The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

Though it is an ancient art of hair removal, many people are still unfamiliar or aware of the method of body sugaring.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in the procedure around the world, as well as here in the Bahamas, which has led more spas and salons offering the service.

Here in Nassau, the Radiance Day Spa & Body Sugaring Studio in Palmdale has offered body sugaring since opening in March 2014. However, owner Amier Taylor said she recognised that there are still many people who do not know what the procedure entails, why it is done and how beneficial it can be.

For this reason, a special open house event was hosted over the weekend at the spa to educate people on body sugaring.

During the open house, demonstrations of the procedure on various parts of the body were conducted so that potential clients were able to see and feel the sugaring process.

“Body sugaring is an all natural form of hair removal. A paste made of sugar, water and lemon juice is moulded onto the skin and it extracts hairs from the root. Sugaring is also a form of exfoliation because its removes dead skin,” Ms Taylor told Tribune Health.

“The open house event was created because a lot of people know nothing about sugaring or they are sceptical about it.”

For women, some of the most common areas that are sugared are the face, the bikini area and underarms. Most men get chest, back and Brazilian sugaring done.

“The benefits of sugaring is that it is all natural, has no chemicals or additives, helps to remove darkness from shaving or hair removal creams, helps to eliminate ingrown hairs,” she said.

Ms Taylor said sugaring will never tear the skin, because the paste does not stick to living skin.

“Sugaring will never burn the skin. The paste is heated at a low temperature and melts with body heat,” she said.

Preparation for body sugaring involves cleansing the skin of any lotions or oils, and sometimes powder is lightly applied. The paste is first put on against the direction of hair growth, for example the leg. The paste is then warmed and applied.

“Sugaring is less painful than waxing. Along with being all natural, when having a sugaring done you can go over the same area more than once because the paste does not tear the skin, giving you smoother, long lasting results. The clean-up process is easy because warm water removes any paste left behind,” she said.

Ms Taylor is a licenced aesthetician with the Florida Board of Cosmetology. She has been in the skin care field for seven and a half years. In addition to sugaring, she does threading, facials, chemical peels and 3D brows (brow extensions).

Radiance is a full-service day spa offering massage, skin care, threading and sugaring services. House calls are also available.