PMU TechniqueComparison Matrix
Side-by-side comparison of ombre powder brows, microshading, nano brows, and microblading — so you can choose with confidence
Quick Comparison Summary
Ombré powder brows are shading with no strokes in them. Microshading is the combination brow — strokes at the front, shading behind. Nano brows are strokes drawn by machine. Microblading is strokes cut by hand with a blade. You cannot book microblading here on its own; where blade strokes are used, it is selectively, at the front of a combination brow. Which one suits you is a question about the brows you already have and the finish you want, and it is answered properly by looking at them rather than by reading a table. Send Mugi a photograph and she will tell you which she would use, and why.
Technique Overviews
Ombre Powder Brows
Shading, no strokes
Best For:
- • A defined shape with a soft front
- • Oily or combination skin
- • Anyone who already fills their brows in
- • Brows thinned by years of plucking
Not Ideal For:
- • Anyone who specifically wants to see individual hairs
Microshading
The combination brow
Best For:
- • Brow hair worth framing rather than covering
- • A softer front with definition behind it
- • Anyone torn between strokes and shading
Not Ideal For:
- • Brows with very little hair left to work behind
Nano Brows
Machine hair strokes
Best For:
- • Wanting to see individual hairs
- • Skin on the dry side
- • Brows that need direction more than density
Not Ideal For:
- • Anyone wanting a soft powdered finish
Microblading
Not booked on its own here
Best For:
- • Included because most people arrive having heard of it, or having had it
Not Ideal For:
- • It is here because most people arrive having heard of it. Mugi does not do it.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare all key factors across techniques to make an informed decision
| Factor | Ombre Powder Brows | Microshading | Nano Brows | Microblading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Soft shading built from fine dots by machine. No strokes. | The combination brow: hair strokes at the front, shading behind them. | Individual hair strokes drawn with a very fine machine needle. | Individual hair strokes cut by hand with a blade. |
| How it reads up close | Like soft pencil or powder — denser through the body, lighter at the front. | Strokes where your own hair thins out, shading where it does not. | Separate strokes that read as hairs. | Separate strokes that read as hairs when fresh. |
| The question it answers | I want a defined shape that looks like I filled them in well. | I have brow hair and want it framed rather than covered. | I want individual hairs, and my skin is on the dry side. | Not sold on its own here. Blade strokes appear only inside the combination brow, at the front. |
| What it feels like | Pressure and tapping, after topical numbing. | Pressure and tapping, after topical numbing. | A fine vibration, after topical numbing. | A scratching sensation. Most people can tell it is a blade. |
| Sessions | Two: the first, then a six-week review appointment. | Two: the first, then a six-week review appointment. | Two: the first, then a six-week review appointment. | — |
| Healing | Around six weeks to settle, with flaking in the first fortnight. | Around six weeks to settle, with flaking in the first fortnight. | Around six weeks to settle, with flaking in the first fortnight. | Around six weeks to settle. |
| Price here | $600 | $600 | $650 | Not sold on its own. |
| How long it lasts | How long it holds depends on your skin, the sun you get and what you put on your face, and the spread between two people is wider than any single figure would suggest. The touch-up prices are the closest thing to a real answer, because they are what she charges at each interval: see the prices page. | How long it holds depends on your skin, the sun you get and what you put on your face, and the spread between two people is wider than any single figure would suggest. The touch-up prices are the closest thing to a real answer, because they are what she charges at each interval: see the prices page. | How long it holds depends on your skin, the sun you get and what you put on your face, and the spread between two people is wider than any single figure would suggest. The touch-up prices are the closest thing to a real answer, because they are what she charges at each interval: see the prices page. | Not sold on its own here, so Ink Mugi has no record of its own to quote. |
| Keeping it up | A touch-up when you want one, priced by how long it has been. | A touch-up when you want one, priced by how long it has been. | A touch-up when you want one, priced by how long it has been. | — |
Decision Guide: "If I..., Then Choose..."
