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Nano Brows or Microblading: Why We Chose the Machine
People arrive asking for microblading. It has become the generic word for permanent makeup brows, the way people say hoover for vacuum. What they usually want is the result, which is hair-like strokes that look real and last.
At Beauty Room in Liberty Village, Toronto, our hair-stroke brows are made with a machine. Nano brows reach the same visual goal as microblading by a different method, and here we explain why we chose it and what that means for your brows.
How Nano and Microblading Differ
Microblading uses a hand-held blade to make small cuts in the skin, and pigment settles into those cuts. Nano brows use a machine with a single fine needle that deposits pigment point by point along the stroke.
Both aim for the same hair-like strokes, and the difference in method is what sets them apart, from how the skin heals to which skin types suit each one.
A BLADE CUTS, A NANO NEEDLE DEPOSITS
Why We Chose Nano
We chose nano for three reasons. Microblading can also look good in skilled hands, on the right skin, and nano gives our clients these advantages.
Less trauma to the skin
A needle depositing pigment disturbs less tissue than a blade drawing a line. Less trauma during the appointment tends to mean a more predictable heal, and the heal plays a big part in your final result.
It suits oily skin
Oilier skin has historically been the difficult case for hair-stroke work, because strokes can blur as they heal. Nano is suitable across skin types, oily included, so we can offer hair-stroke brows to clients with oily skin too.
It lasts longer
Nano brows hold for one and a half to three or more years. That makes nano a longer-lasting option than many clients expect when they first ask about microblading.
Nano, Powdered, or a Combination
Choosing your style matters even more than choosing the tool. We offer three, each with its own finish.
| Style | The finish | Best suited to | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nano Brows | Fine hair-like strokes, soft and fluffy | Gaps, sparse or over-tweezed brows, anyone wanting the most natural read | 1.5 to 3+ years |
| Powdered or Ombré | Soft shading, like brows filled in with makeup | Oily skin, visible pores, a polished and defined look | Longest-lasting of the three |
| Combo Brows | Strokes at the front, shading through the body | Wanting natural texture and definition together | Between the two |
We map each style to your brow growth pattern and skin type before any pigment is used. This is the part of the appointment that decides your result.
Before You Book
Permanent makeup has a longer preparation window than most treatments. Each timing below protects how your skin takes and holds pigment.
Three weeks: Botox and fillers
Injectables change the position and tension of the brow area while they settle. Waiting three weeks means we map your brows once everything has settled, so the shape we design suits your face for the long term.
Two weeks: facials and microdermabrasion
Resurfacing work leaves skin in a different state than it will be in on the day. If you have an advanced facial booked, we recommend keeping it at least two weeks away from your permanent makeup appointment.
One week, twenty-four hours, and one year
Fish oil and vitamin E come out a week ahead. Caffeine and alcohol come out twenty-four hours ahead. Both affect bleeding during the appointment, which affects how cleanly pigment sits. For Accutane, the window is a full year.
Your First Session and Follow-Up
Permanent makeup is designed as a first session followed by a follow-up once the first has healed, and the price you see quoted covers both.
Nano or combo brows are $700 with a senior artist and $500 with a junior artist, and that total is the first session plus the $150 follow-up. A $100 deposit is taken at booking and comes off the first session. Our detailed walk-through of the healing timeline covers what to expect in the weeks in between.
Nano Brows and Brow Lamination
Permanent makeup places pigment in skin. It does not grow hair or restyle the hair you have, and for that we offer other brow services.
If your brows have plenty of hair growing in an unhelpful direction, we often recommend brow lamination first. Many clients end up with both, because lamination handles the hair and nano handles the gaps, and we will help you decide which to start with.
Where to Book This
Beauty Room has been on Atlantic Avenue since 2012. You will find us at 17 Atlantic Ave. Unit 2, Toronto, ON M6K 3E7, close to King West and Fort York, with clients coming from across Downtown Toronto. Call or text 416-889-9948 if you would rather ask a question before booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is nano just microblading with a machine?
The goal is the same, and the method is different. Microblading cuts with a blade; nano deposits pigment point by point with a fine machine needle. That difference is why nano is described as less traumatic to the skin and why it suits oily skin types that historically struggled with blade work.
I have oily skin. Am I a candidate?
Yes. Nano is suitable for all skin types, oily included. If you also want more definition than strokes alone give, powdered brows are specifically well suited to oily skin and visible pores, and combo brows sit between the two.
How long will it last?
Nano brows hold for one and a half to three or more years. Powdered brows are the longest-lasting of our three styles. Retention varies with skin type, sun exposure and aftercare, so your own result may sit anywhere within that range, and we will talk you through what to expect for your skin.
I already have old microblading. Can you work over it?
Bring it to a consultation before booking a procedure. Existing pigment, how it has faded and what colour it has shifted to all change what is possible and what we would recommend. We will need to see it in person to give you the right recommendation.
Will it look harsh straight after?
Fresh work always looks bolder and darker than the healed result. That is normal, which is why we judge the result once it has healed. The healed look is the one we designed.
Start With the Look You Want
Book a permanent makeup consultation at Beauty Room in Liberty Village, Toronto. We map your brows, look at your skin type and growth pattern, and recommend the style that suits them.