How To Apply Makeup For Brown Eyes

Ladies blessed with brown eyes have the advantage of looking absolutely gorgeous in almost every shade of makeup.

But if you are a beginner and don’t know how to work with them, fret not. This article has all the information you need about eye makeup for brown eyes. Our tips and tricks will help you enhance the beauty of your eyes. Swipe up to explore!

Keep In Mind

• Skin Type: Dark skin tones can work with bright blue, vibrant purple, warm metallic gold, or rich burgundy shades. Medium skin tones can experiment with metallic shades. Gold, bronze, taupe, champagne, and rose shades pair well with light skin tones.
• Hair Colors: Dark brown and jet black hair and red, burgundy, and maroon highlights can make your brown eyes pop.
• Lipstick Shades: Coral, red, terracotta nude, or cinnamon are some lipstick shades that work well with brown eyes. Avoid pale pinks.
• Outfit Colors: The best outfit colors that work with brown eyes are burgundy, brick red, maroon, plum, lavender, cinnamon, deep taupe, and light raspberry.

Eye Makeup Tutorials For Brown Eyes

Brown eyes are incredibly versatile, empowering you to create a range of eye makeup looks. The brown color of the eyes is a perfect canvas for various eyeshadow shades and finishes, allowing you to unleash your creativity and make your eyes look bright and captivating. Since there are various shades even in brown, let’s get into the nitty-gritty details of the different shades.

Eye Makeup For Dark Brown Eyes

1. Plum Eyeshadow

Plum shades complement dark brown eyes so well. They have a very earthy feel and look absolutely beautiful during the autumn. I can imagine pairing this with a lovely mustard colored sweater with some jeans and boots.

You Will Need

• Brown eyeshadow
• Plum eyeshadow
• Dark purple eyeshadow
• Eyeliner
• Mascara

How To Get This Look

1. Use a brown shade with pink undertones as a transition shade in the crease.
2. Apply a plum shade at the middle and inside of the eyelid.
3. Apply a dark purple in the outer corner and blend it out.
4. Apply eyeliner and mascara.

2. Dark Green Eyeshadow

Dark green is such a pretty color, and it looks gorgeous on those with a dark brown eye color. It looks incredibly enchanting. It would look great in matte or shimmer. If you’re going out during the day, a matte option would be better. If it’s for a party at night, don’t be afraid to reach out for some eye shimmer!

You Will Need

• Warm brown eyeshadow or tint
• Dark green eyeshadow
• Black eyeshadow
• Mascara
• Eyeliner

How To Get This Look

1. Use a warm brown eye tint as a transition shade in the crease.
2. Apply a dark green shade all over the eyelid.
3. Apply black to the outer corner.
4. Apply eyeliner and mascara.

Quick Tip

Try a red or burgundy lip color to complement the dark green eye makeup look.

3. Gray Eyeshadow

Gray, a softer option for black. I have dark brown eyes, and I can tell from personal experience that when I’m reaching for a dark yet subtle look, a gray eye pigment is the way to go. Add in a winged liner, and it’ll totally complete your look. For a little more detailing, you can add a line of silver eye glitter under the wing.

You Will Need

• Soft brown eyeshadow
• Gray eyeshadow
• Black eyeliner
• Silver eyeliner
• Mascara

How To Get This Look

1. Use a soft brown color as a transition shade in the crease.
2. Apply gray eyeshadow to your eyelid and blend it well.
3. Apply a winged liner and a silver line below the wing to complete the look.
4. Finish with mascara

Eye Makeup For Medium Brown Eyes

4. Gold Eyeshadow

Black and gold go so well hand in hand! The gold eyeshadow is a beautiful contrast to the darkness of the black. The reason why gold works so well on brown eyes is that the pigments help to bring out the tiny flecks of gold that are present in brown eyes.

You Will Need

• Brown eyeshadow
• Gold eyeshadow
• Black gel liner
• Mascara

How To Get This Look

1. Apply the brown eyeshadow into the crease and slightly extend it into the brow bone. Blend this well.
2. Next, apply a thick winged liner.
3. Apply the gold to the rest of the eyelid and make sure the gold and the black parts are blended well.
4.  Now, apply the concealer in the crease, using a clean liner brush. It’s crucial that this line is very defined since this is a cut crease makeup look. Follow the line of the wing and wing out the concealer well.
5. Apply mascara and smoke out the bottom lashes with the brown and you’re done!

