Pierce Mattie Public Relations New York

85% of your clients come in for Body Sugaring; can you explain to our readers what Body Sugaring is?
It is a 98-degree paste that is molded on the skin with my hands. This paste then covers the unwanted hair down to the root. I am able to remove the hair and sugar by flicking it my hands wearing latex gloves. The flicking works in the direction of the hair growth and the hair only needs to be 1/8 of an inch as compared to the length needed for waxing. Touch-ups need to be done every 3-4 weeks. After Body Sugaring, you will notice that your hair grows back finer, softer and thinner. After 6 months, many find that the hair does not return at all. However, this varies from person to person.

How long have you been performing this treatment?
Four years. I was trained by Alexandria Body Sugaring. It is the main treatment performed at Downtime Massage and Skincare versus being an “add-on.”

What are the benefits of Body Sugaring?
It doesn’t burn your skin or irritate it and cause breakouts. Hair is taken from the root, so there is rarely any breakage. The sugar is water soluble and easy to rinse off. The sugar only sticks to the hair and root itself and dead skin.

Why do you prefer Body Sugaring versus waxing?
Sugaring is 100% natural and resin and chemical free. It’s water-soluble and doesn’t harbor bacteria. It doesn’t harden if left on the skin and is very time efficient. You don’t need to grow your hair out very long to be able to be sugared. 1/8 of an inch is all you need and it is actually preferred that your hair growth is shorter for hair removal than compared with waxing. For a complete list of benefits of sugaring over waxing, readers can view a FAQ page I have set up for this.
Which parts of the body is it best used on?
The genital area is actually the best place, although it is very painful the first time the treatment is done. Subsequent treatments are less painful over time and customers will find that the hair comes back feathery soft and eventually not at all. The lower back and butt are the second best areas, while the chest and back hair are the most resistant due to the thickness and coarseness of the hair.

It also varies from person to person and based on ethnic backgrounds. For example a person of Sicilian background will have much thicker hair than someone that is Irish, so I gear my treatments to be completely customized to the person and not in general.

Is there a process involved in preparing the skin for Body Sugaring or aftercare?
One week prior to having Body Sugaring done customers are asked to complete a head to toe body exfoliation and moisturizing either here at Downtime Massage or at home. Moisturizing should be done morning and night for one week and exfoliating twice during a 1-week span of time.

Preparing for Body Sugaring is something I can do at Downtime Massage with an exfoliation, application of Hungarian Apothecary Mud and moisturizing the skin. After the sugaring treatment I again apply Hungarian Apothecary Mud, as it helps calm the skin, close pores and begin the healing process immediately. The mud is left on for a minimum of 20 minutes. Each client is encouraged to purchase a loofah and Prince Reigns Gel (a serum to prevent ingrown hair) and use it on a daily basis until their next appointment.

Who would not be a good candidate for Body Sugaring?
Anyone with skin tags, warts sun damaged skin or fragile skin and being treated with medications that affect the skin’s immunity such as Accutane. People who are not willing to take care of their skin and do what is necessary to in between treatments would also not make good candidates for Body Sugaring.

Do you ever have clients who come to you misinformed about Body Sugaring?
Yes, many people think that sugaring will melt the hair away like Nair does. Many do not understand the pain or process involved. Many times they also do not understand how labor intensive it is and that there are so many variables involved in understanding how long the treatment will take because it is done on an individual basis. This is one reason why we charge by the minute for Body Sugaring because each person’s amount of hair, density, thickness and coarseness are different.

Are there times of the year when Body Sugaring is the most difficult to perform?
Winter is actually the most difficult month for hair removal due to dry skin. In the Summer, many make the mistake to go right out to sunbathe or engage in sports-like activities that would cause sweating. Sweat and bacteria are the culprits that cause breakouts after sugaring.

Many thanks for Greg for taking the time to talk to me and go into so much detail about his background, services at Downtime Massage and Skincare and the Body Sugaring treatment. Please be sure to check out all of the rave reviews Greg has received by reading the testimonials on his website and also at Citysearch.

Downtime Massage and Skincare is located in Hell’s Kitchen and is by appointment only. If you have further questions about Body Sugaring or want to make an appointment with Greg, you can contact Michael Smith, the Spa Manager at Downtime, by calling 917-805-6802. Greg offers a wealth of information on his three websites: Hungarian Apothecary Mud, Downtime Massage and Skincare, and MensBodyGrooming.com.