I Hardly Reach For Black Mascara Anymore—11 Brown Formulas That Transformed My Natural Glam
Your lashes but better.
Shawna Hudson
I've been on a journey to find a mascara for everyday wear. While there have been a few contenders over the years, from drugstore mascaras to colorful tubes, I've yet to find the perfect one. A makeup artist once told me to go a few shades lighter with my eyebrow pencil color, and I loved the results, so I thought, Why not try it with mascara too?
"Brown mascara is one of those under-the-radar staples that quietly transforms a look," says Nikki Wolff, celebrity makeup artist to Sabrina Carpenter and Demi Moore, to name a few. "It's softer than black, yes, but don't mistake that for basic. It's the kind of enhancement that looks like you—just a bit more polished."
Though brown mascara has been picking up viral steam on TikTok for quite some time, this product has been a staple in the no-makeup makeup playbook for years. Plus, it looks good on everyone. "I love a brown mascara for daytime when you're looking to slightly amp up the eyes without looking like you're trying too hard," says celebrity makeup artist Judi Gabbay. "Brown mascaras are also beautiful on all eye colors, making it an easy, foolproof choice."
Keep on scrolling for the best brown mascaras money can buy, according to experts and editors who've tested handfuls.
Associate beauty editor Alyssa Brascia wearing brown mascara
The Best Brown Mascaras at a Glance
- Best Overall: Tower 28 MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara
- Best Drugstore: L'Oréal Voluminous Original Building Mascara
- Best Splurge: Westman Atelier Eye Want You Mascara
- Best Volumizing: YSL Beauty Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara
- Best Lengthening: Lancôme Lash Idôle Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara
The Best Brown Mascaras in 2026
Best Overall: Tower 28 MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara
Pros: Effectively holds curl, keeps lashes from clumping, impressive wear time
Cons: Brush is too fine to build considerable volume
Size: 0.29 oz. | Benefits: Sensitive eye–safe, long-wearing, humidity-resistant | Waterproof: No, but water-resistant
This mascara is beloved by editors and customers alike for its staying power, flexible hold, and curl-enhancing formula. The lash-loving ingredients list includes a castor oil blend that nourishes your fringe on a cellular level and a bespoke technology that forms to the natural curvature of your lashes, enhancing the shape and softness. Through rain, shine, and overly humid conditions, we know we can rely on this tube for a stay-put, fluttery look.
Customer review: "Good formula and I love how the brush separates my lashes as opposed to a big clumpy brush like with rare beauty or dior. This mascara is similar to Lancôme's Lash Idôle, which is my favorite mascara. This is a great cheaper alternative." — Sephora customer
Brascia wearing brown mascara
Best Budget: Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara
Pros: Thin brush separates lashes, long-wearing, considerable product for a low price
Cons: Prone to flaking
Size: 0.40 oz. | Benefits: Volume-boosting, good pigmentation | Waterproof: No
If you're shopping for a budget-friendly option, look no further than this $5 pick from Essence. The brown version of its famous sister, the original Lash Princess Mascara, this warm-hued shade offers a natural, lash-fanning effect that makes every eye color pop. Its conic fiber brush is specially designed to curl around each tiny lash to offer the most coverage possible without looking spidery.
Editor review: "I've been wearing this mascara for years, and as a beauty editor, that says a lot. I've received tube after tube of mascara pro gratis, but the one that I've run through multiple tubes of (on purpose!) is this one from Essence. Its skinny brush offers the perfect amount of product for a natural effect, and I especially love it on my bottom lashes, where it fans them out and prevents that raccoon look." — Alyssa Brascia, associate beauty editor
Best Drugstore: L'Oréal Voluminous Original Building Mascara
Pros: Budget-friendly, resists clumping, noticeably boosts thickness, and boosts volume
Cons: Thick formula, smudge-prone
Size: 0.28 oz. | Benefits: Up to 24-hour wear, buildable, comes in several shades | Waterproof: No
When you head out for your next day of errand runs, make sure to add the black-brown version of L'Oréal's Voluminous Original Building Mascara to your shopping list. This lash-boosting formula can amplify the appearance of your lashes up to five times their thickness sans clumping thanks to its lash-separating brush that offers definition and length.
Makeup artist review: "This has been a favorite of mine since I was a teen! It is a volume-building mascara that will build lashes up to five times their natural thickness. It features a volume-maximizing, svelte bristle brush that thickens the lashes smoothly and makes them appear full, naturally." — Alexa Persico, celebrity makeup artist
Best Splurge: Westman Atelier Eye Want You Mascara
Pros: Buildable sans clumping, conditions lashes, long-wearing
Cons: Nothing to complain about!
