Brown Mascara for a Softer Lash Line, Plus Brown Liners to Match

Brown Mascara for a Softer Lash Line, Plus Brown Liners to Match

Brown mascara has been around almost as long as mascara itself, and it is still the easiest way to wear lashes that look defined but not harsh. These are the browns I would try, from soft chocolate to deep espresso, plus brown liners and a brow gel to go with them.

Brown was there from the start. When Maybelline put out its first cake mascara in 1917, it came in two shades, black and brown, and the brown was colored with iron oxides. More than a century later, brown mascara is still the quiet option, the one that darkens and lengthens lashes without the stark edge of black.

The first grid is the softer end of the range. Too Faced Better Than Sex in Chocolate is a brown mascara that the brand says thickens, lengthens and locks in curl. Lancôme Lash Idôle in Brown targets every single lash for lift, length and volume without clumps. Tower 28 MakeWaves in Drift is a rich espresso brown that is vegan and waterproof, and it holds a curl with Aquaflex technology. Benefit BADgal Bang in Rebel Brown builds volume the more you layer. Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes in Brown has an eye-hugging brush for lift and curl. ILIA Limitless Lash in Before Dawn is a rich brown that the brand says is safe for sensitive eyes. YSL Lash Clash in Uninhibited Brown is a deep brown with an oversized conical brush, and the Size Up mascara in Brown is an ultra-pigmented, buildable vegan formula.

A quick test: put on one coat, then check it in daylight. If it reads a little softer than black but still frames the eye, you have found your brown.

Big numbers collage for Brown Mascara: six products from Too Faced, Lancôme, Tower 28, Clinique, Benefit and Urban Decay, each set beside a large numeral
Brown Mascara

Soft brown mascaras

Deep browns with more drama

If brown feels too soft, go deeper. CLINIQUE High Impact in Black Honey is a berry-brown that the brand says is safe for sensitive eyes. DIOR Diorshow Overvolume in Overbrown is a dark brown with extreme volume and lash-by-lash definition. Fenty Beauty Hella Thicc in Let'z Be Blunt is a brown formula that is long-wear and transfer-resistant. Saie Mascara 101 in Brown is a rich warm brown with beeswax and shea butter. REFY Lash Sculpt in Brown uses a curved, comb-like applicator to lift and separate. Westman Atelier Eye Want You in Le Brun Clean is a buildable, clean mascara that is vegan and waterproof. MERIT Clean Volume in Brown and Hourglass Unlocked in Espresso are both tubing mascaras, which coat each lash in a thin sleeve, so they are good to try if you dislike smudging.

How to wear them: start at the roots and wiggle the wand, then pull through to the tips. Use a second coat only on the outer lashes for a lifted shape.

What I would skip: a deep, high-volume brown if your lashes are very short and straight and you want a barely-there look. It can read heavier than you expect, so try the softer browns first.

Brown mascaras for length and volume

Brown liners and a brow partner

Brown mascara looks best with brown liner, and these are the pencils and liquids I would choose. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On in Whiskey is a waterproof rich brown pencil with a matte finish. The 24/7 Liquid Stick in Brown Noise is a retractable, waterproof liquid liner in deep matte brown. stila Stay All Day in Dark Brown is a chocolate brown waterproof liquid with a thin, marker-like tip. The 12HR Colorful Retractable Eyeliner in 10 Matte Brown has a built-in sharpener. MAKEUP BY MARIO Master Pigment Pro in Perfect Brown is a highly blendable pencil, and ILIA Thru Line in Gesture is a matte warm brown that the brand says lasts up to 24 hours. Tower 28 OneLiner in Draw Me is a chocolate brown that works for lips, eyes and cheeks. Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Eyebrow Gel in Brunette is a medium taupe brown that fills and sets brows.

Pairing tip: smudge a pencil along the upper lash line with a small brush before mascara so the lashes look thicker at the base.

What I would skip: a liquid liner if you are new to it. Start with a pencil, and keep the liquid for when you feel like a sharper line.

Brown liners and brow partners

Picking your brown

Start with a warm brown if you have a light or medium skin tone, and go deeper if your hair and brows are dark. Espresso and dark browns read closest to black, while chocolate and rich browns look more natural. Try one coat to see how it looks in daylight before you add more.

Brown liner and a brow gel in a matching tone finish the eye without extra steps, and they make even a quick morning look feel put together. If you wear black most days, a brown mascara is an easy weekend swap.