Best Makeup For Brown Eyes
11 Products That Will Make Your Beautiful Brown Eyes Even More Radiant
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Brown-eyed babes: looking for a way to deviate from your current makeup routine while also making your peepers shine brighter than ever before? We're here to spark a little inspiration with these brown eye makeup hacks and product recommendations, which come straight from the mouths of makeup artists who do this kind of thing for a living! From unexpected combinations (what's good, green eye shadow and blue mascara?) to traditional and effective options (like champagne eyeliner), we've got you covered.
1 Rock an Understated Taupe Eye
“It's not always about what's around the eye,” said makeup artist Kasey Adam Spickard. “For people with warm brown eyes, sometimes I love keeping the eye simple with mascara (I love Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara [$26]), tight-lined black eyeliner, and a simple warm, taupe eye shadow.” For the shadow, try Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Tease ($19), which provides a natural, creamy matte finish.
2 Swipe on an Orange-Red Lipstick
“To really bring out the intensity in the eyes, use a red-orange lipstick,” said Spickard. “You'll see those warmer tones pop in the eyes. Smashbox has a great shade called Bang-Bang ($24).”
3 Try Golden Eye Shadow
Spickard said that, “Wearing gold shadows with brown eyes can really bring out the golden flecks in your iris to make your eyes sparkle.” We recommend creating a gilded look with the Becca Après Ski Glow Eye Lights Palette ($45), which also happens to be perfect for the holidays.
4 Use Champagne Pencil on Your Waterline
For a similar approach that's more subtle, just paint your waterline with a champagne-hued eyeliner, suggested Hector Simancas, the lead makeup artist for this season’s Project Runway. “Black mascara with a cream or champagne liner on the waterline will frame the eyes.” One great option is Ciaté London Wonderwand Gel-Kohl Eyeliner Pencil ($18).
5 Nude Eyeliner
If you're not into the champagne color, opt for something that's subtle — but still sensual. “Taking a nude eyeliner that is one shade lighter than your skin tone and using it on the waterline really opens up the eyes and gives you that ‘something’ that people can't quite put their finger on,” said Spickard. He recommended Urban Decay Waterline Eye Pencil in Walk of Shame ($20). We also love how Honest Beauty offers a wide range of shades via their True Velvet Eyeliner ($16).
6 Perfect Brows
“Want a simple way to make those beautiful browns stand out? Make sure your brows are filled in to perfection,” said Dana Persico, a beauty expert and founder of a New York based cosmetology institution. You can also use a light highlighter in the inner eye to lighten and brighten,” said Persico. We like to fill our arches with the easy-to-use It Cosmetics Brow Power Powder ($24).
7 Purple Eyeliner
“A quick easy step to enhance your eyes is using purple eyeliner,” said Persico. “I know purple may seem like an odd choice, but it perfectly complements darker eye colors and skin tones. For purple eyeliner, I recommend Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil in Psychedelic Sister ($20).”
8 Purple Smoky Eye
You don’t have to stop the purple train at your waterline! For a look that’s equal parts dramatic and beautiful, consider a purple smoky eye. These hues will make your brown eyes look positively dazzling. Try Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Contour Quads in Plum ($15, originally $22).
9 Soft Pink Lips
“For eyes that get the wow effect and look huge, always opt for a soft pink lip combination,” said Persico. She recommended MAC Soar Lip Pencil ($18) to line and fill lips and to finish off the look with sheer, soft pink like NYX Professional Makeup Butter Gloss in Sunday Mimosa ($5).
10 Green Metallic Eye Shadow
“Use green metallic shadow to create green smoky eyes, [paired] with a teal eyeliner on the waterline,” said Simancas. “It will make a dramatic contrast.” We suggest Tarte Tarteist Metallic Shadow in Jaded ($14) and L'Oreal Paris Infallible Silkissime Eyeliner in True Teal ($7).
11 Blue Mascara
“A blue mascara — like cobalt blue — along with a soft brown shadow will make intense brown eyes,” said Simancas. It’s not as “out there” as it sounds, either. For a subtle approach, apply black mascara to your lashes and blue on only the tips. Or try a very dark, almost black blue. We recommend Sephora Collection V for V.O.L.U.M.E. Mascara ($10) in Blue. (Purple mascara will also have a similarly beautiful effect!)