Size: 0.29 oz. | Benefits: Plant-based formula, specialty wand, nourishing ingredients | Waterproof: No
Senior beauty editor Jamie Schneider hails this chocolatey mascara from Westman Atelier as a holy grail, and for good reason. Its clean formula is fortified with a slew of ingredients like carnauba and candelilla waxes, plant-derived esters, and organic shea butter to condition the lashes and enhance this pricey formula's hold and wear time, making it worth every dollar. It's practically allergic to clumping and is impressively easy to build without flaking or smudging. Basically, every swipe is a spa day for your eyes.
Customer review: "Look, the price is woof, but it quite literally looks like your eyelashes… but better. It may just be the perfect brown mascara—it elongates, defines, and is barely detectable. Impressed from the first swipe." — Credo customer
Best Buildable: Dior Diorshow 24 HR Buildable Volume Mascara
Pros: Extra-long brush for a lash-multiplying effect, transfer-proof, long-wearing, strengthening formula
Cons: On the expensive side
Size: 0.33 oz. | Benefits: Offers up to 24-hour wear, 90% natural ingredients, tapered brush provides optimal coverage | Waterproof: No
Armed with an expertly tapered brush that grabs and lengthens every individual lash, this brown mascara is a favorite of Gabbay's. "The Diorshow brown mascara is hydrating, long-lasting, and buildable," she says. It has a long-wearing, easily layerable formula that makes your lashes look good in the moment and look even better after compounded coats. We'll take 20!
Customer review: "Diorshow really is a great mascara. The brush is perfect (and we all know how important that is)! It separates and curls my lashes. I can build it up as much as I want for day or night! A game changer!" — Nordstrom customer
Best Volumizing: YSL Beauty Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara
Pros: Noticeably thicker lashes, natural color payoff, buildable, long-wearing
Cons: Some reviewers dislike the large wand
Size: 0.30 oz. | Benefits: Vegan formula, fragrance-free, boosts volume by 200% | Waterproof: No
There's so much to love about this lash-thickening lacquer. From its oversize brush that offers glamorously separated lashes and extra-plush volume to its intensely long-wearing formula, this designer mascara delivers on all its promises. You can layer this formula with up to five coats without veering spidery, and you can rest assured that it won't smudge, transfer, or flake either.
Makeup artist review: "If you want your mascara to feel more seen, this is the one. It's a warm, vibrant brown—almost like a cinnamon tone—and the contrast it creates on lighter eye colors is genuinely striking. Think honeyed lashes catching the light. It builds volume quickly, so it's ideal when you want brown but bold." — Nikki Wolff, celebrity makeup artist
Best Lengthening: Lancôme Lash Idôle Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara
Pros: Buildable without clumping, natural finish, impressive staying power
Cons: Expensive for the amount of product
Size: 0.27 oz. | Benefits: Up to 24-hour wear, lash-conditioning formula, boosts volume and length | Waterproof: No
A favorite of celebrity makeup artist Archangela Chelsea, who's previously worked with Olivia Munn and Blackpink's Lisa, this mascara stands out for its length-enhancing powers that make each lash look noticeably longer while simultaneously going undetected. "It makes the lashes look fuller yet still [gives] a natural look," she explains. Its curved brush makes it easy to get every corner lash, and its smudge- and clump-free formula can withstand up to a 24-hour hold, which checks pretty much all of our boxes.
Customer review: "Best mascara I have ever used. Perfectly lengthens, curls and separates lashes. I always try to use a brown mascara, but I usually end up sacrificing quality just to find brown—not with this one. It also removes easily at the end of the day, no tugging on my lashes to get it off. So worth the price." — Sephora customer
Brascia wearing Lancôme Lash Idôle Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara in brown
Best Clean: Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara
Pros: Double-sided wand for different effects, eye-safe formula, nourishing ingredients
Cons: Not the best for building volume
Size: 0.27 oz. | Benefits: Up to 12-hour wear, clump- and smudge-free, nourishes and strengthens lashes | Waterproof: No
If there's one thing that the Who What Wear beauty team can agree on, it's that Ilia's brown mascara is top-tier. Boasting a sensitive eye–safe, naturally derived formula that doesn't sacrifice glamorous results, this stuff is the real deal. Schneider and Beauty Director Erin Jahns favor this mascara for its curl-preserving and lengthening formula that naturally defines each lash with its fringe-fanning wand. Each stroke does good by your lashes thanks to infused arginine, biotin, shea butter, and beeswax.
Customer review: "I've been using this mascara for 3 years now and I've never changed mascara since. I've put as many people onto this mascara as I could. This mascara washes away with water super easily [and] it makes my eyelashes look absolutely beautiful, luscious and long. I always get compliments on my eyelashes and it is solely because of this mascara." — Ilia customer
Best Conditioning: Versed Day Lash Lifting and Defining Mascara
Pros: Vegan ingredients, enhances lash health, good product amount for price
Cons: None we can think of
Size: 0.35 oz. | Benefits: Nourishing formula, lengthens appearance of lashes, vitamin-boosted | Waterproof: No
In 2026, we're all about hybrid products—whether it be skincare that doubles as makeup, self-tanners that are also moisturizers, or anything else that works while nourishing our bodies too. This lash-nourishing formula is packed with the good stuff, like vitamin E and arginine, which work hard to hydrate and maintain your lashes while still offering natural-looking length.
