What Is The Best Color Eye Makeup For Brown Eyes

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Brown might be the most common eye color, only information technology's by no means a boring hue. Nighttime brown, lite brownish, and hazelly brown irises all simply sparkle with aureate and copper flecks. Not only that, just the versatility allows dark-brown-eyed beauties to pull off a broad range of makeup looks and stone almost any eyeshadow shade. Having said that, a scattering of colors are undeniably flattering on dark-brown eyes, and they're definitely worth trying out to assist your peepers realize their near glamorous potential.

"For twenty-four hour period-to-day clothing, become for soft, delicate shades that have a touch of warmth," says Portland-based makeup artist Analisa Marie of The Wildflower Commonage. "If you lot're looking for more depth around your eyes, effort deeper shades with bister, gray, or purple undertones." With these pointers in heed, nosotros rounded up several standout eyeshadow products, including powders, creams, palettes, singles, and sticks.

Read more about the best eyeshadows for brown optics, and to notice your most flattering pick.

What We Like

Range of vibrant, pigmented shades
Includes mirror and brush
Eyeshadow doesn't bit

What We Don't Like

Lots of fallout

Marie explains that warm, soft shades with hints of pink, red, and gold are perfect for brown eyes. "Think roses, peaches, and the color of your favorite bronzer or blush." Urban Decay'southward Naked Reddish palette is but the matter. Information technology has 12 colors, including both matte and shimmery shades, each with a bear on of copper, rust, bronze, or berry-red warmth.

What Nosotros Like

Meaty and travel-friendly
Inexpensive
Includes dual-sided sponge applicator

What We Don't Like

Applicator quality could exist improved

With two deep bronzy-grays, a coppery gold, and a highlighter shade, this budget-friendly mini palette has everything you demand to make your chocolate-brown eyes pop. "For a dramatic await with a simple approach, continue these colors close to the lash lines, blending them over your eyeliner on the superlative and bottom," Marie offers. "Swiping the shadow along your lash line diffuses the liner and actually increases the longevity of the wear."

Coverage Level: Total | Finish: Matte, shimmer | Shades: 4 | Size: 0.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What Nosotros Like

Range of warm, pretty shades
Inexpensive
Shadows are long-wearing

What We Don't Similar

Non a lot of matte shades

This eyeshadow palette by e.50.f. Cosmetics takes the universally flattering nudes we know and honey and warms them upwardly with a dash of rose gold. "Try sweeping these shades beyond your entire eyelid, softening equally yous piece of work upwards and out of your crease. If using more than than i shade, keep the deeper tone on the outer pinnacle and lesser corners of your optics," says Marie.

What Nosotros Like

Silky, smooth texture
Includes two applicators
Multidimensional shades

What We Don't Similar

No matte shades

If you're open to splurging on a pro-level palette, you should definitely consider Tom Ford'southward Color Quad. It comes with four luxuriously smooth shadows and is bachelor in several colour families, including many that expect brilliant on brownish eyes. We recommend Body Heat, Disco Grit, Honeymoon, or Pretty Baby.

What We Like

Beautiful on the forehead os and inner corners
Easily buildable
Makes skin glow

What We Don't Like

No matte shades

Anastasia's Sugar Glow Kit looks a lot similar a blush and highlighter palette because, well… information technology is—sort of. The four creamy, light-reflecting powders can be used on the eyelids to brighten up dark brown irises, also every bit on the cheeks, temples, brow bone, décolletage, and anywhere else you want to add together a piddling glow.

Marie says multi-purpose products similar this are great for when you're short on time or someday yous want to "create a cohesive, minimal, naturally sunkissed, less-is-more than look."

Coverage Level: Medium | End: Shimmer | Shades: 4 | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

Warm, vibrant shades
Silky texture
Good value

What We Don't Similar

Lots of fallout

If your eyes are low-cal dark-brown or have a hazel tint, eyeshadows with ruddy undertones can be incredibly flattering. Try the ultra-pigmented Milani Pure Passion palette, which comes with 12 rosy, swell, bronzy, and chocolaty shades.

