A more natural and “sweet” way to treat yourself and your skin has come to Studio 7 Salon and Spa. Sugaring, a hair-removal process, is all the rage on the West Coast, and Studio 7 Salon and Spa is one of four salons in Iowa to offer this service to its customers.

Sugaring softens up the skin and is a more natural way to remove hair because it pulls out hair in the natural direction the hair grows rather than the opposite way, which is how you typically remove hair during waxing. Its main ingredients are sugar, water and lemon, so it’s very natural.

“It does not hurt as much, and it definitely makes your skin feel softer than waxing,” said Alyssa Hall, senior in dietetics. “It’s super smooth and my skin is not as dry.”

Alexandria Professionals trained several Studio 7 Salon and Spa staff members in the sugaring technique. The woman who trained them services the Cirque du Soleil girls in Las Vegas.

“We’re always looking for new ways to do things,” said Sou Vithayasab, Studio 7 Salon and Spa’s aesthetician. “We want to be the salon that’s updated, that our clients will love and tell other people about. I don’t know of anyone else in Ames who is offering this.”

The process is simple. First, Vithayasab starts by pre-cleansing the skin, which removes body oil and sweat. Next, she applies a powder to soak up any moisture. The sugar paste is used next to remove the hair. The hair is pulled out in the natural direction of growth.

“I have had my legs waxed before, and it felt like my legs were burning,” Hall said. “But sugaring does not feel irritating at all.”

After the sugaring is done, Vithayasab wipes off the legs with a warm towel to get rid of excess sugar. Last, she applies a restoring lotion and a mineral luminating tint, which gives the legs a nice shimmer.

Vithayasab recommends growing hair out 1/4 inches for your first session of sugaring. Hair removal can last up to four to six weeks. For the second session, you may have to come in a little sooner than the four weeks to remove any smaller hairs. After the initial sessions, you can keep coming back every four to six weeks, and the hair only has to be 1/16th of an inch long.

Another neat thing about sugaring is that it helps brighten up tattoos because of the sugar and lemon.

“The sugar helps soften the skin, and the lemon helps to exfoliate,” Vithayasab said.

“I’m going to tell all my girlfriends to come get this done before Spring Break,” Hall said. “I’ll definitely have to come back before my wedding in August.”