I've Tried Tonnes of Eyeliners, But These Specific Shades Look Best on Brown Eyes
From shimmering olive to deep navy, these are the best eyeliners to make brown eyes smoulder.
If you've landed here, you might be wondering what eyeliners are best for brown eyes. As a brown-eyed beauty editor, I've usually played it safe with brown eyeliners and classic black eyeliner pencils to frame my eyes. However, in the spirit of trying new things, I've been wanting to experiment with some new shades on my eyes. So, I decided to ask legendary celebrity makeup artist Lisa Eldridge MBE for her advice on the best shades that suit brown eyes the best.
What Eyeliners Suit Brown Eyes?
"Brown eyes are diverse, so it depends on what shade they are," says Eldridge. "They can have a lot of warmth in them, or they could be more deep and neutral. For really dark brown eyes, I would use something like my Seamless Glide Eye Pencil in Betina, as that cool silver sparkle will offset the dark brown depth," she says. "For a dark brown eye that’s warm, shades like Enigmatic Olive would be great, as the golden pearls would highlight any golden or hazel reflections in the eye," she says.
Overall, it depends on the effect you're going for. Personally, I find brown liners great as a natural-looking eyeliner colour, and black eyeliners are perfect for creating a smoky eye look. After all, these shades are both naturally harmonious with deep eyes. However, if you want to make them pop, consider going for some contrasting shades to bring out their richness and depth. "With brown eyes, the contrast is what creates the colour pop," says Eldridge. "If you match your eyeshadow or eye pencil too closely to your eye colour, you won’t get that great contrast," she says. Look for jewel emeralds or sapphires for statement colours, or warm metallics, bronzes or golds that pair beautifully with darker eyes.
Whatever eyeliner look you're going for, scroll ahead for the best eyeliner shades for brown eyes that will give them even more depth
Best Eyeliners for Brown Eyes
- Best Overall: Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner in Cocoa
- Best Olive Liner: Lisa Eldridge Seamless Glide Eye Pencil in Enigmatic Olive
- Best Shimmer: Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner in Cinnamon
- Best Burgundy Liner: Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Eyeliner
- Best Black Liner: Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Longwear Gel Liner in True Black
1. Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner in Cocoa
Of all the eyeliners I've tried, the Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal Liner in Cocoa is easily my most-reached-for shade in my makeup bag for everyday makeup. The deep, chocolatey tone complements brown eyes for a harmonious look, and the matte texture allows you to create everyday definition or a full-glam smokey eye. Featuring a soft, creamy formula and an easy-to-use built-in sponge applicator, this matte liner is perfect for creating endless eye looks.
Pros
- Applies effortlessly
- Can be used to line and define, as well as smoke and smudge
Cons
- A little on the expensive side, but worth the investment
2. Lisa Eldridge Seamless Glide Eye Pencil in Enigmatic Olive
Lisa Eldridge's Seamless Glide Eye Pencil in Enigmatic Olive is such a stunning hue on brown eyes. I had never considered wearing green liner before trying this, but this olive shade with flecks of gold shimmer really enhances the fiery richness in brown eyes, and isn't too intimidating to wear if you're not used to wearing colourful liners. The formula is beautiful, gliding on with brilliant pigment payoff whilst lasting for ages on the eyes. I love pulling this out of my makeup bag for evenings when I want my brown eyes to smoulder.
Pros
- Wearable, shimmering green
- Makes brown eyes look golden
- Glides on effortlessly
Cons
- Not for you if you prefer a matte formula
3. Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner in Cinnamon
If you love a hint of shimmer in your brown eyeliner, Victoria Beckham’s Cinnamon Satin Kajal Liner shade is a perfect choice. This warm brown-bronze hue is infused with delicate cinnamon-toned shimmer, creating a soft, flattering glow around the eyes. It’s also one of Victoria Beckham’s personal favourites, and with her being a fellow brown-eyed woman, I already knew this shade would look good. For those who prefer cooler tones, Cocoa Pavé (£33) offers a sophisticated alternative—a rich cool brown shade accented with subtle silver shimmer for a more understated sparkle.
Pros
- Warm-toned brown has a subtle shimmer
- Glides on effortlessly and can be applied precisely or smudged
Cons
- On the more expensive side
4. Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Eyeliner
Pillow Talk is best known as the iconic lipstick colour from Charlotte Tilbury, so I was surprised to see it as an eyeliner shade. However, it makes total sense for brown eyes. This warm, berry-brown shade contrasts beautifully against dark eyes. In colour theory, red is the opposite of green, and this burgundy eyeliner brings out the green tones you sometimes see in brown and hazel eye colours. It's very wearable and not too far away from brown, making it a great update to your eyeliner collection if you want to dip your toe in something a little different.
Pros
- Makes brown eyes glow
Cons
- On the expensive side
5. Glossier No.1 Pencil in Lapis
I've always been told that bright blue eyeliners look stunning on brown eyes, and I agree, bright blues can look amazing. But, if you're a bit of a colour-phobe like I am, you might not want to wear an electric blue eyeliner all day. That being said, I'm making a case for deep navy eyeliners, which still enhance brown eyes but feel ten times more wearable. The rich blue tones help to bring out the amber and golden tones in blue eyes, making them glow whilst being far softer than black eyeliner.
Pros
- Deep rich navy complements brown eyes
Cons
- Harder to find in-stores
6. Kosas Soulgazer Intensifying Gel Eyeliner in Depth
Like burgundy eyeliners, purple tones have a similar effect, helping bring out the golden reflections in brown eyes. This figgy shade looks particularly beautiful on brown eyes, but you could also look to amethyst shimmers or deep plums to frame your eye colour. This one is particularly great as it comes with a built-in smudging tool and a sharpener, making it great for precise wings or creating a smouldering purple haze around your eyes.
Pros
- Retractable pencil
- Comes with a smudger and a hidden sharpener, so you can always get a precise finish
Cons
- More expensive than other eyeliners on our list
7. Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Longwear Gel Eyeliner in True Black
You know, everyone needs a black eyeliner in their makeup bag. The shade suits every eye colour, but especially brown eyes. Black can complement the richness of dark brown eyes, whilst making light brown eyes glow in contrast. This black gel liner from Rare Beauty is a great go-to for everyday, and really lasts well whether worn on the waterline or smudged on the upper lids.
Pros
- Deep black shade
- Retractable pencil
Cons
- A little expensive
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