing it and so on,” Correia says. “But when you do it frequently, you can start to get permanent results.” And who doesn’t want to cut down on the frequency of future grooming appointments?

(Featured Photo: Shutterstock)