Quick Tip

Warm nude lip color will look great with gold eyeshadow and may assist in drawing attention to brown eyes. You can also go bold with a deep red lip color or bright with an eye-catching orange hue.

5. Violet Eyeshadow

This is such a lovely color by itself. And when it’s being worn by those who have brown eyes, it makes the light flecks in the brown stand out more! This look is fantastic for a special occasion or a night out.

You Will Need

• Soft brown eyeshadow
• Violet eyeshadow
• Black eyeshadow
• Eyeliner
• Fake lashes
• Mascara

How To Get This Look

1. Use the soft brown eyeshadow with pink undertones as an eye primer.
2. Apply the violet eyeshadow all over the eyelid and blend.
3. Apply black to the outer corner and the lower lash line to create a smokey effect.
4. Finish with eyeliner and fake lashes for a dramatic effect. Just using mascara is fine as well.

6. Green Eyeshadow

This color is so perfect for the fall! The slight orange eye contour around the green reminds me of a pumpkin! This look when paired with a winged liner and a pair of false lashes will do wonders for a party. Wear a cute sweater along with jeans and a pair of boots, and you’re good to go!

You Will Need

• Brown-orange eyeshadow
• Green eyeshadow
• Black eyeshadow
• Eyeliner
• Mascara

How To Get This Look

1. Use a brown shade with orange undertones for the transition.
2. Next, go in with the green eyeshadow and apply it all over the lid.
3. Apply some black eyeshadow in the outer corner.
4. Add a winged liner, mascara and if you’re feeling extra fancy, some false lashes.

7. Bronze Eyeshadow

This is a great look for parties and nights out when you have light brown eyes. The bronze will do an excellent job in complementing the lighter specks in your eyes. This is also a great look for the summer as the bronze would signify the warmth in the air.

You Will Need

• Brown eyeshadow
• Dark brown eyeshadow
• Bronze eyeshadow
• Eyeliner
• False lashes

How To Get This Look

1. Use a brown shade for the transition in the crease and slightly into the brow bone.
2. Now, use a darker shade of brown in the outer corner and the crease to deepen the look.
3. Apply a bronze shade over the eyelid and blend well.
4. Apply eyeliner and false lashes.

Teni Panosian, a YouTuber, guides viewers through a captivating makeup tutorial specifically designed for brown eyes. She blends bronze and purple colors to make a mesmerizing eye makeup look and says, “It [makeup look] was such a pretty look for the springtime (i).”

Eye Makeup For Light Brown Eyes

8. Rose Gold Eyeshadow

Rose gold is a shade that looks good on everyone, but when you really want to bring those big brown eyes forward, this wonderful color will do the job. This is a shade which is quite neutral so based on the occasion and time, you can build it up or tone it down.

You Will Need

• Nude brown eyeshadow
• Mauve eyeshadow
• Rose gold eyeshadow
• Eyeliner
• False lashes

How To Get This Look

1. Use a brown nude shade as the eye shadow base and for the transition in the crease.
2. Apply a slightly mauve shade in the outer corner.
3. Use a rose gold shade for the eyelid and the inner corner.
4. Apply liner and finish with some false lashes.

9. Soft Brown Eyeshadow

I understand that matching is a thing of the past. However, this is one of those few times where matching things is okay. The soft brown eyeshadow complements the light brown in your eyes and looks very natural. This is perfect for an everyday look.

You Will Need

• Tape
• Soft brown eyeshadow
• Brown eyeliner
• Mascara

How To Get This Look

1. Place a piece of tape along your lash line so that you can create a sharp wing with the eyeshadow.
2. Use a soft brown shade all over your eyelid.
3. Apply a brown liner on your upper lash line and blend it out.
4. Remove the tape, finish with some mascara, and that’s all!

10. Taupe Eyeshadow

Taupe is basically a gray toned shade with purple undertones. This is a cool toned color that looks incredibly lovely if you have light brown eyes. You can dress this look up or down based on the occasion. Add a dramatic cat eye, and you’ve got yourself something fancy. If you’re all about that casual, then just apply mascara and line the lower lash line.

