buuk.top / Jaclyn Mastropasqua
While black mascara is classic and standard when it comes to defining your lashes, swapping it out for a brown color can be a nice change here and there. Brown mascaras are great for creating a subtle, natural look (especially for those with lighter hair) and can make for a more subdued look on bottom lashes for people with dark hair.
Though not every good mascara formula is offered in a brown color, more brands are getting behind the true chocolate shade (as opposed to black-brown options that really just appear black), meaning that today, there are more options than ever. Whether youre looking for length, volume, dramatic results, or natural definition, theres a brown mascara that fits the bill. To help you pick the best option for you, we combined extensive research and our editors favorites. We evaluated each one based on its color, formula, brush, application, and wear, and ahead, were sharing the best brown mascaras on the market.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in Chocolate at Amazon
Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara in Crystal at Amazon
YSL Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara in Uninhibited Brown at Sephora
Maybelline Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Lengthening Mascara in True Brown at Amazon
e.l.f. Lash N Roll Mascara in Brown at Amazon
Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara in Brown at Amazon
Glossier Lash Slick Lift and Lengthening Mascara in Brown at Sephora
In This Article
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Best Overall
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in Chocolate
Too Faced
View On Sephora
View On Ulta
Extremely buildable formula
Creates dramatic volume
Wears well throughout the day
Brush is a bit large and tricky to control
Considering how viral and well-loved the black version of this iconic mascara has been for many years, its no surprise that the brand capitalized on its success by bringing it out in a beautiful chocolate shade. Just like the original, the formula is incredibly volumizing and buildable—perfect for anyone who demands dramatic results out of their mascara. It wears well with minimal smudging or flaking, and we appreciate that despite how much volume it provides, it doesnt make the lashes feel heavy. If you have small eyes, beware that the brush is very large and can be tricky to control, but with some practice, we have no doubt youll be able to achieve your dream brown lashes with this buuk.top-approved pick.
Price at time of publish: $28
Benefits: Volume | Shades: 2| Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Tubing
Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara in Crystal
Thrive Causemetics
View On Thrivecausemetics.com
Smudge-proof
Medium-brown shade
Separates lashes nicely
Brush is easy to control
Could be a bit more buildable
If you struggle with your mascara ending up halfway down your face after just a few hours of wear, we strongly recommend that you consider a tubing formula, like this popular one from Thrive Causemetics. Like the original black shade, the performance of the brown version is hard to match. The brush is narrow and easy to control, meaning that you can easily coat each lash, and we love that it does it all—lengthens, volumizes, separates, and lifts. Once applied, its not budling all day, though dont think that means its a pain to remove. In fact, just a bit of warm water is all youll need to take it off at the end of the day. Aside from the stellar performance, we love that this brown shade is rich, warm, and saturated.
Price at time of publish: $25
Benefits:Length and separation |Shades: 3| Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Volumizing
YSL Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara in Uninhibited Brown
Bloomingdales
View On Nordstrom
View On Bloomingdales
Buildable formula
Warm brown color
Creates dramatic results
Can flake a bit
Brush is bit large for targeting corner lashes
If youre looking for a mascara to drench your lashes in a warm brown hue and tons of volume, this is the one for you. The buildable formula can be layered to create intense drama and thickness, as well as significant length. Although the oversized brush makes reaching the inner and outer corner lashes a bit challenging, it does a great job at gripping the lashes and evenly dispersing the formula from root to tip. The volume it creates is hard to beat, but we think what makes it stand out from the competition is the color—its light enough to stand out and make eyes pop, but its deep enough to create true depth and definition.
Price at time of publish: $29
Benefits:Volume and length |Shades: 2| Cruelty-Free: No
Best Lengthening
Maybelline Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Lengthening Mascara in True Brown
Target
View On Ulta
View On Target
Adds length and definition
Smudge-resistant
Brush is good for targeting corner lashes
Not very buildable
An editor favorite and a great drugstore buy, this popular lengthening mascara comes in a rich brown shade thats dark yet still understated. The long, narrow brush is excellent for reaching lashes at the inner and outer corners of the eyes, and we love how the bristles combined with the formula work to give lashes a serious boost in length. Though its not the most buildable, meaning you wont be able to get dramatic volume with it, it does an excellent job defining and separating each lash, lending to a gorgeous result. And if you struggle with your mascara running, we recommend giving this one a try because its smudge-resistant and flake-free.
Price at time of publish: $13
Benefits:Length and definition |Shades: 4| Cruelty-Free: No
Best Separating
e.l.f. Lash N Roll Mascara in Brown
View On Ulta
View On Target
Separates and curls lashes beautifully
Brush grips each lash
Smudge-resistant
Affordable
Could add more volume
Struggle with your lashes clumping together during your mascara application? This curling and separating brown mascara is an excellent pick for you. The curved wand helps you target and grip each lash at the roots, allowing for the formula to be evenly dispersed. It works to lift and curl the lashes while creating nice separation, and we love that it wears well all day long without running or flaking. Though its not the most volumizing or buildable formula, its an excellent choice if your desired end result is an everyday definition.
