The Best Eye Makeup for Brown Eyes

How to Apply Makeup For Brown Eyes in 4 Easy Steps

Step 1: Prime Your Lids

Regardless of your eye color, any eyeshadow look needs a good primer if you want it to last all day without creasing, fading or smudging. Eye primers are especially helpful if you have oily lids or if you have hooded eyes, as these are most prone to eye makeup transferring. We’re fans of the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, a waterproof formula that will help smooth out your lids and keep your makeup crease-free and vibrant all day. If you’re looking for a drugstore option, we also love the NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow & Liner Primer. The vitamin E-infused formula keeps your makeup in place and has a satiny smooth, non-sticky finish.

Step 2: Apply a Champagne Eyeshadow

“If I want to make brown eyes pop, I’ll go with a champagne tone because it’s so subtle and elegant,” explains Morgan Leigh, a freelance makeup artist and representative of Kite Beauty. “I find it enhances most eye colors, especially brown.” In addition to looking striking on brown eyes, champagne shadow is also a universally flattering choice for all skin tones. Try the Giorgio Armani Beauty Eye Tint Long-Lasting Liquid Eyeshadow in 11S Bronze or 12S Shell — the former has a subtle pink shift to it, while the latter hue is a more traditional, gold-based champagne. 

Step 3: Add a Purple Eyeliner

After applying your eyeshadow, Leigh recommends tightlining your upper lash line with a purple eye pencil. “I like to then smudge the purple liner a bit so that it gives a natural smoke just above the lash line, adding a bit of that purple to the lid without being too bold, so you can take your look from day to night,” she says. The more natural you want your look to be, the closer you should keep the purple to your tightline and lash line area — if you want to up the drama, you can smoke it up higher. Make sure to go for a creamy, long-lasting eyeliner that glides on easily and won’t tug at your lids — one of our go-tos is the Maybelline New York Tattoo Studio Sharpenable Gel Pencil in Rich Amethyst. 

Step 4: Define Your Lashes With Mascara

To finish off this simple yet stunning eye look, add definition to your top and bottom lashes with a black or brown mascara. “When it comes to mascara shades, I usually decide between black and brown depending on the shade of hair that my client has and their skin tone, rather than the color of their eyes,” says Leigh “However, I do tend to lean towards brown more often as it’s less harsh.” The YSL Beauty Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara in Brown will give your lashes ample volume and bring out the warmth of your eyes. 

The Best Makeup for Brown Eyes

Need more makeup recommendations for brown eyes? We compiled our favorite mascaras, eyeshadows and eyeliners to make your eye color stand out, below.

NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette in Warm Neutrals

For just $20, this palette contains 16 pigmented shadows in a range of warm and neutral tones that will make your eye color sparkle. With a mix of shimmery and matte finishes, you can experiment with a variety of looks, from natural and subdued to smoked-out and sultry. 

Maybelline New York Color Tattoo Long-Wear Multi-Use Eyeshadow Stix in I Am Fearless

For a bright pop of color, try applying a wash of purple shadow across your lids. This shade, I Am Fearless, is a luminous lavender that will look equal parts whimsical and bold against brown eyes. The long-wearing formula is crease-proof and will stay vibrant for up to 24 hours. It also comes with a built-in sharpener for precise application.

L'Oréal Paris Telescopic Lift Color Mascara in Galactic Purple

We’ve been spotting colored mascara all over our Instagram and TikTok feeds as of late, not to mention on the lashes of some of our favorite models during NYFW. Get in on the trend yourself with this ultra-lengthening formula — it’s a quick and easy way to add a pop of color to any neutral makeup look. Plus, the purple hue is surprisingly subtle and wearable — one of our editors is even considering replacing her go-to black mascara with this hue. 

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in Psychedelic Sister

These eyeliners are known for their bold color payoff and major lasting power. If you have brown eyes, you’ll want to stock up on all of the purple shades, from Psychedelic Sister, the almost-neon violet hue pictured below, to Rockstar, a deep, matte plum and Vice, a royal purple shade that's flecked with shimmer. 

Lancôme Le 8 Hypnôse Serum-Infused Mascara in 03 Noir Grenat

For plush, fanned-out lashes with mega volume, look no further than this cult-favorite mascara. The conditioning formula helps to strengthen and revitalize your lashes in as little as four weeks, thanks to nourishing ingredients such as amino acids and shea butter. The shade 03 Noir Grenat, pictured below, is a rich reddish-plum that will complement brown eyes of every shade. 

Byredo Eyeshadow 5 Colours in State of Emotions

The rich reds, browns and golden tones will illuminate brown eyes and lend themselves to a gorgeous, warm-toned smoky eye. Each shade is shockingly pigmented and easy to blend, so you can make your look as subtle or as smudgy as you desire. 

ColourPop Mauvin’ Up Shadow Palette

Brown eyes are usually warm-toned, so cool-toned mauves and browns like the shades in this palette will provide a dreamy contrast. For only $14, this palette gives you nine pink and purple tones in a variety of finishes, from buttery-soft mattes to pigment-packed shimmers. 

Freck Beauty Shadow Slide Long-Wear H2O Shadow Stick in Wetlands

You’ll initially fall in love with this eyeshadow stick for its rich, toasted bronze color and easy-to-apply crayon format, but there’s more to it than just its looks. These shadows are vegan, plant-derived and are made with a 40% water-based formula, which lends your lids a cooling, calming feel. They’re packed with skincare ingredients too — caffeine helps to depuff your eye area while the addition of Japanese loquat leaf extract helps to soothe inflammation.