Fast, painless, and safe—those aren’t words that usually come to mind when you think of hair removal. If you’ve been tweezing, waxing, or using depilatory creams, you’re probably thinking the opposite, like time-consuming (tweezers), abrasive (synthetic wax), imprecise (again, waxing), and filled with chemicals (creams).
That’s where threading and sugaring fill the gap. These methods have been used in India and the Middle East for centuries, loved for how quickly, effectively, and safely they remove hair. Threading and sugaring are the cornerstones of our menu at Beauty by Dolly, techniques our founders have been practicing for decades.
But what is threading? And how does sugaring work? Whether you’re new, need a refresher, or are preparing for skin-baring summer, we asked BBD Director of Operations Natashah Torki to give us the scoop on how the techniques differ, what makes them so safe, and the best method for each body part, from brows to bikini lines.
THREADING
What is it?
Using 100% cotton, all-natural thread, threading involves twisting thread into a lasso shape to remove hair line by line—and individually if needed—with ultimate precision. Even better, it grabs some of those finer hairs that tweezers can miss.
Use threading for above-the-neck areas.
Fun fact: Your eyelids are the thinnest skin on your entire body! That calls for a more gentle method like threading—especially for eyebrows—to avoid too-hard tugging at the skin.
It’s safe in the sun.
“The skin on your face and neck is exposed to UV rays a lot more than the rest of the body,” Natashah says. “Waxing can remove the first layer of the skin, leading to pigmentation if you go out in the sun afterwards.” Stick to threading for a safer, less invasive method.
SUGARING
What is it?
Our sugar wax is made of sugar, water, and lemon juice—that’s it!—a recipe that’s been passed down through our family over decades. While synthetic wax can be filled with skin-irritating chemical additives, our sugar wax is all natural and adheres to hair only, never the skin.
Use sugaring for larger areas.
The bikini area, legs, and arms—“these are parts have thicker skin that can withstand the pull,” Natashah says. “No one wants to get a Brazilian or legs by threading—that would be torture!”
Say goodbye to burns!
Some synthetic waxes can burn the skin, but our sugar wax is heated so it’s lukewarm only, never to a too-hot temp. “The warmth relieves any discomfort with application,” Natashah says, “because applying it cold on longer hair can tug on the hair a bit.”
It’s safer than waxing.
Wax goes on in the direction of hair growth and is removed in the opposite direction. Sugaring is the opposite—we remove hair in the direction of natural hair growth, which prevents ingrowns and broken hairs. And if you’re on Retin-A, Accutane, or another skin-thinning medication, waxing is a no-no, but sugaring is a go! As Natashah says, it’s “the absolute safest option.” And with summer upon us, “you shouldn’t expose yourself to the sun for at least 24 hours after waxing. But you can get sugared and then go to the beach right after!”