Sublime seekers, today I’m sharing with you my road test of nanoblur and seeing if we can rally my 19-year-old self in the process. I’ve been keen to conduct a nanoblur review since spying it in Priceline a little over a year ago… it’s packaging boldly declaring “10 years younger in in 40 seconds”!
Say what!?
Exactly. I discussed the concept with JS whose first response was to ask if it was some kind of ‘potion’, witch-doctor style. It’s not.
So what is it?
That’s a good question. I’ve seen it described as a miracle balm… it’s consistency is that of a cream, but it can’t really be used like cream in that it shouldn’t be rubbed in. Beauty goddess Zoe Foster Blake described it as spakfilla, and I suspect that’s about as accurate a description as possible.
Nanoblur themselves describe it on the box as ‘not makeup’ and state it’s a formula based on advanced optics technology.
And that’s how the magic happens.
The product is packed with high-tech particles that scatter light, making skin look better, clearer, fresher… and you guessed it – younger! All of this happens in seconds by blurring wrinkles and pigmentation.
Light-scatter is not new to the cosmetics world, popular products like YSL’s touché éclat successfully use the technology. Nanoblur has taken the science to a new level though, by shrinking the size of the particles, meaning they can find their way into the smallest of spots (read: wrinkles and pores) and use light magic to iron them out. This is where the ‘nano’ comes into the name.
The result is the ‘blur’.
The product bounces light in so many different directions that it has the effect of airbrushing! Magic!!
My experience
I tried it in priceline on the back of my hand and was BLOWN AWAY. The silicon-y matte finish and silky smoothness really messed with my head, I couldn’t stop touching it.
I couldn’t wait to get home and test it out to see if I could summon my 19-year-old self. This is kind-of what we are working toward:
Nanoblur is designed to be applied:
- over moisturiser as a finisher
- over foundation or bb cream as a finisher
- as a finisher, then you can use powder over the top (but you probably won’t want to, it’s got a powdery finish)
In terms of instructions I had read, and it’s absolutely true: you must pat it on, do not try to rub it in.
I moisturised, foundation-ed and squirted a bit of nanoblur on my finger:
This was decidedly too much nanoblur! Disaster ensues!
I was applying it directly to my face and struggling to ‘pat-in’ while getting it everywhere I wanted it. It started getting tacky really quickly and I realised I didn’t have it evenly applied and then I wanted to blend it (despite knowing that it shall not be blended!) and disaster. Just. Disaster.
The product makes you 10 years younger in 40 seconds because that’s how long you have between it touching your face and being tacky and set. The result for me first time around was cakey, clag-glue style finish, which unevened my makeup and was generally horrific. Make-up off, back to square one.
Take 2!
I moisturised my clean face. Nanoblur doesn’t love dry skin.
I reapplied my foundation base (nb: I use MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid, SPF 15 and luuurve it)
I let the foundation dry. Made a cup of tea, watched a youtube video on applying nanoblur (no major secrets, just dab/pat it on, do not rub, which we already knew!) let face be very very set.
I put a teeny weeny pea size amount of nanoblur on my hand, and an even teenier tinier bit on my finger… and pat it on. Gentle, rapid patting of skin, around my eye area, nose and cheeks, chin, forehead – yep that’s the whole face.
This is what happened:
When I looked at the difference between picture two (with foundation) and three (with nanoblur) later on, I wondered if the light had changed in the room, if I’d focused the camera differently, if something else had happened… but it’s just the nanoblur doing it’s thing; bouncing light off to give that photoshop finish. Everything’s a little lighter and brighter, a little smoother. Also a little less glossy – the matte finish of the nanoblur is really very kind in taking any sheen off.
I was pretty damn happy with the nanoblur finish for me, but a bit disappointed for you because we’re not realllllly showing the line-filling abilities that nanoblur has.
And we want to be fillin’ some lines in.
So I waited all day for JS to come home with his crossfittin’, outdoor-workin’ man-hands (or ‘manky hands’ as he described them when he figured out what I was up to) to SPAKFILL. JS was a very compliant beauty-blogger husband, and allowed me to moisturise then nanoblur his left hand.
Now before we got started that left paw looked the same as the right one (as you might expect). After nanoblur and I got done with it… voila! Two different paws!
Even JS was impressed! Which kinda side-bars to another point… apparently the man-folk have been nanoblur devotees; the fella’s don’t want to use foundation, but do love the idea of a balm that makes them look younger. And who can blame them!?
So is it a Sublime Find?
Mostly, yes. It delivers on it’s promise in that it instantly and notably improves your appearance. And with a $29.95 price tag, that’s pretty damn impressive.
It was tricky to get the knack of, and if you’re going to ensure that your makeup is completely set before nanoblur-ing, then you’re going to add 10-15 mins to your routine. And while the finish was initially great, I left mine on all day, and realised about 6 hours later that the finish had changed and become kinda cakey. In an unattractive way. You probably wouldn’t have noticed from a couple of meters away, but it wasn’t great.
And on that note, not every foundation will react well with it, and possibly not every skin type. The nanoblur felt a little warm going on my skin, and doesn’t contain any anti-irritants, so I’d strongly suggest a patch test before use… I’ve read a review or two where people had a mild reaction to it.
But if you’re not one of those people, and you have the time and get the knack of it – I’m pretty confident you’ll be happy with the results. Better again, if you’re looking for something to use on a non-makeup day, nanoblur will likely hit it out of the park for you. You’ll want to go out and look for opportunities to smugly tell others you’re not wearing makeup and have them wonder what your secret is.
Get your own magical spakfilla!
At Priceline for $29.95. Wickedly good price!
Are you amazed? Have you tried it yourself? What did you think?
17 Comments
This is revelatory insight! Also, that hairstyle on you is EXCELLENT.
Thank you! I think I’m going to take the ‘blur and hair for a night out soon! x
I love this review. The photo showing the transition is amazing!
I can remember Zoe Foster talking about this stuff, but always wondered if it would leave my face all tacky like and how it mixed in with the other layers of moisturiser/foundation etc.
Thankfully your post does all the hard work for me! Think I’ll be looking into it! x
I’m pretty new to the ‘blur’ science, and obviously pretty impressed! Apparently The Body Shop has one that rocks also! x
Awesome review. Loved the photos!! It’s 11.05pm and I need to try this NOW!!! #musthave x
Thanks Lynsey! I’m sure this is how online shopping became a thing! For me anyway! #needitnowaddict x
Great review! I now need this in my life.. x
I hope it makes all your ten-year-younger dreams come true! x
10 years younger sounds good to me. I’ll be giving this a shot. And you look gorgeous in all the photos! Thanks for the review x
Thanks Denise! And agreed, who can say no to 10 years younger!? x
Great review! I’m definitely going to give this a go. Amazing results and I love your pics 🙂
Thanks Jasmine! Definitely worth a go for $29.95! x
At my age and stage I would go for even 1 year younger! Ha, ha. Seriously though I usually stick to my tried and tested routine – this post however has me heading for my nearest Priceline…I’ll let you know how I go.
Hope you’ve had success Monique! x
This sounds like a great product!
It’s a winner!