The 13 Best Brown Mascaras of 2025 for a Subtle Fanned-Out Effect

Benefits: lengthening, curling, conditioning | Waterproof: no | Who it's for: all lash types

Best Volumizing: YSL Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara in Brown

Why it's worth it: Boasting a nonirritating formula and serious staying power, it's no wonder that the YSL Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara earned a 2023 Best of Beauty Award. The oversize, conical brush evenly coats each lash, lifting and thickening them for a bold, volumized look. (After all, it’s in the name.) For those who like to layer and build up their mascara for maximum effect, Lash Clash is a keeper.

Tester feedback: "No matter what it comes down to, I will forever splurge on the YSL Lash Clash mascara since it gives me that voluminous, wispy finish for my almond-shaped eyes," says social media manager Bianca Richards. "Not only does the brown shade add that playful and effortless look for no-makeup makeup days, but the rich chocolate hue helps to accentuate my dark brown eyes."

Benefits: volumizing, thickening | Waterproof: no | Who it's for: sensitive eyes, thin lashes

Best Thickening: Benefit BadGal Bang Mascara in Rebel Brown

Why it's worth it: Benefit BadGal Bang has been an Allure staple since it launched in 2018—it even won our highest accolade, a Best of Beauty Breakthrough Award that same year. Whether you're a one-coat-and-done gal or like to layer up for drama, it'll keep your lashes lifted, curled, and blessed through the end of the day, thanks to a gravity-defying powder inspired by aeroparticles used in space shuttles. Oh, and it will not smudge onto your lids or undereye area.

One tester says the wand is "flexible with short, tiny bristles that get mascara all the way to the base of my lashes (you can get a tightlined effect if you want) and taper to become longer at the outer corners where my lashes are longer, too." As for the formula, "It's wet enough that I don't have to apply several coats to get the thickness I want and it goes on so smoothly that it's impossible to make it look clumpy."

Tester feedback: "Brown mascaras seldom show on my jet-black lashes, so I was shocked when one swipe of Benefit Cosmetics' BadGal Bang instantly made my lashes look thicker," says commerce writer Jennifer Hussein. "Just two coats are all I need for a subtly longer, more voluminous effect for my everyday looks."

Benefits: defining, lengthening, thickening | Waterproof: no | Who it's for:

Best for Dramatic Lashes: Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara in Brown

Why it's worth it: The original black Tarte Maneater Mascara scored an Allure Best of Beauty Award in 2020, and its brown shade is just as praise-worthy. This tubing mascara has the same long-lasting, drama-inducing formula that we've known and loved, but in a defining true brown that makes your lashes look, well, like your lashes. It's also worth mentioning that the 500-bristle mascara wand pushes your lashes up, creating an intense curl that could rival your eyelash curler's.

Tester feedback: "I was a brown mascara skeptic for a long time because if I'm going to spend precious morning time putting mascara on, I want drama," says commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann. "What's dramatic about a natural brown shade? Well, I'm mature enough to admit when I'm wrong because Tarte's Tartelette Mascara has officially converted me to the slightly lighter side. The shade is a nice, true brown, not too warm-toned, and the stiff wand evenly distributes the product throughout for long, fluffy, natural-looking lashes."

Benefits: curling, long-wearing, lengthening | Waterproof: no | Who it's for: all lash types

Best for Sensitive Eyes: Glossier Lash Slick in Brown

Why it's worth it: Glossier's Lash Slick is one of its first—and best-selling—products, intended to give a natural, no-makeup look that enhances what you've already got going on. Its nourishing formula (hello, vegan biotin, and vitamin B5) wraps around, lengthens, and lifts each lash for an extension-like effect. Ophthalmologists tested the formula to ensure it won't irritate sensitive eyes or anyone who wears contact lenses.

Tester feedback: "I feel totally naked without mascara, but I don't always want the full-throttle look of your standard black shade," senior news editor Nicola Dall'Asen says. "Glossier's Lash Slick in Brown provides lengthening yet whisper-light coats in a warm brown tone, probably similar to your natural lashes if you're a brunette, for a, 'Wait, are those real?' kind of look."

Benefits: lengthening, volumizing, and conditioning | Waterproof: water-resistant | Who it's for: sensitive eyes, fuller lashes

Best Drugstore: Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara in Brown

Why it's worth it: Here's a $5 choice that feels—and looks—a lot more expensive. Essence's Lash Princess False Lash Effect mascara has a fluffy, large wand to lift and separate each one of your eyelashes. The formula is meant to lengthen, making this a great option for anyone with short lashes.

Tester feedback: "When applying mascara, my main priority is natural-looking lashes that look as if they're my real lashes," says Talia Gutierrez, former associate manager of special projects. "The conically shaped fiber bristles from Essence Lash Princess make coating my inner corners mess-free, brushing through any clumps of product that are often a dead giveaway that I'm wearing mascara. I specifically gravitate toward the brown-black shade, which gives my lashes extra volume and length with a touch of definition in just two coats."

Benefits: lengthening, separating | Waterproof: no | Who it's for: short, straight lashes

More brown mascaras we love:

Best Waterproof: Dior Diorshow Waterproof Mascara in Chestnut

Why it's worth it: Dior's Diorshow Waterproof Mascara is a 2023 Allure Best of Beauty Award winner that the pros constantly gush about. New York City- and Stockholm-based makeup artist Linda Gradin and New York City makeup artist Deanna Melluso adore the dark brown hue, Chestnut, and its long-wearing formula. "It lasts all day with no smudges," says Melluso. "It's a deep brown that is fabulous for hazel eyes to emphasize the green or purple tones."

P.S. If you don't need a waterproof formula, Dior's Diorshow 24H Buildable Volume Mascara in Brown is equally stunning.