"Soften any difficult lines between the shadow and skin with a clean castor by sweeping it along the line of color you've created. This will blend and diffuse the pigment and leave you with a seamless transition between the colour and your natural hat," says Marie.

What We Like

Inexpensive
Shimmer shades are pigmented
Rich precious stone tones

What Nosotros Don't Similar

Shadows tin break hands

If y'all gravitate toward shimmery shadows, pick up a pot or two of this long-lasting, light-reflecting formula from L'Oreal. Rosy pinks, golds, purples, and grays are best for brown eyes, like the shades Amber Blitz, Glistening Garnet, Smoldering Plum, or Bronzed Taupe.

"Endeavour focusing the pigment of choice into your eye pucker with a minor fluffy castor, so connecting to the outer corners and halfway across your bottom lash line. This volition create a very diffused wash of colour that volition bring warmth into your eyes and heighten your natural eye shape," Marie explains.

What We Like

Goes on smoothly
Great for everyday looks
No fallout

What We Don't Like

Could be more pigmented

If yous're all most the mattes, you'll appreciate the Tartelette palette. Y'all'll get 12 shimmer-gratis neutral eyeshadows, each made of Amazonian clay for an extra-smooth, never-chalky end—no primer needed.

Coverage Level: Low-cal | End: Matte | Shades: 12 | Byrdie Clean: Aye | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What Nosotros Like

Warm, basic shades
Buildable
Palette is super slim

What We Don't Like

Some shades can look a little ashy

This eyeshadow palette was made with brown eyes in mind. The nine neutral colors are on the warmer side, ranging from mocha to caramel to sandy beige. These versatile hues are perfect for creating an everyday look or adding some drama for a dark out. "You can decide how bold y'all desire to get," says Marie.

Coverage Level: Total | Stop: Matte, shimmer | Shades: nine | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Costless: Yes

What We Like

Unique shade combinations
Easy to alloy
Work well both moisture and dry

What We Don't Like

Value could be better

Eyeshadows with regal undertones tin also flatter brown eyes. We suggest the Smashbox Punked palette, which comes with ii blendable base shades and 6 curated colors with hints of mauve, plum, and rose.

What We Like

Long-wearing
Formulated with a built-in primer
Pigmented

What We Don't Like

Can wait a little patchy

Bister heart makeup can likewise be striking on people with brown eyes. Effort Smashbox Always On Cream Shadow in the shade Ochre. This impressively pigmented, super-blendable liquid shadow lasts for 24 hours and won't cake, crease, or smudge throughout the day.

What We Like

Pigmented
Bold shades
Brightens eyes

What We Don't Like

Can interruption hands

Blue eyeshadow works for all eye colors, merely brown-eyed babes can play effectually with bolder shades. We're loving Maybelline's Expert Wear Eyeshadow in Acid Rain, a show-stopping electric blue with a hint of shimmer.

What We Like

Pigmented
Easy to blend
Neat value

What We Don't Like

Shades can look a piddling dirty

This eyeshadow kit by Huda Beauty comes with nine earth-inspired colors that compliment brown eyes. Nosotros're talking deep anecdote, reddish clay, Army green, and brown-blackness, plus a few gilded and pink shades with metal finishes for highlighting. "Adding a popular of highlight onto the center of your lid will really make your eyes glow," says Marie.

What We Like

Rich, unique shades
Works well for lining eyes
Pigmented

What We Don't Like

Kit is on the small side

For a little more drama, Marie recommends "colors similar gunmetal, bronze, or rich chocolates." The deep hues institute in the Smokey Heart Kits from Sacha Cosmetics are just the thing for creating a smoldering look. "These tones will really compliment the different flares and flashes of lite found in brownish eyes," she adds.

What We Similar

Cute on the brow bone and inner corners
Chic packaging
Can exist used as highlighter

What We Don't Similar

Not equally long-wearing equally other options

"Lighter shadows with flares of champagne, aureate, or copper will really add to the natural sparkle of dark-brown eyes," says Marie. "Try adding just a touch of these highlight shades in the inner corner tear duct and extending in toward the middle of your eye to add a fresh flash of light. This is a really fresh arroyo to making your eyes appear more than open."

