I Tried It: Nanoblading

TREATMENTS

Aug 2

This semi-permanent service is an alternative to microblading, creating fuller, natural-looking brows.

I didn’t think much about my brows for most of my teen and adult life. They were never bushy. I never had a unibrow. Instead, I effortlessly maintained a thinner shape and only had to tweeze a stray hair here and there. Once I became a beauty editor, I started going for regular shapings, typically tweezing, because it seemed like the thing to do, but I didn’t need to. In my 20s, brow pencils and powders intimidated me, so I used a tinted gel to brush my brow hairs into place.

Fast forward 20 years later, my naturally thin brows have become very sparse, especially around the inner corners and arches, and the brow powder that I brush on daily with an angled brush has replaced mascara as my desert island product. I turned to tinting for a while, but its brow-boosting effect never lasted long enough. I tried brow lamination and loved the brow-lengthening effect, but I was becoming curious about more semi-permanent options, including microblading or the more recent technique, nanoblading (or nano brows).

Still, when Carrie Zheng, owner of CosmetiFX in Floral Park, New York, approached me about nano brows, I was hesitant. “I’m afraid I won’t like it,” I said. I’ve had brow tints that have made me shun people until the initial color faded a day or two later. What if I hated semi-permanent work? I couldn’t hide for two years! Zheng explained the process and her aesthetic. She’s known for natural-looking work. She then told me that she was there for me if and when I was ready to try it.

For months, I watched her Instagram reels and stories, hitting the heart button often because, damn, her brows were good! Like she said, they all looked so natural. So one day, I replied to a story with, “Ok! I’m ready.”

So, What is Nanoblading?

Nanoblading is a semi-permanent cosmetic procedure that, like tattooing, involves depositing pigment into the skin with a machine tool. It’s similar to microblading, but the “nano” refers to even more precise, ultra-fine, hair-like strokes that appear more natural on the brow and cause less trauma to the skin, says Zheng. The machine also offers the artist more control than the handheld microblading tool. Nanoblading is also said to last longer than microblading—one to three years versus one to two years. Plus, it’s good on all skin types, including oily skin, while microblading works best on someone with normal-to-dry skin.

What to Expect During Nanoblading

The day before my appointment, Zheng reminded me not to have alcohol and no caffeine in the morning—both can increase bleeding. I showed up in my regular brow makeup because I wanted Zheng to see how I liked them. I favor a natural, fluffy brow with a defined shape over a solid, overly precise one. Zheng took off my makeup and then mapped out my ideal shape. She then applied a numbing cream to my brows and let it sit.

When she started the blading, I didn’t feel any pain. I only felt the vibration of the tool. We chatted the whole time—the appointment took about two and a half hours. Zheng did nano strokes throughout my entire brow, with subtle shading, only where I needed it most. When she was done, she rubbed on some pigment and wiped it off. I loved my brows immediately! They looked natural, more uniform, and fuller. Phew!

The Nano Brow Healing Process

I left with after-care instructions and an envelope of brow shields to use in the shower. My brows couldn’t get wet for the first five days, so before a shower, I stuck the plastic shields to my forehead and carefully washed my hair and the rest of my body. To wash my face, I relied on no-rinse micellar water. I assumed exercise was off the table for a week or so, but Zheng said to avoid heavy sweating for only three days. Not so bad! I did gentle yoga to get in some movement.

Zheng told me my brows would appear darker at first. They did, but they didn’t look harsh. Throughout the week, my brows felt mildly itchy as they scabbed up and started to flake. After a week or so, the flaking was done. By the two-week mark, my brows were fully healed, and I’m thrilled to report that they look totally natural. I can’t even tell which are the nano strokes and which are my natural hairs!

In a couple of weeks, I’ll return to CosmetiFX for a four-to-six-week touchup and then see how long they last. Zheng says many of her first-time clients return around the one-and-a-half-year mark. I haven’t touched my beloved brow powder since my first appointment a few weeks ago, so I guess my mascara has been reinstated to its desert-island status.

The Cost of Nanoblading

A customized brow appointment with Zheng, which may include full nano blading, a mix of nano and shading, or ombre, is $650. The four-to-six-week touchup appointment is $150. The one-year touchup is priced at $300 and goes up by $100 every year after that. Exclusive for Pretty Local followers: When booking on CosmetiFX, use promo code PL50 for $50 off an initial appointment.

Follow Zheng’s work on Instagram at @carrieezheng. And check out my nanoblade reel on @prettylocal.li.