Sugaring is a form of hair removal that has been in existence for thousands of years. We take a quick look at its history and find out what sugaring products are available in New Zealand...

It is common knowledge that waxing is a more effective method of hair removal than shaving and depilatory creams - it lasts longer and effects the regrowth of hair, because it pulls hair follicles out from the roots, rather than chopping them off at the surface of the skin. But waxing can be painful, as its formulations stick to the skin as well as the hair, and despite containing some natural ingredients, usually has not-so-natural ones as well.

Sugaring is similar to waxing, and has been used by many ancient cultures, including the Egyptians (who, let's face it, knew a fair few things about beauty). The process consists of heating a sticky substance made from sugar, lemon juice and honey or molasses to a paste consistency. It is applied to the skin with a spatula, and a strip of cloth or paper is pressed on. The strip is pulled away quickly in the opposite direction of hair growth, taking the hairs with it.

But sugaring has many advantages over waxing. Firstly the sugar solution only attaches to the hairs, not the skin - making the process far less painful than waxing and better for sensitive areas such as the face or bikini line. In addition once wax has set, there are few ways of successfully removing it without simply ripping it off. This also means that any wax residue left on the skin has to be worn off or removed with astringent, which can be harmful to skin. Sugaring products can be removed with a damp cloth or warm water, making clean up easy and allowing the cloths used in the process to be rinsed and reused.

You can make a sugaring paste at home - although getting the consistency right takes some practice. Recipes can be found readily online. If you would prefer a pre-made sugaring solution, there are a couple around - like Australian product Nad's, or New Zealand's very own BodEze - the latter enhancing the ancient formulation by adding Kiwifruit and Aloe Vera.