What Nosotros Like

Like shooting fish in a barrel to utilise
Flossy, emollient texture
Shades accept a soft shimmer

What Nosotros Don't Like

Can pucker

This delectably flossy eyeshadow is composite with illuminating pigments for a soft-focus finish. Information technology comes in a little pot and can be applied with a brush or dabbed on with your fingers. If you accept brown optics, any of the gilt, rosy, or bronzy colors will stun.

What We Like

Goes on smoothly
Pigmented
Lasts all day

What We Don't Similar

Takes some time to blend

Laura Mercier'due south flossy, blendable Caviar Stick makes on-the-become glam every bit like shooting fish in a barrel as pie. This transfer-resistant eyeshadow comes in a range of highly pigmented shades. Nosotros recommend Sunrise, Nude Rose, Plum, or Burnished Bronze for dark-brown eyes.

Concluding Verdict

The best option overall for dark-brown optics is the Urban Decay Naked Cherry-red Eyeshadow Palette. As Marie explains, warm colors like to blushes and bronzers are platonic, and this kit hits all the marks. But if you're looking for something a little more affordable, you tin can't go wrong with the rosy neutrals in the e.l.f. Cosmetics Rose Gold Eyeshadow Palette.

What to Wait For When Buying Eyeshadow for Brown Eyes

Color

For everyday center makeup, softer colors with a hint of warmth are all-time. This includes rosy blush, light statuary, sandy biscuit, amber, and copper. For an evening look (or anytime you want to add a bit of drama), attain for deeper shades with royal or gray undertones.

Versatile chocolate-brown eyes aren't express to neutrals, though. Brilliant blue, emerald greenish, violet, and other bright eyeshadows can expect hitting, too. "You lot could even play with soft, brighter-toned pastels to add together a popular of playful colour," says Marie.

Versatility

Since the most flattering colors on brown eyes are similar to those used for blush, highlighter, and bronzer, you might desire to expect for a multi-purpose palette. That style, you lot'll have everything you need to accentuate your all-time features. You lot can create a natural-looking eyeshadow await, dab a picayune colour on your cheeks, highlight your temples and brow os, use a deeper hue to contour, then dust on a shimmery statuary or gold for an all-over glow.

Matte vs. Shimmery

Both matte and shimmery eyeshadows are flattering on people with brown eyes. The choice between the 2 is mostly a matter of preference, though they can also exist used for unlike purposes. Deeper flat shades are typically used as a base or to ascertain the eyes, medium mattes are used for building colour and blending, and shimmery shadows are often used for highlighting.

FAQ

Why do these colors work best with brown eyes?

If you recall back to the color theory portion of your high school art class, you may remember learning about the color cycle, and how the color directly beyond from the one in question can add some contrast and make it pop. "Colors on reverse ends of the wheel complement and colors adjacent to each other in varying tones offer less dissimilarity, but generally look very pretty when used all together," says makeup creative person Analisa Marie.
Should I also utilize a like-toned eyeliner to make my chocolate-brown eyes pop?

Only if the monochromatic terminate is your end goal. Black or chocolate-brown eyeliner can help to create more than definition along the perimeter of your eye, but if you're afterwards a tone-on-tone end, aim for an eyeliner a few shades darker than your eyeshadow to ensure it doesn't go lost in the overall color scheme.
When does eyeshadow expire?

The lifespan of your eyeshadow can vary depending on its formulation, merely in general, powders tend to last longer than creams.While cream eyeshadows should be replaced every iii to six months, pulverization eyeshadows tin final up to a yr. Pay attention to changes in finish and consistency for signs that a formula is nearing its expiration date, and endeavour to swap out quondam eye products generally, as they frequently come in contact with such a sensitive area.

Why Trust Byrdie?

Byrdie correspondent Theresa Holland is an experienced commerce author specializing in cosmetics. She's well-versed in the world of makeup and has tried a few products on this listing. She's especially fond of Urban Decay Naked Palettes, L'Oreal Infallible 24HR Shadow, Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks, and the Milani Pure Passion Eyeshadow Palette.