Price at time of publish: $6
Benefits: Curl and separation | Shades: 3| Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Curling
Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara in Brown
Dior
View On Ulta
View On Dior.com
Curved brush grips lashes nicely
Buildable
Formula contains nourishing ingredients
Some online reviewers say the tube dries up relatively fast
If you have straight lashes, then you know how important it is to find a wand that works to lift them from the roots. In addition, its crucial to find a formula that doesnt weigh them down, thus deflating the curl. This recently reformulated mascara from Dior is great at providing length and volume, but we think its notable for how well it helps to give the lashes a lifted and curled look. The curved brush helps to grip each and ever lash, coating them from root to tip, and the airy formula is buildable without getting too heavy. Wed also be remiss not to mention that in addition to the chocolate brown shade, it also comes in fun colors, like forest green and a brick red.
Price at time of publish: $32
Benefits: Curl and volume | Shades:5|Cruelty-Free: No
Best for a Natural Look
Glossier Lash Slick Lift and Lengthening Mascara in Brown
Sephora
View On Glossier.com
Great for an everyday look
Smudge-resistant
Rich brown shade
Not buildable
A no-makeup makeup look isnt complete without natural-looking, fluttery lashes—and this mascara is the perfect one to achieve them with. Though you cant build it up for significant volume, one or two coats work to darken, define, and separate each lash, creating a soft, feathery effect. Once applied, it remains intact and smudge-resistant all day. We also love that the shade of brown is rich and has some warmth to it—this helps to make your eye color pop while softening your overall makeup look.
Price at time of publish: $18
Benefits: Length and separation | Shades: 2| Cruelty-Free: Yes
Final Verdict
Our favorite brown mascara is the Too Faced Better Than Sex Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara in Chocolate. Its incredibly buildable, it wears well all day, and we love how rich the shade of brown is. But if youre looking for a formula that creates a super subtle look perfect for everyday and no-makeup makeup looks, we recommend the Glossier Lash Slick Lift and Lengthening Mascara in Brown.
Meet the Expert
Janice Kinjo is a celebrity makeup artist and mens groomer who’s painted the faces of celebs like Mindy Kaling and Mary J. Blige.
Ricky Wilson is a celebrity makeup artist whos worked on editorial campaigns and runway shows.
Renée Loiz is a celebrity makeup artist who has worked on clients like Quinta Brunson and Cynthia Erivo.
What to Look for When Buying a Brown Mascara
Brown Shade
Not all brown mascaras look the same on the eyes. While tons of formulas (especially from the drugstore) come in brown-black shades that essentially look black on the eyes, others are warmer and richer in color, meaning that they can look softer and slightly more golden once applied. If youre looking for a warm brown shade that no one will mistake for black mascara, we recommend the YSL Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara in Uninhibited Brown. This color looks particularly soft and complimentary on light to medium skin tones.
Brush Type
According to makeup artist Ricky Wilson, larger mascara brushes are best for creating volume, as they allow a lot of product to be easily layered for maximum impact. On the other hand, small molded brushes allow for ultimate precision, making it easy to cover every single lash. If you want tons of volume, the Too Faced Better Than Sex Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara in Chocolate and the
YSL Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara in Uninhibited Brown have large brushes and will help you achieve a dramatic look. If you prefer more natural-looking results, go for the Glossier Lash Slick Lift and Lengthening Mascara in Brown.
“Brown mascara is used if you want a more natural look," says Janice Kinjo, celebrity makeup artist. "It enhances the lashes but doesn’t bring as much of a dramatic look as a black mascara does." To soften a look, use brown mascara on the bottom lashes. “I apply multiple coats on the top lashes with black mascara, and then I will apply a few more coats of brown mascara on the bottom lashes,” she explains.
Brown mascara can also appear less intense against blonde or auburn hair, and can be used to play up any warm tones in your eyes.
Makeup artist Renée Loiz recommends starting from the outer corners of your eyes, then swiping the brush from root to tip as you work your way towards the inner corners. "I like to do a few coats to make sure it looks nice and full," she says. "Then I use the brush to fan my lashes outward to create more of a winged effect."
Why Trust buuk.top
Alyssa Kaplan is an experienced writer in the beauty industry and product tester specializing in cosmetics. She received a bachelor’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she studied marketing and product development in the cosmetics industry as well as fashion business marketing. Alyssa has been a commerce writer at buuk.top since 2022, where she covers all things beauty.
According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find any brown mascaras from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@buuk.top.com and we will evaluate the product ASAP.
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