The microblading vs nano brows question has one honest answer, and it is not the one most salons give: the right technique is decided by your skin, not by your budget. Microblading is NPR 15,000 and nano brows are NPR 32,500 in Kathmandu, so the temptation to pick the cheaper one is obvious — but on oily skin, microblading is the more expensive choice once you count the redo. Here is how to tell which side of the line you are on.
The difference in one paragraph
Microblading uses a hand tool with a row of fine blades to make a shallow incision in the skin, and pigment is worked into that cut. Nano brows use a rotary PMU machine driving a single ultra-fine needle vertically, thousands of times a minute, so each hair stroke is built from a line of tiny points rather than a cut. Same look on the surface, completely different behaviour under the skin.
Side by side
| Microblading | Nano Brows | |
|---|---|---|
| Tool | Hand blade (manual) | Digital rotary machine, single needle |
| How pigment goes in | A small incision, pigment worked in | Thousands of tiny vertical entries |
| Best skin types | Normal to dry, small pores | All skin types, including oily and large-pored |
| Look | Textured, hand-drawn strokes | Crisp, fine, very natural strokes |
| Price | NPR 15,000 | NPR 32,500 |
| Appointment | Around 120 minutes | 120–150 minutes |
| Lasts | 1–3 years | 2–3 years |
| Discomfort (typical) | 3–4 out of 10 | 2–3 out of 10 |
| Healing | Slightly more scabbing | Lighter flaking, faster settle |
The oily skin rule
This is the whole decision for most people. Oily skin has larger pores, more sebum and faster cell turnover. Sebum pushes pigment sideways in the dermis, so a crisp bladed stroke softens into a shaded smudge — often within six to nine months — and faster turnover expels the pigment sooner on top of that.
A nano needle places pigment in controlled points at a consistent depth, with far less trauma to the surrounding tissue, so the strokes hold their edges. That is the entire reason nano brows cost more and why we will not sell microblading to someone whose forehead shines by mid-afternoon.
A quick self-test: press a tissue to your forehead and temple at 3 p.m. If it comes away marked, or if you can see pores through the brow area in a mirror at arm’s length, you are in nano or shading territory.
Who microblading is genuinely right for
- Normal to dry skin with fine pores.
- Sparse or over-plucked brows that need texture rather than density.
- Younger, firm skin with no significant sun damage in the brow area.
- Clients who want the softest, most “barely there” hair-stroke look and are happy to refresh it sooner.
Who should go straight to nano
- Oily or combination skin, or visible pores through the brows.
- Mature or thinner skin, where a blade can spread more than intended.
- Anyone with faded microblading that blurred within a year.
- Clients who want the longest-lasting hair-stroke result and would rather pay once.
What about microshading and combo brows?
Microshading builds a soft powdered fill with a machine — like a lightly pencilled brow rather than individual hairs. It suits oily and mature skin extremely well and is often combined with nano strokes for a “combo brow”: strokes at the front where the brow should look natural, soft shading through the tail where density is wanted. Pricing for shading and combo work is quoted at consultation because it depends on how much correction the existing brow needs.
If you are not ready for pigment at all, brow lamination from NPR 2,500 lifts and sets your own hair for six to eight weeks, and a brow shape and wax from NPR 500 will tell you a great deal about which shape suits your face. Both are honest ways to test a shape before committing to PMU — see our brow lamination guide for how they compare.
Cost over three years, not on the day
The NPR 17,500 gap looks large until you extend the timeline. Microblading on suitable skin, refreshed once in three years, sits near NPR 30,000 across that period. Microblading on oily skin often needs a redo inside a year, plus possible colour correction, which lands past NPR 35,000 — for a result that never looked crisp. Nano at NPR 32,500 with a touch-up included and a two to three year life is, for oily skin, the cheaper column.
Both are only as good as the artist
Technique choice is maybe forty per cent of the outcome. The rest is mapping, colour theory and depth control. Ask any artist for healed photos at six weeks and at a year — not fresh work — and ask what pigment brand and machine they use. Our own training runs on the same Goochie machines and pigments we sell across Nepal, which is why we are happy to name them.
What healing looks like either way
- Days 1–3: darker and sharper than the final result.
- Days 4–7: light flaking. Do not pick — a lifted scab takes pigment with it.
- Days 8–14: the ghosting phase, where strokes look faint or gone under new skin.
- Weeks 3–6: colour resurfaces and settles to its true tone.
- Weeks 6–8: the included touch-up perfects density and symmetry.
Keep the area dry for ten days — no swimming, sauna, steam or heavy gym sweat — and use sunscreen for the life of the pigment. Full detail is in our microblading aftercare rulebook.
Learning both techniques
Artists usually learn blade first and machine second. Our one-week Microblading and Microshading course is NPR 95,000, and the 14-day Ultimate Brows Masterclass at NPR 1,65,000 adds full nano machine training with a Master Kit Box worth NPR 75,000 — details on the academy page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between microblading and nano brows?
Microblading uses a hand blade to make a small incision and works pigment into it. Nano brows use a digital machine with one ultra-fine needle that enters vertically thousands of times a minute, building each stroke from tiny points. Nano causes less trauma, gives better depth control and holds on oily skin where bladed strokes blur.
Which is better for oily skin, microblading or nano brows?
Nano brows. Sebum spreads pigment sideways in oily skin, so microblading strokes soften into a shaded look within six to nine months, while nano strokes keep their edges and typically last two to three years.
Are nano brows worth the extra cost?
On oily, mature or large-pored skin, yes — microblading there usually needs redoing inside a year, so the cheaper option costs more over three years. On dry skin with fine pores, microblading at NPR 15,000 is a genuinely good result and the extra spend is optional.
Does microblading hurt more than nano brows?
Slightly. Most clients rate microblading three to four out of ten and nano brows two to three, because the machine needle does not drag across the skin. Topical numbing is applied before and reapplied during both.
Can nano brows be done over old microblading?
Often yes, but it must be assessed in person. Old pigment that has shifted warm or grey may need colour correction or lightening first, so bring photos to a consultation rather than booking the procedure directly.
How much do microblading and nano brows cost in Kathmandu?
Microblading is NPR 15,000 and PMU nano brows are NPR 32,500 at Artistry Academy, both including the six to eight week touch-up. Lip blush PMU is NPR 21,500 and brow lamination starts at NPR 2,500 for comparison.
Free consultation before you choose
We assess your skin type, map your brows sitting upright and tell you which technique will actually hold — including when that is the cheaper one. Sohrakhutte Chowk, Kathmandu, every day 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Book online or call +977-9708274017.
