5 Best Brown Mascaras for Subtle Definition
Our favorite mascaras are easy to put on, let your skin breathe, and won’t make your eyes get more irritated. Black mascara is still good sometimes, but many Allure editors like best brown mascaras because it looks more natural. Makeup artists also choose brown for a softer, fresh look.
Katie Jane Hughes, a makeup artist from New York City, says that wearing softer colors makes your face look brighter and makes the other makeup you wear seem more natural. Starting your soft-girl style with brown mascara is a good idea because it’s in between black and bright colors like neon green or burgundy. It’s a safe choice that can give you a great new look.
Our favorite mascaras are easy to build, let your eyelashes breathe, and won’t make your eyes hurt or get upset. Whether you want lashes that look longer, fuller, or stay on even when wet, the best brown mascaras do everything black ones do—but they look softer and nicer on your eyes. Check out our favorite brown mascaras below.
Best Overall: Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara in Brown
Our favorite mascara is easy to add more coats to, lets your lashes breathe, and won’t make your eyes feel yucky or irritated. Why we like it: The big version of this Tarte mascara won a special award, but we still love the smaller Tartelette Tubing Mascara just as much. Besides brown, it comes in fun colors like Magenta and Navy, so you can pick one to match your mood.
It has almost 300 tiny bristles that help separate and lift your eyelashes for a little extra look, but it’s not too much. You can add more layers without it clumping together. It has good stuff like shea butter and castor oil that keep your lashes soft and bendy, not stiff. And the best part is, at the end of the day, you can gently wash it off with warm water—no pulling or losing lashes needed.
Best Lengthening: Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara in True Brown
Why we like it: It started in 2021 and became super popular on TikTok. Even now, it’s still one of the best mascaras you can find at the store. Our editors say it’s a safe choice that they would buy themselves. It costs less than $15 and is often on sale, so it’s a smart buy. The True Brown color is perfect because it’s not too dark and not too light.
The brush is bendy, so you can wiggle it up and down your lashes to make them look longer. After just two coats, your lashes look like you’re wearing fake lashes—without the pain! It also has bamboo and fibers that stick to your lashes, making them look thicker and fuller without feeling heavy.
Best Tubing: Urban Decay Tube Job Lash Augmenting Tubing Mascara in Brunette Brown
Our favorite mascaras are easy to build, let air through, and won’t make your eyes more irritated. Why we like it: Our editors really love tubing mascaras, but Urban Decay’s Tube Job Lash Augmenting Tubing Mascara is special because it comes in not just black and brown, but also dark-blonde taupe, red, and platinum blonde.
The formula has ingredients like hyaluronic acid, peptides, and castor oil to keep lashes soft, flexible, and not dry or clumpy. Even though it has skincare ingredients, it still resists water and smudging. The small, cone-shaped brush has tiny bristles that grab every little lash, giving you lift and volume all day long.
Best Volumizing: YSL Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara in Uninhibited Brown
Why is it special: What better award for a brown mascara than the 2025 Best of Beauty Award for best colored mascara? YSL’s Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara in Uninhibited Brown has a big, cone-shaped brush that covers all your lashes, making them look fuller and more lifted. The pointy tip helps reach even the tiniest lashes in the corners of your eyes. Whether you like to put on one coat or three coats, Lash Clash works great and is worth keeping.