You Will Need

• Brown eyeshadow
• Silvery white eyeshadow
• Dark brown eyeshadow
• Silvery purple glitter eye pigments
• Eyeliner
• False lashes

How To Get This Look

1. Apply brown into the crease.
2. Use a silvery white shade from the inner corner to the middle of the eyelid.
3. Apply dark brown to the outer corner and blend well.
4. Add some silvery purple glitter pigments to the center of the eyelid.
5. Finish with a cat liner and some false lashes.

Makeup Tips For Brown Eyes

Following are some of the best makeup tips for brown eyes, which you should follow to look irresistibly striking.

1. Metallic Shades

As I already said, people with brown eyes are lucky, since almost all shades work for them ─ but metallic shades are worth a special mention here. This particular shade helps the eye pop out more. Metallic tones, such as brown, gold, bronze and even pinks would make your brown eyes stand out. Such shades draw attention to your eyes and help them look better. These metallic shades are often used to create bold looks.

2. White Kohl Pencil

Who would’ve thought that we’d use white eye pencil? Many people don’t believe that white liners could make eyes look more attractive. White liners, along with metallic shades, can really bring out the beauty of brown eyes. Besides, if you are wondering how to make your eyes look bigger, using a white kohl pencil is the answer. It gives you the illusion of bigger eyes, allowing the brown color to stand out.

3. Concealing Your Dark Circles

Covering or hiding your dark circles with an eye shadow base can help in popping your brown eyes. You can kill two birds with one stone by using a lighter shade eye highlighter to conceal any creases, spots, or uneven tones. This way, you would be highlighting and concealing at the same time. Highlighting your under-eyes will make you look more awake. This will bring out the brown.

4. Neutral Shades

If you don’t like anything that’s too bright, then this tip would probably make you happy. Most often, if you have brown eyes, you need not use much color if you don’t want to. The neutral colors are perfect for brown eyes! You can choose neutral shades, such as peach, brown and taupe. You can also use eyeliners of such shades to highlight your eyes,

5. Balance The Blush

Blush creates a big difference in your face. People with brown eyes have a large range of blush colors to choose from. The trick here is not to go overboard. You just want to dust some blush to the apples of your cheeks for a healthy glow. Make sure you use the right eye brushes to create the perfect look.

6. Deep Plum Liners

Try deep plum colored eyeliners instead of your regular brown or black eyeliners. Plum or purple is one of the best colors for women with brown eyes. This makeup tip has been in the trend for a long time now, but many people either forget it or are not aware of it. To get a different look, try applying dark colored liners on your upper lid and apply lighter ones on the lower eyelid.

Infographic: Best Eyeshadow Ideas For Brown Eyes

People blessed with brown eyes can pull off any eyeshadow shade. The rich, neutral color looks good with both warm and cool-toned shades. However, certain colors can bring out drama and brighten brown eyes. Scroll down and check the infographic to learn more about the best eyeshadow shades that suit brown eyes.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Is black or brown eyeliner better for brown eyes?

It depends on the look you are going for. For a more natural look, you can opt for brown eyeliner, while black is a great choice for a bold look.

Should you wear brown mascara with brown eyeliner?

You may. Wearing a brown mascara with brown eyeliner can give your eyes a natural and subtle lift.

How do you make brown eyes look bigger?

You can use false eyelashes, highlight the brow bone, conceal the dark circles, use neutral eyeshadows, and sport a winged eyeliner to make your brown eyes look bigger.

Enhance your brown eyes with expert makeup techniques in this informative tutorial. Check out this video and discover tailored tips and tricks to make your eyes stand out.

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Ramy GafniCelebrity Makeup Artist

     

Ramy is an eyebrow expert and celebrity makeup artist with 25 years of experience. He helps bring out the individual beauty of people and make them feel good about themselves. His clients include celebrities like Rihanna, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, Naomi Watts, Kelly Ripa and Renee Zellweger.

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Shalini RoyBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

 

Shalini Roy has a Master's degree in English literature from Pondicherry University. She is an ambivert whose expressions have found their way in writing. She channels her passion for all things fashion and makeup to write engaging content related to beauty and lifestyle and has two years of experience.

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Vaishali Sinha is a beauty and lifestyle writer with five years of experience in writing for various genres. She has a master’s degree in Comparative Literature from Jadavpur University. She combines her passion for beauty and lifestyle topics with her artistic background as an Indian classical vocalist to bring a fresh and creative perspective to her writing.

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