Customer review: "Definitely my new favorite mascara. Lasts all day, doesn't flake, and isn't clumpy on application. Plus, it is clean and only $15. The brown color is perfect, and it's my everyday mascara!" — Target customer
Best Vegan: Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes Mascara
Pros: Smooth, lash-separating results, boosts volume and length
Cons: Can be flaky after long hours of wear
Size: 0.43 oz. | Benefits: Classic, trustworthy formula, offers a natural effect, drugstore price | Waterproof: No
A recommendation of Gabbay, this mascara is a classic in so many ways, and we love it even more now that we have it in brown. "Maybelline's Great Lash Lots of Lashes boasts a vegan formula that lasts 24 hours and also helps lengthen and keep a curl," Gabbay gushes. Despite its budget-friendly price, this formula boasts both lengthening and volumizing results that compare to costlier options on this list.
Customer review: "Never have I ever been disappointed by Great Lash Mascara! Goes on great, stays put, and looks amazing. Plus the packaging is just iconic. You can spot it a mile away." — Amazon customer
Best for Mature Eyes: Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara
Pros: Easy to remove, noticeably lengthens lashes, growth-enhancing, gentle formula
Cons: Not the most volumizing pick
Size: 0.38 oz. | Benefits: Orchid stem cell ingredients improve lash health, safe for mature and sensitive eyes, humidity- and tear-resistant | Waterproof: No, but water-resistant
Thrive's award-winning mascara builds and extends the lashes for a false-lash effect. It also comes in a rich, natural-looking black-brown formula that is extra gentle on sensitive eyes, preventing irritation on teary eyes and staying put. Plus, its tubing formula makes it easy to remove at the end of the day—no pulling or scrubbing necessary.
Customer review: "I really like it. It did make my lashes longer. As you age some of us lose our lashes. Since using eye drops for glaucoma my eyelashes grew longer, so I'm able to use the mascara. It's also smear-proof. It doesn't make my lashes clump up either. I'm very impressed." — Thrive Causemetics customer
What to Look for in a Brown Mascara
When evaluating the best brown mascaras, we considered a few key things:
- Formula: I want products that do more for us in 2026 than they have in years past. I looked specifically for mascaras that had mostly clean formulas and lash-loving ingredients that aid in the growth or nourishment of the natural lashes mid-wear.
- Ingredients: Which ingredients, you may ask? Well, standouts include arginine, vitamin E, shea butter, and plant waxes, all of which promote stronger, more hydrated lashes and possible lash growth.
- Extra Benefits: Additional perks include 12 to 24 hours of wear, smudge- or waterproof formulas, and any sort of resistance to product transfer. However, they should also be easy to wash off at the end of the day so as not to damage or lose lashes.
Who should wear brown mascara?
Make no mistake, brown mascaras are for everyone. Since most people's lashes are varying shades of light brown to black, brown is the middle point and most natural shade for many hair colors. Eye colors, however, may experience varying iris-popping effects when a brown mascara is swiped.
"On blue and green eyes, it brings warmth and depth. On brown eyes, it subtly defines without harshness," Wolff explains. Persico agrees with Wolff's musings about lighter eyes, explaining that "the softer shade often brings out the color in the irises."
Why should I wear brown mascara?
You certainly don't have to swap your favorite (black, burgundy, turquoise—you name it) mascara for brown just because the internet told you to, but brown mascara can serve its purpose in a few different scenarios. If you want a no-makeup makeup look that enhances your natural flutters, a brown mascara would be your best bet. Or if your eyeliner went on a tinge too smoky and you want to tone it down, try layering a brown mascara over your lashes to lighten things up. No matter your prerogative, brown mascaras are a great option for those who favor the natural look of makeup.
How We Chose
Pulling from our own inventories of beloved mascaras and polling experts, I, amongst the rest of the Who What Wear beauty team, rounded up our favorite formulas and dished on why we prefer some over the others. We corroborated our picks with a group of celebrity makeup artists, who then contributed their expert opinions and recommendations. Once we fairly coated, fluttered, and evaluated our brown mascara-steeped lashes, we and our experts decided on the 11 above, keeping qualities like formula efficacy, ingredients, and extra benefits top of mind.
Why Trust Us
At Who What Wear, we know that beauty isn't one-size-fits-all. Over the years, our editors have tested thousands of products—including skincare, makeup, haircare, and nails—while also working closely with trusted experts, like renowned dermatologists, celebrity makeup artists, and other leading industry insiders. Together, this ensures every guide is well-researched, inclusive, and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they're affordable favorites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how, and what we'd truly recommend to our closest friends and family members.
This article was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
