So you decided to start sugaring! Congratulations, you did it! Your skin is smooth and slippery. Now you are engaged in a process. Remember - the goal here is smooth beautiful glowing skin, and the skin is an organ that needs to be looked after. Sugaring is a process, not a one-time event. You can’t go to the gym once a month and expect an amazing body, or get a facial every 4 weeks and expect perfect skin without any aftercare. One of the best ways that we can take care of our skin is to exfoliate!
Why exfoliate?
The skin is the largest organ in our bodies, literally the glue that holds us together. It gate-keeps substances allowing nutrients to penetrate and absorb while pushing away harmful chemicals. It also helps us to regulate body temperature and provides the ability to explore sensation. In addition to these functions, skin cells are constantly being renewed and pushed up through the epidermis where the skin cells die and collect on the top of the skin. Did you know that 70% to 80% of the dust in your home is made up of dead skin? Our skin naturally sloughs off and leaves a microscopic trail of dead parts of us everywhere we go…ew. But when we exfoliate, we get rid of that top layer of dead skin and reveal newer and healthier skin below. Our skin does so much for us, so now we have to give back to it!
The goal now is to create a healthy relationship between you, the hair follicle, and the top layers of your skin. After your appointment, the hair bulb will start to do its job and begin to grow a new follicle. The skin will start to lay cells over the small hole that was just created during the waxing process in order to protect you. Your job in this trio is to make sure that the follicle has a runway to grow through the layers of your skin and out of the epidermis by scrubbing away the dead skin that accumulates on top. Even though you will enjoy weeks of minimal hair growth, this process begins immediately after your appointment. If the follicle cannot break through the top layer, it will tunnel. It will twist and turn and infect the hair follicle creating the dreaded ingrown hair.
How often should I exfoliate?
Maybe you’re thinking - “well I exfoliated one time back in 2012!” Sorry, but that’s not going to cut it.
When you get a sugar wax, your dead skin cells get taken off with the hair so there is no need to exfoliate that day. About two to three days after your appointment, enough dead skin begins to accumulate in the hair follicle and needs to be scrubbed away. Remember the rule of three. Three days after your appointment, exfoliate. Then, exfoliate every three days after that until three days before your next appointment. The sugar needs some of that dead skin to adhere to in order to achieve the best waxing result possible. It is important to be consistent with this! Pencil it in on your calendar. Consistency is the key to having that beautiful soft skin we all want.
What should I use?
First thing’s first- throw away your loofah. Just trust me on this one. A loofah is not an exfoliant. Let’s all say it together: A loofah is not an exfoliant. It is a graveyard of bacteria and dead skin and should be treated like a disposable tool.
Now that that’s out of the way, there are two types of exfoliants you can use: physical and chemical. A physical exfoliant is one that you can feel the physical properties of like sugar or coffee or salt scrubs. I prefer sugar over salt, but that’s just cause I love sugar. My personal favorite is the Tree Hut Sugar scrub. The Moroccan rose smells like heaven. If you want an all-natural version without the fragrance, mix sugar, honey and coconut oil into a paste - this leaves the skin sooooo smooth. Another great option for more sensitive skin is to use an exfoliating glove coupled with a natural soap like Dr. Bronner’s pure Castile soap. Just a quick note - if you are using exfoliating gloves, don’t also use them with a sugar scrub…we don’t want to over-exfoliate and damage the skin.
I also love to dry brush! Dry brushing is a great way to wake up the body. It is said to decrease cellulite and increase blood circulation while exfoliating the skin. I love to do this on my arms and legs, but I wouldn’t use this on my brazilian area as it can be pretty harsh.
A chemical exfoliant uses a substance like glycolic or salicylic acid or AHA’s and BHA’s to dissolve the skin away. One of my favorite products that I recommend using is Adios. It uses both glycolic and salicylic acid to bring the ingrown hair and infection to the surface while also calming the area. This is applied right after you shower! I also love Dermalogica’s Daily Superfoliant and I use it in the shower, specifically for the brazilian area.
From my years getting brazilian sugaring, I recommend a combination of both the physical and the chemical exfoliation. I will use the sugar scrub and then three days later I will use a chemical-based exfoliant. But it is all about what works for you! Be a practitioner and try different routines until you find one that works. Also, be aware that everyone has a different skin type and their bodies will renew skin at different rates. Someone’s recommendations may be too harsh, or not enough, so it is important to pay attention to what is actually giving you a great result!
Happy exfoliating!