Turns Out Brown Mascara Is the Vibe This Spring—These Are Our Faves

The Best Brown Mascaras That’ll Have You Wondering Why You Didn’t Switch Sooner

1. Best Curling Brown Mascara: WANDER BEAUTY Mile High Club™ Length and Define Mascara in Espresso

Lift your lashes sky-high with this gravity-defying mascara. Its precision bristles help to grab and coat each hair for a full, fanned-out effect. Plus, the water-resistant formula nourishes at the same time thanks to castor seed oil, trehalose (known to help lengthen), and fortifying peach leaf extract. 

2. Best Smudge-Proof Brown Mascara: LAVAA BEAUTY No Chill Mascara in Brown

Have watery, sensitive eyes that tend to make your mascara run? This is the best brown mascara for you. The non-flaking formula seamlessly coats each individual lash for eyes that pop while also being able to withstand watery eyes. Did we mention it’s also ultra-lengthening and volumizing? It sure is—thick, full lashes can be yours in a few swipes. Plus, the product is one of the best buildable mascaras so you can add as much or as little as you want depending on the final makeup look you’re going for. “As a redhead with fair skin and very light lashes, black mascara always feels really severe on me if I’m not doing a full eye look,” said one Ipster in their product review. “Sometimes, I just want a more natural makeup look and this mascara is perfect for that.”

3. Best Do-It-All Brown Mascara: ICONIC LONDON Triple Threat Mascara in Brown

Lash out with this volumizing, lengthening, and lifting mascara that feels weightless while it delivers a ‘your lashes but better’ effect. The dense bristles help to coat every lash evenly in rich chocolate brown pigments, helping to give you the fluttery eyelashes of your dreams. Ipsters agree: “Amazing mascara! Lengthens, volumizes, and separates lashes perfectly—no clumping or smudging. I love the dramatic look it gives,” wrote one IPSY member.

4. Best Volumizing Brown Mascara: E.L.F. COSMETICS Big Mood Mascara in Deep Brown

Big lashes are a big mood, and bringing them there takes this mascara. Its bold pigments coat every lash, and the brush’s unique hourglass-shaped bristles are designed to create max volume and lift with every swipe. No need for a midday pick-me-up either, as this smooth-as-silk formula lasts and lasts. “Love it! It goes on smoothly and flawlessly with no clumping, and seems to last forever,” wrote an Ipster.

5. Best Plant-Based Brown Mascara: W3LL PEOPLE Expressionist Pro Mascara in Brown

Get ready to bat those lashes with this award-winning vegan mascara! Infused with plant-based goodness like vitamin E, sunflower seed oil, and cellulose plant fiber, it helps add volume, length, and lushness to your lashes in a single swipe. “It feels so soft on my lashes and makes them feel like my lashes but better!” wrote one IPSY subscriber. “It doesn’t feel heavy at all!” 

6. Best Defining Brown Mascara: FLOWER BEAUTY Lash Warrior Mascara

Take your lashes to battle—and win—with Lash Warrior Mascara in Fierce Brown. This rich, chocolatey shade gives you bold, voluminous lashes with a softer, more natural finish than black mascara. Perfect for everyday wear, it delivers high-impact definition without looking overdone.

7. Best Lengthening Brown Mascara: E.L.F. COSMETICS Lash It Loud Mascara in Deep Brown

E.L.F. COSMETICS has done it again! For longer-looking lashes that hit all the high notes, reach for this mascara. It amps up the volume and length of every lash with intensely rich, jet-black pigments that stretch and separate with every sweep. That’s all thanks to its super-sleek and flexible wand that grabs even the tiniest of hairs, giving you a fully fanned-out look in seconds. “I love the applicator this mascara has,” wrote one IPSY member in their product review. “I’m not a fan of super dramatic mascaras. I don’t like it to look clumpy, so this is perfect! One coat will give you the no-makeup makeup effect. Multiple coats will give you some long Lucious lashes. It doesn’t flake or smear easily either.”

8. Best Brown Mascara for Lifting: CHARLOTTE TILBURY Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes! Mascara in Dream Pop

Almost like a push-up bra for your lashes, this mascara offers a 24-hour vertical lift effect for eyelashes so long, you won’t know what to do with them. The mascara’s innovative formula features Kerestore™ keratin to condition your lashes. Lash-lifting polymers and carnauba wax act as a lash curler in a bottle, providing body, volume, lift, and hold. No matter your eye color, the brown hue expertly emphasizes your eyes to make them pop.

9. Fan-Favorite Brown Mascara: TOO FACED Better Than Sex Volumizing Mascara in Chocolate

If you’re already a fan of the TOO FACED Better Than Sex Volumizing Mascara, you’ll be happy to learn they offer the same formula in the shade Chocolate (yes, it’s just as delicious as it sounds). The brown mascara utilizes the signature hourglass-shaped brush to separate, coat, and curl each individual lash to the high heavens. Film-forming polymers lock the curl in place so you don’t even need to bother with an eyelash curler or worry that the volume will fall throughout the day.

10. Best Tubing Brown Mascara: TARTE Tartelette™ Tubing Mascara in Brown

If TikTok hasn’t already put you onto tubing mascara, allow us to give you a quick rundown. This type of mascara is known for its smudge-free formula that stays put through just about anything. Some even have the staying power of a waterproof mascara without actually being waterproof. Whether you’re dipping your toe into the waters of tubing mascara or have been swimming in the deep end for quite some time, we cannot recommend the TARTE tartelette™ tubing mascara enough. The brand’s newly launched brown shade offers 24-hour flake-free wear along with lashes that look longer and more voluminous.

11. Best Waterproof Brown Mascara: CLINIQUE High Impact™ Waterproof Mascara in Black/Brown

Most mascara formulas are smudge-proof these days but sometimes you want a little extra reassurance that your mascara isn’t going to run, especially if you have sensitive skin or eyes. A waterproof mascara like this one from CLINIQUE will give you instant volume and length that won’t clump, smudge, or run. Even though it is waterproof, we haven’t had an issue getting the mascara off our lashes with a little bit of micellar water or a cleansing balm.

12. Best Brown Mascara for a Natural Look: GLOSSIER Lash Slick in Brown

Sometimes you want to wear a mascara but you don’t want people to know you’re wearing a mascara. In times like these, we reach for the GLOSSIER Lash Slick in Brown. It offers a natural-looking lift in a long-wearing, water-resistant formula that keeps your lashes in place for up to 12 hours. No one will know you’ve got a mascara on and we won’t tell them otherwise.

Why Brown Mascara Is Having a Moment (and Why You’ll Love It)

• It’s so wearable. Brown mascara gives your lashes definition without the harshness of black. Translation: it’s perfect for everyday wear, minimal makeup vibes, and soft glam looks.

• It flatters everyone. Seriously. No matter your skin tone or eye color, there’s a brown mascara out there that’ll make your eyes pop.

• It’s 2025’s coolest lash trend. From TikTok to the red carpet, brown mascara is everywhere. And honestly, we’re not mad about it.

Ready to jump on the brown mascara bandwagon? You’re in good company. Check out these formulas in your next Glam Bag, BoxyCharm, or Icon Box, or head to the IPSY Shop to snag your new lash BFF.