Benefits: long-wearing, lengthening | Waterproof: yes | Who it's for: people with watery eyes, people who sweat easily or work out regularly

Best for Short Lashes: Lancôme Lash Idôle Mascara in True Brown

Why it's worth it: We're so excited Lancôme's Lash Idôle Mascara is finally available in True Brown because it's been a tried-and-true pick of Allure editors for years—it's one of our favorite waterproof and smudge-proof formulas. "The curved wand makes it simple for me to grab every last lash, which might explain why this mascara delivers ah-ma-zing lift and separation," says interim shopping director Deanna Pai, who adds, "One coat makes me look wide awake."

Even for the baby-est of lashes, Lash Idôle lends an enviable fanned-out effect without any mess. "My biggest struggle with mascara is usually smudging during application—not once it's on—but this waterproof formula and wand combo is a game-changer," contributor Christa Lee attests. “It grabs every tiny lash without poking or smudging against my hooded lids.”

Benefits: curling, lengthening, volumizing | Waterproof: yes | Who it's for: everyone, including short lashes

Best Applicator: Meloway Your Way Mascara in Cherry Cola

Why it's worth it: Meloway's Your Way Mascara will bend over backward to give you the volumized, baby-doll lashes of your dreams—literally. The applicator bends up to 90 degrees in four directions so you can hit all the right angles to boost every last lash. Thanks to its lineup of unique shades—Cherry Cola (above), Blue Jeans, and Emerald Envy—this vegan formula picked up a Best of Beauty Award in 2021 for best color mascara. Bonus: It's also spiked with keratin amino acids, argan oil, and seaweed extract to keep your lashes soft, moisturized, and shiny.

Benefits: lengthening, volumizing, lifting | Waterproof: no | Who it's for: people who want an ergonomic applicator, people who want to branch out into more colorful shades

Best Curling: Chanel Inimitable Mascara in Noir Brun

Why it's worth it: Melluso is also a big fan of Chanel's Inimitable Mascara in the shade Noir Brun, which she describes as "such a beautiful shade of brown." This lengthening mascara's cocoa-brown pigment effortlessly creates skyscraper-long lashes that'll tie any no-makeup makeup look together. This pick also acts as a curling mascara, thanks to its unique, ultra-thin nylon bristle wand applicator.

Benefits: lengthening, curling | Waterproof: no | Who it's for: straight, shorter lashes

Best Lengthening: Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara in True Brown

Why it's worth it: The TikTok-viral Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara also comes in a softer brown tone for days you still want some va-va-voom without the drama of jet-black. For under $15, this mascara delivers intense volume and lengthening, giving off the illusion of falsies—no magnets or glue required. It's infused with bamboo extract and fibers that attach to your lashes making them look thicker and fuller without weighing them down.

Benefits: volumizing, lengthening | Waterproof: no | Who it's for: all lash types

Best Berry-Brown Mascara: Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes in Dream Pop

Why it's worth it: You know a trend is here to stay if Charlotte Tilbury is hopping on it. As a follow-up to the brand's original black Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes, Tilbury released a berry-brown shade of its lengthening mascara named Dream Pop. Consider this 2023 Best of Beauty winner as your secret weapon to achieving Twiggy's iconic finger-length lashes with an unconventional color that'll make your eyes stand out from the crowd, no matter what color your irises may be.

Benefits: lengthening, volumizing. | Waterproof: no | Who it's for: straight, short lashes

Best Brown-Black Mascara: Clinique High Impact Mascara

Why it's worth it: New York City-based makeup artist Steven Canavan loves Clinique's High Impact Mascara—which comes in a brownish-black simply named Black/Brown—for defining lashes and enhancing the intensity of any eye color. The original black mascara is a classic known for dramatic results, but with this color, you can expect the same thickening and volumizing finish on a slightly more modest scale. Its buildable, no-budge formula also means you can layer this shade without finding any flakes or smudges around your eyes at the end of the day.

Benefits: defining, volumizing, thickening | Waterproof: no | Who it's for: thin, light lashes

Frequently Asked Questions

Brown mascaras are ideal for accentuating lashes without looking like makeup was applied. According to New York City-based makeup artist Steven Canavan, "Brown mascara is best if you're looking to achieve a more natural look, and black [is best] if you want more drama." Sure, you could spare some change for a lash lift or extensions to create a similar finish, but if you don't want to spend your coins on monthly treatments, brown mascara is a much more accessible option.

On top of affordability, New York City- and Stockholm-based makeup artist Linda Gradin notes that these mascaras can add more dimension and enhance the color of your eyes, depending on the shade you use. "For a darker eye, a nearly black or dark brown mascara adds definition, but a classic brown gives a softer impression," she says. "For lighter-colored eyes, true-to-light brown mascaras are most flattering, as they can bring out gold, green, or grey highlights in your eyes that black can't."

However you prefer to wear makeup is your business, but there are some general best practices. If you have straight or downward-pointing lashes, prep them with a curler. Then ensure you pick up an even amount of product on the mascara wand—swipe off excess product against the perimeter of the tube opening as needed—so you end up with clump-free, perfectly separated lashes. Starting at the base of your lashes, lightly swipe up, coating each lash. To separate your lashes while you apply, wiggle the wand as you sweep the formula toward the tips. Repeat as needed for your desired results and keep in mind that some mascaras dry faster than others.

If you really want to make your eye color and shape stand out, Gradin recommends pairing your brown mascara with a dark brown, charcoal, or black eyeliner pencil.

• Steven Canavan, a New York City-based makeup artist
• Linda Gradin, a New York City- and Stockholm-based makeup artist
• Deanna Melluso, a New York City-based makeup artist

Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide, inclusive shade range with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is the packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?