8 Tips for Choosing the Best Sugaring Paste

Ten years ago in 2010, beauty professionals in the states had access to about three or four sugaring pastes. Now there are SO many more to choose from. There is no surprise newer sugaring professionals beg to ask, “Which sugaring paste is the BEST?” or “Which paste is your favorite?” As a new sugarist, though the choices may be overwhelming, you would be doing yourself a disservice to make a decision on sugaring paste based on your colleague’s “favorite sugaring paste”. Sugaring paste is volatile and responds to environmental differences such as temperature, humidity, client body temperature, and the technician’s body temperature. Therefore what one sugar pro will love, another will not. I hope to offer you some insight that will guide you in making the decision right for you.

What makes a great sugaring paste? Here are 8 tips to assist you in choosing the very best paste for YOU! Click here ► For the complete list of Sugaring Paste Manufacturers

1. Professionally Manufactured

I know some of my most beloved colleagues will want to burn me at the stake for this one. I cannot use sugar paste that is home made from one’s kitchen in a professional setting. I will write about this topic in a separate post. For now, though the odds are low, it can pose a liability. If a client were to contract staph and file a suit, the insurance company may want to know the products I used. A kitchen sugar will probably not warrant a paid claim. Therefore I expect the manufacturer of a paste to produce in a sterile and safe environment.

2. Consistency

Each tub of soft, medium, or firm, need to be exactly the same from batch to batch AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. Meaning that when I empty a tub of “xyz” SOFT paste and open another from a new shipment, it should perform exactly the same, not softer nor firmer. This tells me the manufacturer is paying attention to the quality and recipe of that paste. If the paste melts down on me mid-service because it is not consistent to the last batch, the client may get the impression that I don’t know what I am doing. Shipping can sometimes cause issues with the paste. For example, shipping during the summer months may have a tendency to cook your sugar. If your sugaring paste spends too long in transit, it can begin to cook the sugar paste changing it’s molecular structure. For this reason however, sugaring professionals place orders in bulk ahead of hot summer months to prepare.

3. Customer Service

I do business with companies who care about my business. I do not want to feel like just another account. I expect reasonable shipping times. I also pay attention to how well the paste is packed. There are few things more frustrating than to open an anticipated shipment of sugar only to find that it was not packed well and you have sugar spills. This is rare, but important. If I have any issues at all, I respect those that hold themselves accountable and correct the problem in a timely manner.

4. Education/Professional

The manufacturer requires a certification or some knowledge from the professional before sugaring the public monetarily. Selling to people in their homes for DIY sugaring is a different ball game. There may be nothing wrong with the product itself. However, as professionals, we spend our resources investing in our education. I personally acknowledge and respect manufacturers that hold our professional industry to this high standard. At the end of the day, that is your personal choice as well.

5. Longevity of the Paste

The best paste is a paste that I can sugar multiple services with a moderate to small amount of sugar paste before it gets super congested with hair, dead skin, and  despite the amount of powder I used. It lasts and lasts. It will feel like marshmallow puff (the stuff you make fudge out of). It is buttery and still glides and molds easily 30 minutes into the service or into the second or third service. (One ball for a back, chest, and Brazilian… yes that GOOD! and there are pastes that do that!). Sugaring pastes that get firm or gummy (similar to sticky pizza dough) really quick are a no go for me personally. It isn’t efficient nor economical.

6. Price Point

Price point, including shipping will be one of the biggest deciding factors for most. Most tubs of sugar can now be found for less than $25 for 32-43 ounces. Anything over $30 is over priced in my opinion unless it really knocks my socks off. To knock my socks off means that the tub would yield considerably more services. For example, if a 32 ounce of paste is $20 and I can do 20 Brazilians with it, a $40 tub of 32 ounce paste ought to yield 40 Brazilians… or do something equally as impressive. A competitively priced tub of sugar means squat if the there are exorbitant shipping charges.

7. Complimenting Retail and Phenomenal Backbar

For many sugaring professionals, a complete line is imperative. This means there are supportive backbar and retail options. What is backbar? Backbar products are products the professional uses before and after a professional sugaring service. A skin cleanser/prep, powder, after sugar tonic, a serum and/or moisturizer are commonly found backbar products. For retail options one might find an assortment of exfoliating options such as soap, washcloth, body brush, serum, on-the-go wipes/rounds, and masks. Skin hydrators are also best on your retail shelf. Most manufacturers support their line of sugaring paste with both backbar and retail options.

8. Environmentally Friendly

Last but by no means least, sugaring paste that is non toxic and environmentally friendly is important to many people. Several manufacturers have Organic/Vegan/Fair Trade Options. Sugaring professionals are also tuned in to hypoallergenic backbar and retail for those who have allergies to ingredients like coconut, lavender, citrus, nuts, etc etc.

Just keep in mind that sugaring paste is a personal preference. Sugaring paste is volatile. It changes with the environment. How cold or hot it is at any given time of the day. How cool or warm is my body temperature (my hands may be colder than my colleagues hands, and that makes a difference.) How humid is it? Did it rain today? If so, that extra humidity will break down my sugar paste making it softer. So, a medium sugar paste (for a Brazilian) may be perfect at the moment in my Texas treatment room at 70 degrees, but that same paste will act like a soft paste (better suited for legs and backs) in Miami, Florida. The person in Miami needing to do a Brazilian will need to opt for a firmer paste than I in Texas would. I hope that makes sense. The point is, I may LOVE a sugaring paste, but because your environment is different, you may not like it at all. What you like may not work for me either. It is relative. It is important for sugaring professionals to be objective when discussing “the best” sugaring paste. It is all SUGAR, LEMON, WATER… at least it should be. It is ALL in how it is cooked and how consistently it is cooked. Since it is all the same ingredients, one tub should not be extravagantly more expensive than another. There are so many options. There is room for all of us. I hope this information helped. Please let me know should you have further inquiries regarding this topic. I love to talk sugar!! ♥