Hitting the Brazilian Sweet Spot: Axing The Wax to Try Sugaring

Want to go hairless but hate waxing? Give ‘sugaring’ a try at Singapore’s first body sugaring studio

So mamas, I just did my first Brazilian. I always knew this day would come (although I never thought I’d actually be documenting it for the general public to read about the inner workings of my… ahem), but I always assumed I’d have done it the ‘traditional’ way – by getting waxed, since it’s a pretty popular method here in Singers. Fortunately, the ladies at Sugar(ed) in Bukit Timah reached out to offer me my first ever sugaring experience (for my bikini area, no less!) before I could sign up for a waxing session myself, so I thought, why not.

For those who’ve never heard of sugaring, it’s an organic and all-natural hair removal method that dates back to Egyptian times, making it one of the oldest forms of hair removal. Using a pliable paste of sugar, honey and lemon, it’s gently spread onto the skin, grabbing onto hair from the roots and flicked off in (not against) the same direction of hair growth to ensure little to no breakage, and lessening the formation of ingrown hairs. Unlike waxing, the paste can be applied to the same area more than once as it grabs only onto the roots and dead skin, so you won’t run the risk of tearing out ‘live’ skin. The sugar paste is also completely edible by the way, and the sweet folks at Sugar(ed) will even pull out a goop of it for you to try if you ask real nicely – it tastes sweet and is really chewy, reminiscent of the old school gula tarik snack! But I digress.

Sugar(ed) is the first and only professional body-sugaring studio in Singapore dedicated to the 100% natural hair removal method. The founder Jasmine (also my sugarist for the day) discovered the technique during her stint in Seattle,  and she first began offering her services from the comfort of her own home to a small pool of just five customers. Before long, word got out about her awesome technique and she found herself gaining so many clients that she had to open her first flagship studio with its own solid team of sugarists.

The lovely space at Bukit Timah has fabulous interiors made up of white and palm print walls with super cute cursive quotes. It’s also generally gender neutral, which male customers appreciate as they’ve noted how put off they get by overly feminine (read: entirely pink) salon designs. So you don’t have to worry about the hubs tagging along (and maybe even squeeze in a session for him too – they offer plenty of services for men)!

I was warmly welcomed with a mug of green tea to calm my nerves before the session, then led to the large treatment room to prep before we started with the lower legs. Immediately I could see the drastic difference in colour between the sugared leg and the one that wasn’t. My skin looked at least a shade brighter since the dead skin cells were also removed, and the skin was left baby-soft! The ‘pain’ (if you even want to call it that) was extremely bearable, so right off the bat I could tell how different it was compared to the slight burn you would feel from waxing.

Next up: the main event. The Brazilian started off tolerable on the perimeters of the bikini, but I started to get nervous when Jasmine moved to the more central area where the bulk of the hair was (and the most nerves are located). The great thing, though, was that she worked in small patches to test my pain tolerance (which she noted was apparently incredibly high, so go me!) before moving onto more sensitive areas. Where pain is most likely, Jasmine has trained her sugarists to work with clients on good breathing techniques in order to take the pain better. I also realised that I felt far from helpless considering the vulnerable position (literally) I was in, as long as I was conversing with Jasmine and helping in the process by holding my own skin taut.

Now, I will emphasise it’s definitely not painless (a misconception most people have), as it stings upon flicks due to the massive hair removal action, but the sensation subsides almost immediately after. Once it’s complete, the area will naturally feel a bit sore after taking a ‘beating’, but first-timers get a soothing Hungarian Wellness Mud Mask treatment to follow, which is very cooling and helps calm the area right away.

Because of how organic the paste is, sugaring is suitable for everyone, including pregnant mamas (not recommended for those in their 1st trimester, but suitable for mamas in their 2nd trimester onward and have gotten approval from their gynaecologists) and those who suffer from eczema, spider veins, psoriasis or sensitive skin. When applied, the paste is warm to the touch and not as hot as wax, which has a risk of burning the skin.

Mamas with teenage daughters who want to start their hair removal early can also look to sugaring for a safe and natural approach compared to the usual immediate reaction of shaving (we all remember those fun early-puberty days, don’t we?!).

Overall, I say go for it. Even if you’re not keen on braving the pain, remember that it only lasts for a moment and the squeaky clean feel of your smooth, hairless skin will make it all worth it! For mamas who are used to Brazilians or bikini line hair removal and haven’t tried sugaring, consider it for its all-natural and eco-friendly properties (do away with the disposable wooden spatulas, chemical-laden wax mixtures and wax strips!), skin-lightening effects and the possibility of being permanently hairless after enough sessions (varies for everyone, of course).

Sugar(ed) is offering 10% off Virgin Brazilians for Sassy Mama readers for the month of October! Just quote Sugar(ed) x Sassy Mama when booking your appointment!

Sugar(ed), 733, Bukit Timah Road Second Avenue Junction #02-02 Singapore 269748, Tel: (+65) 6816 6288 / 9122 9366 (WhatsApp only), www.sugared.com.sg. By appointment only via WhatsApp or Facebook.