“Hair removal methods are a bit like the seasons—everyone has a favorite. To be perfectly honest, there is no perfect way to be rid of unwanted hair. Shaving doesn’t last quite long enough, depilatories are hit or miss, and waxing hurts…But if there were anything close to an ideal way to remove hair, sugaring just might be it,” totes beauty website Byrdie.

For formulators, the trend offers a unique opportunity to offer consumers gently exfoliating products featuring glycolic acid that can help to prep the skin before a “sugaring session.” 

Sugaring has actually been a hair removal method since the days of ancient Greece and Egypt. To “sugar” or remove hair, first a mixture of sugar, lemon, and water is mixed into a sticky, gel-like paste. Next, an esthetician applies the paste to the skin. The paste then seeps into the follicle and sticks to the hair shaft. When the paste is eventually removed with a flicking motion, the hair departs with it.

Proponents of sugaring love the all-natural ingredients within the paste. Sugar paste can be made from entirely organic ingredients, and the paste is biodegradable – even edible. For eco-conscious shoppers, these natural, green claims are increasingly important.

“Patients are increasingly attracted to clean beauty and clean skincare routines, so it’s a great option for those seeking more natural products,” Whitney Bowe, M.D., a dermatologist, told Women’s Health.

Additionally, many sugaring fans say the process hurts less than traditional hair removal options, like waxing or threading. “Sugaring works to remove the actual hair by the root without disturbing the surrounding skin,” Sapna Palep, a dermatologist, told Allure. “So, it tends to be gentler than waxing with less irritation.”

One final driver behind the sugaring trend?  Sugaring ingredients are hypoallergenic and safe for those with sensitive skin. “Sugaring is safe for those with eczema and psoriasis, however, we don’t recommend getting sugared when a flare-up occurs and skin is weeping, moist, or open,” Courtney Claghorn, founder and chairwoman of Sugared + Bronzed, explained to Real Simple.

An effective sugaring session involves prepping the skin before. And the most important pre-sugar step? Exfoliation.  

“The first step to an excellent and effective sugaring treatment relies on the client – it’s his or her homework to exfoliate properly before the appointment. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells and cleans the skin, guaranteeing that the sugar paste will pull out the hairs without getting contaminated with dead skin cells,” explains BeautyImageUSA.

The most effective and gentle exfoliation before a sugaring session is best done with the alpha hydroxy acid, glycolic acid. Due to its small molecule size, glycolic acid is the most adept ingredient at quickly sloughing off dead, dry skin cells from the surface of the body. This is critical for a successful, long-lasting sugaring sessions, as prior exfoliation ensures the sugar paste doesn’t merely exfoliate the body. 

Secondly, glycolic acid is great for prepping the skin for sugaring, because it’s suitable for all kinds of skin types. While old-fashioned scrubs will physically remove dead and dry skin from the body, glycolic acid is a gentler option for safely exfoliating the skin.

“The nice thing about glycolic acid is that it’s good for almost every skin type,” Dr. Melda Isaac told Huffington Post.

To prep the skin for a long-lasting sugar session, the use of glycolic acid-based exfoliating products like body washes, lotions, or peels is simply a vital step for consumer satisfaction.

The sugaring market looks, for lack of a better word, sweet, with more and more consumers turning to this all-natural hair removal practice.

Formulators can link up with this oh-so-sticky new trend by offering consumers great exfoliating products that use glycolic acid to prep the skin for this technique.

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