Match your situation to the right technique
"I have oily skin"
→ Ombré powder, or the combination brow
Why: Shading tends to keep a cleaner healed edge on oily skin than fine strokes do. Mugi will tell you what she thinks after she has seen your brows.
"I do not want them to look obviously done"
→ Any of the three, worked lightly
Why: This is decided by how much pigment goes in and where the shape stops, not by which technique. The first pass is deliberately lighter than most people expect.
"I want to stop drawing them on every morning"
→ Ombré powder brows
Why: Shading does the thing a pencil does, which is why it reads as brows you have already filled in.
"I still have decent brow hair"
→ The combination brow
Why: It puts shading behind the hair you have rather than over it, so your own brows stay the thing people see.
"I want to be able to see individual hairs"
→ Nano strokes
Why: Strokes are the only one of the three that does this. Nano is the newest part of what Mugi does, and she will say so.
"I had microblading and it faded faster than I was told"
→ Send a photograph first
Why: Why one brow faded early is a question about that brow. It is worth finding out before choosing what to do next.
"I am worried it will hurt"
→ Ask about numbing when you get in touch
Why: Topical numbing is used for all three. People describe pressure and tapping rather than sharpness, but nobody can tell you in advance what you will feel.
"I am choosing on price"
→ The three prices are $600, $600 and $650
Why: They are on the booking page as well as this one. If a price quoted anywhere is different from Vagaro, Vagaro is the one that is right.
Which technique suits which situation
Six situations people arrive with, and what she would suggest for each. None of these is a client; they are the shapes the question usually comes in.
Oily skin, and a week with the gym in it
Shading sits as sealed dots rather than open cuts, and it is the more common suggestion for oily skin. Aftercare asks you to keep the brows dry and away from heavy sweat for the first fortnight, so the gym is worth planning around the healing.
Brows that are already good, and only need definition
The combination brow puts shading behind what you already have rather than replacing it, which is the difference between a defined brow and a drawn one. If you have hair, it should still be the thing people see.
Little or no brow hair, and dry skin
With nothing underneath to blend into, strokes have to do the work of hair rather than sit behind it. Strokes are more often suggested for drier skin than for oily skin, and Mugi will say which she would use once she has seen your brows.
Microblading that faded faster than you were told
Why one brow faded early is a question about that brow, and worth answering from a photograph before choosing again. Shading is a different deposit rather than a better version of the same one, so it is not the same bet placed twice.
Sparse brows from years of plucking
Density is what is missing, and shading builds density where strokes only imply it. What it cannot do is make a brow smaller, so the shape is agreed before any pigment.
First time, and worried it will look obvious
The first pass is deliberately lighter than most people expect, whichever technique it is. Pigment is easy to add at the six-week session and hard to take back.
Key Takeaways
Choose Ombre If...
- • You have oily or combination skin
- • You want a defined shape with a soft front
- • You love the makeup-filled brow look
- • You already fill your brows in most mornings
- • You would rather not see individual strokes
Choose Microshading If...
- • You want strokes at the front and shading behind them
- • You already have decent natural brows
- • You want your own hair framed rather than covered
- • You are torn between strokes and shading
- • You want definition without a drawn-on edge
Choose Nano Brows If...
- • You want to see individual hair strokes
- • Your skin is on the dry side
- • You want strokes drawn by machine rather than by blade
- • Your brows need direction more than density
- • You want a brow that reads as hairs rather than shading
Microblading Is Not Booked On Its Own
- • It is not offered here as a service by itself
- • Blade strokes appear at the front of a combination brow
- • It is listed because most people arrive having heard of it
- • If yours faded early, send a photograph before choosing again
- • Ask a doctor first if you scar easily or have a skin condition
If you are still deciding
You do not have to know what you want before you get in touch. Send a photo of your brows and what is bothering you, and you will get an honest read back - including if the answer is that you should wait, or choose something else.
A question, and a photo only if you want to. Mugi reads it and answers herself.