Sometimes, more is more when it comes to your lashes. But if you're going for a low-key look (or "no-makeup" makeup), brown mascara will give you a subtle enhancement that appears more natural. Much like your go-to black shade, finding the best brown mascara largely comes down to your personal lash preferences.
When it comes to the mascara's formula, if you're going for a natural effect, look for a brown lengthening mascara or even a tinted primer that elongates and separates lashes for subtle definition. Whereas a thin brush with finely-spaced bristles will solely give your mascara wand lengthening powers, one that has a slightly curved brush will still lengthen while helping to give your lashes a lift without a curler.
For a bolder look, turn to a volumizing mascara in your brown shade with a wand made up of densely-packed bristles. The color will still be dark enough to make lashes pop, and the thickening formula will make it appear like you were just blessed with fuller lashes.
Here are six of the best brown mascaras to try, including an all-natural formula, a classic drugstore pick, a cult-favorite Japanese import, and an ultra-skinny pick that's perfect for lower lashes.
1The Best Brown Mascara For Volume
With over 2,500 five-star reviews on Amazon, the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara creates ultra-thick lashes with just one coat. For intense volume, you can apply several layers (just make sure to let it fully dry between coats) without clumping or flaking. Celebrity makeup artists like Mario Dedivanovic who works with Kim Kardashian, and Patrick Ta, who works with Shay Mitchell, have both recommended the mascara, so you know it's guaranteed to give you red carpet-worth volume. It also comes in a variety of other colors, including black, blue, and a gorgeous deep burgundy.
2The Best Brown Mascara For Length
Maybelline created this wand to mimic the way your lashes grow naturally — in layers. The fan-shaped brush has ten layers of bristles to reach each lash from the root to tip without clumping. Maybelline's Lash Sensational Mascara also adds a slight curl to lashes thanks to its curved brush, and because the tiny bristles define each lash so well, you can layer it up to build as dramatic a lash look as you want.
3The Best Brown Mascara For Sensitive Eyes
For a more natural mascara, the Pacifica Beauty Stellar Gaze Length & Strength Mascara is vegan and cruelty-free, and it's formulated without potentially irritating ingredients like carmine, phthalates, petroleum, and silicone. It also helps condition your lashes thanks to hydrating ingredients like coconut oil and vitamin B.
One Amazon user writes, "I have sensitive eyes and often get irritated, dry eyes from other products. This mascara was light and also easy to remove at the end of the day without feeling like you had to scrub your eyelashes off," Another says, "This stuff isn't clumpy at all, and it stays on all day and doesn't flake," adding, "I used the brown [mascara] and would recommend it for day use as it looks incredibly natural."
4A Cult-Favorite Mascara From Japan
This Japanese mascara is a cult-favorite beloved by beauty editors and bloggers for ticking off every box on your lash goals list. It lengthens, curls, and doesn't budge without eye makeup remover. Several Amazon users share that once they found Heroine Make Long & Curl Mascara, they stuck with it for years, with multiple reviewers calling it "the best mascara I've ever used." Another user notes, "I have tried almost every brown mascara on the market, [and] I have finally found my absolute favorite."
5A Super Skinny Mascara For Lower Lashes
This waterproof mascara uses a micro-brush to coat every single lash — even those seemingly impossible-to-reach inner corner lashes. The thin, straight brush on the Innisfree Skinny Microcara is also perfect for applying to your lower lashes without the risk of getting mascara on your skin. One Amazon user who is a repeat purchaser, writes, "The brown color is beautiful, especially for someone with fair coloring. It doesn't fade or smudge at all, [and] the brush is perfect for getting each lash."
6A Mascara Primer So Good, It Can Be Worn On Its Own
Benefit's They're Real Lengthening Mascara is one of the brand's best-sellers because of the bold lashes it leaves behind. But the Benefit They're Real Tinted Lash Primer deserves its own shout out for lengthening and defining lashes in a softer, rich brown color. While you can certainly use it as a primer and pair it with your favorite mascara for the most dramatic lashes you can get without falsies, using the primer alone will still amp up your lashes a bit more subtly. It's even water-resistant and conditioning, thanks to the provitamin B5 in the formula.
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