If you have brown eyes, choosing the right makeup can make your eyes pop, while choosing the wrong makeup can leave you looking dated.

I’ve compiled some of my favorite makeup tips for brown eyes over the years to share them with you. If you have blue eyes, I have an article just for you: The Best Eye Makeup for Blue Eyes.

The Importance of Knowing How to Make Up Your Eye

Just because you have brown eyes and your best friend has brown eyes doesn’t mean you have to make your eyes look identical.

There is so much more to consider, including your eye shape, whether your eyes are close together or wide set. You also want to keep in mind your lifestyle, personality, skin tone, and how you dress.

We’ll discuss all of this below, but I recommend that all women learn how to make up their eyes for day and night.

Once you learn the basics and what works best for your particular eyes, you are set for life.

Learn the basics by visiting a makeup counter and asking an expert to teach you how to apply makeup, or read up on my tutorial, “How to Apply Eye Makeup in Just 8 Steps“.

How to Choose the Best Eyeshadow Colors

Women with brown eyes can wear almost any color. I don’t find it helpful to read that khaki, cocoa, butter, and cinnamon shades look good near brown eyes because what are those colors anyway?

I always recommend that you experiment with shades you are drawn to when it comes to eyeshadow. Head to someplace like Sephora and have at it. Try on as many shades as you like and leave with your favorites. Enlist the help of an expert if you want.

When choosing eye makeup, also consider your personality. Try a contrasting color palette on your lids if you like to have fun with makeup and don’t mind people noticing your eyeshadow. Brown or dark brown eyes look wonderful with blues, greens, or even deep jewel colors. And make sure to check out this piece in my favorite blog, Into the Gloss for brown-eyes, Makeup for the Brown-Eyed Girls.

But stick to more subtle colors if you are more natural or want your makeup to blend in, making it look like you aren’t wearing any.

During the day, it’s recommended to use lighter shades on your eyelids rather than darker ones, as light shades will make your eyes appear brighter, while dark shades tend to make your eyes appear smaller.

Always consider your skin tone as well. Deep hues on some skin tones won’t work. Any colors with red in them won’t look good on someone with a ruddy skin tone. This is why experimentation is important.

Best Eyeliner for Brown Eyes

I have heard makeup artist Bobbi Brown say that brown eyes look best with brown liners if you want to look as natural as possible.

You can have fun with colors as well. Teal looks great on the eyes.

For application tips, take advantage of How to Apply Eyeliner.

Aubergine (Purple) Can Look Great on Brown Eyes

My friend Janine came by after a random afternoon spent at the Yves Saint Laurent makeup counter at one of the B department stores here in NY (Bendel’s, Bergdorf’s, or Barneys, I need help remembering which). I was amazed at how soft and gorgeous her face looked done up in what she called “aubergine” colors.

The deep purple eyeliner and mascara made her brown eyes seem tinted with green. According to Janine, the makeup artist told her she “always” uses aubergine on brown-eyed women. I was pleasantly surprised when I read that deep purple looks best on green- and blue-eyed women. We can all wear it! 

Don’t Forget the Mascara

Curling your lashes and applying mascara will open up your eyes and make them appear about 20 percent larger. If you have pale skin and light lashes, think twice before skipping mascara, or your eyes will disappear into your face.

You can get away with any mascara color from light brown to black to blue for brown eyes. Black mascara will make the eyes stand out the most. Consider adding a few fake lashes to make your eyes stand out even more. You can apply them or get them done professionally at a lash bar.

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