Most of us take into account black eyeliner a make-up bag important— however there’s one other staple we’ve been swearing by: brown eyeliner. Black liner could ship the drama, however brown liner’s superpower is its versatility, explains make-up artist Noel McKinnon. “In contrast to its daring black counterpart, which might typically seem harsh, particularly on lighter pores and skin tones, brown eyeliner gives a softer, extra pure look.”
Making the change generally is a little jarring if black is your go-to, however you could love the toned-down look. “The subtlety of brown can improve the eyes with out overwhelming them, permitting for a extra balanced general look,” McKinnon says. So, how do you discover your holy-grail brown eyeliner? We’ve rounded up 12 of one of the best for each vibe and price range with assist from McKinnon.
Our prime 12 brown eyeliners, at a look:
- Finest general: Make-up by Mario Grasp Pigment Professional in The Good Brown, $24
- Finest for delicate eyes: Physicians System Eye Booster, Lash-Enhancing 2-in-1 Eyeliner Serum in Deep Brown, $12
- Finest for mature pores and skin: L’Oreal Paris Age Good Satin Glide Eyelinerin Brown, $16
- Finest for straightforward software: One/Dimension by Patrick Starr Level Made Gel Eyeliner Pencil in Busty Brown, $19
- Finest versatile decide on a price range: NYX Epic Put on Liner Stick in Deepest Brown, $9
- Finest for long-wear: L’Oreal Paris Infallible Grip Mechanical Gel Eyeliner Pencil in Brown Denim, $11
- Finest smoky look: Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal in Cocoa, $34
- Finest two-in-one: Tarte Double Take Eyeliner in Brown, $26
- Finest price range: Essence Lengthy Lasting Eye Pencil in Sizzling Chocolate, $3
- Finest for tight-lining: Shiseido MicroLiner Ink in Brown, $22
- Finest kajal formulation: Kulfi Underlined Kajal Clear Waterproof Lengthy-Put on Eyeliner in Cheeky Chiku, $20
- Finest metallic: Julep When Pencil Met Gel in Chocolate Brown Shimmer, $12
Store one of the best brown eyeliners:

Finest general: Make-up by Mario Grasp Pigment Professional in The Good Brown — $24.00
“The proper brown eye pencil,” in accordance with McKinnon. “One of many standout options of this eye pencil is its long-lasting formulation. As soon as utilized, it resists smudging and fading all through the day,” she says. The shade of brown can be actually versatile, McKinnon provides. “An ideal choice for varied seems to be, from pure daytime appearances to dramatic night types.”

Finest smoky look: Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal in Cocoa — $34.00
In fact Victoria Beckham would nail it on the subject of the proper eyeliner for that smoky look. The built-in smudger makes it straightforward to realize, however the liner’s ultra-smooth software additionally makes waterline software and cat eyes simply as straightforward.
- Creamy formulation
- Waterproof
- Constructed-in smudger

Finest two-in-one: Tarte Double Take Eyeliner in Brown — $26.00
This double-sided liner gives a liquid liner on one aspect and a gel pencil on the opposite, so you have got choices. Use the self-sharpening pencil alongside the internal rim of your eyelid for definition, or go for liquid for an outlined wing in a semi-matte end.
- You could run out of 1 aspect earlier than the opposite if in case you have a favourite

Finest for tight-lining: Shiseido MicroLiner Ink in Brown — $22.00
This micro-fine liner offers you a super-thin, exact line or wing with out skipping—or, dot it between lashes to fill out your lash line. The formulation creates a versatile, waterproof movie that helps it final.
- Extremely-thin line
- Nice for exact seems to be
- Reviewers say it’s expensive for the quantity of product
What to search for in a brown eyeliner
“One of the vital important benefits of brown eyeliner is its adaptability to completely different pores and skin tones,” McKinnon says, in comparison with black, which might learn a bit harsher on some individuals. So, you need to store together with your skintone in thoughts.
If in case you have truthful/mild pores and skin:
“For people with truthful or mild pores and skin, brown eyeliner can complement their skintone with out making a stark distinction, which might typically happen with black eyeliner,” McKinnon says. Search for heat browns, she suggests. “They’ll present a softer definition, making the eyes pop gently with out showing too dramatic.”
If in case you have medium or olive pores and skin:
McKinnon says that brown eyeliner can improve your pores and skin’s pure heat if in case you have a medium or olive pores and skin tone. “It provides depth to the eyes whereas sustaining a harmonious steadiness with the pores and skin’s undertones. And you’ve got your decide of browns—whether or not you need to hold it toned down and natural-looking or go for a extra intense or shimmery brown, you may pull it off.
If in case you have darkish pores and skin:
Go for deeper browns if in case you have darkish pores and skin. “Darker pores and skin tones may profit from brown eyeliner, particularly in richer, deeper shades like chocolate or espresso, which might present definition with out the depth of black,” says McKinnon.
Our editors independently choose these merchandise. Making a purchase order by our hyperlinks could earn Effectively+Good a fee.