Is there a place for brown mascara in your beauty routine? Why/why not?
If you don’t have black lashes, definitely; if you have black lashes, probably not. Soft blacks and dark browns can work to give lashes length, definition, and some drama without being over the top.
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I have black lashes with lighter tips (some tend to look blonde-ish) and mostly wear black mascara. I do wear brown sometimes just to change things up.
I have really dark lashes, like my hair, so I’ve always used black mascara. But when I was at the Burberry counter today the SA talked me into trying their brown mascara for Mascara Madness, so we’ll give it a go and see if I like it. If I don’t, back it goes 🙂
Most of my mascaras are brown. Black a bit too harsh/unnatural for my eye color and skin tone.
I have never even considered brown mascara. I think it would probably just look weird! I find plum/aubergine/burgundy mascaras interesting, though (the image in my head of non-black lashes is still strange!).
Do you have a favorite plum/burgundy/reddish mascara? I’m always looking for a good one. I wish Dior made a true plum as well as a violet purple.
You know, I stick to drugstore mascaras (and once, a tube of MAC Plushlash), and they don’t really come in fun colors. Maybelline had a few maybe a month ago, but I missed out because the display was only in my Rite Aid for like a week.
Honestly I think mascara is a highly personal thing and not everyone’s going to like a specific formula. Benefit has BADgal Plum (and Brown). MAC still has some of the Colored Zoom Lash, last time I checked. CK One Color has a purple. UD doesn’t have Colored Big Fatty anymore. YSL has Violet, Burgundy, and “Deep Night” (I guess it’s navy blue, but I don’t know). Tokidoki Punk Lash comes in purple, but I don’t know if Tokidoki is even sold anymore. Sephora has a couple purples, and MUFE has Smoky Lash. Hard Candy has mascaras and mascara top coats in purples… etc.
I love brown mascara! I have brown lashes with white tips, so I like using the brown because I think it looks a little more natural than the black. 🙂
aha..someone else !
I’m blonde but I still wear black mascara 100% of the time. I only wear drugstore mascara (admittedly the only drug store makeup I buy) and they only usually have Black/Blackest Black/Extreme Black/SUPER DUPER CHARGED EXTRA BLACK anyway
Sometimes they have brown-black…which looks black on me. I’m also a blonde, and I really like brown mascara for a soft, natural every-day look. I loved the medium brown color of my Blinc tubing mascara, but daily removal of tubing mascara (no matter how gentle I tried to be!) really thinned out my lashes. I wish there was a good drugstore mascara in a true brown!
tubing mascaras always irritate my contacts 🙁 Ponds cold cream is THE best eye makeup remover though, I bet it would work for you!
Not really. I used to buy it regularly, and I’d use it once, maybe twice, then it would just sit in a box until it turned. I’ve wasted so much money over the years. I also keep my hair dyed very dark (usually black or burgundy), and have for the better part of the last 20+ years, so it looks kind of strange if my lashes are lighter than my hair. I also just like really black lashes.
What brought this question to mind is, I never hear or read about the use of brown mascara anymore, and it doesn’t seem brands are even making it too much in recent times.
I second this. Brands don´t seem to be really making brown anymore, especially the mascara I use Helena Rubinstein Lash queen feline extravaganza only comes in black. And that is the best mascara ever so I won´t be changing brands anytime soon, brown is okay but not amazing.
I currently do not have a brown mascara in my stash. I quite like wearing brown when I’m wearing very little makeup. Black is too contrasty on me with a no makeup look and even though I have almost black hair, my eyelashes are strangely naturally light brown. Now, if only Guerlain made their G mascara in dark brown too! I really love this formula and it just works so well for me. I’ll check out the other posts for recommendations.
Again, haven’t tried it so can’t swear by it personally, but Burberry makes a brown (also a “midnight blonde” but that’s too light for me, imo) that looked really good on the SA who talked me into it.
nope! my puny asian lashes need all the help they can get! only the blackest black mascara for me, please!
No way. Black lashes can never be over the top, especially if they’re not fake. Have you ever heard anyone say “her lashes are too dark?”
On blondes they it can be. Especially the fairest blondes. Only looks ok when they do dramatic makeup.
Depends on your point of view. Honestly black is better and it can make lashes pop way better than brown. I have fair skin, dark blond hair and brown eyebrows, my lashes look like dark brown. If I use brown mascara no one notices I have anything and it really looks meh, just like nothing. Black mascara on the other hand looks nice and I get compliments for it sometimes. Also taste is subjective and some people may like something that other people may find unattractive. To each his own.
My lashes aren’t quite black, just a very dark brown. I generally prefer black mascara, but I do use brown occasionally when I want a softer look. Maybelline’s Classic Volume is wonderful in that regard.
My eyelashes are brown with light, blondish tips. I almost always wear dark brown mascara because it looks more natural than black. The only exception is when I’m wearing black eyeliner – then I want my mascara to match.
Charcoal, dark blue and dark aubergine, yes, but brown just looks weird on me, as I have black lashes! I think for other women with lighter, browner lashes its definitely a good bet for a staple. Your lashes will look naturally longer and defined and in harmony with the rest of your face.
Nah, my lashes need all the help it could get. My natural hair color is almost black, and although I’ve been bleaching it blonde for 7 years, I always wear black mascara.
Yes!! Clinique High Definition Mascara in dark brown always to brown eye shadows and liners.
Yes, absolutely. I always have one in rotation and use it (at least) as often as my black ones. I’m quite fair-skinned with light brown hair and my eyebrows and eyelashes are of a similar color, with blond tips. Black sometimes looks too harsh on me and brown mascara is usually easier to remove.
The tricky part is finding a good brown – I don’t like muddy blackish brown or greyish versions, so I’m always on the look out for a true, rich, deep brown.
So far, my favorites are Artdeco All In One in brown (03, I think), YSL Faux Cils in Rich Brown (02) and Chanel Inimitable Intense. I’d love to hear other suggestions too!
I haven’t tried it so I can’t swear to it personally, but Burberry makes a brown that my SA swears by. They also make a dark blonde version, if you’re fair enough for it to work! http://us.burberry.com/store/fragrance-beauty/eyes/
Oooh, the No. 2, Midnight Brown, looks very nice!
Thanks for the heads-up, Blueraccoon!
My pleasure! Anything I can do to spread the Burberry love.
I like brown when I can find one in a good formula like Dior Extase. I’m a blonde with fair skin—and I’m older so blackest black often looks too harsh. Although my lashes are naturally dark I feel that brown and soft black look the best on me.
For me no since I have black eyelashes. When I was younger I tried brown mascara and it looked a bit strange and obvious that I was wearing mascara since it made my eyelashes lighter than my eyebrows and the rest of my hair.
I go through phases where I love brown mascara, but after a while I return to black mascara to get more drama. At the moment I’m in a brown mascara phase again. I wear it to get the perfect no make up look. I think sometimes wearing less mascara or brown mascara can get you a really young, fresh look.
Yes I have the Benefit Brown Mascara and I love it. It’s both natural and sophisticated.
i don’t like wearing mascara that much because it gives me instantly a strong look, which i don’t like for everyday – i have huge, black, curved eyelashes on my own! but after concealer and some neutral eyeshadows i like to give them definition -most of the time because of the powder fall outs into the lashes- so i try to apply mascara very lightly. i was considering buying a clear mascara but since you talked about browns, i might go that way for everyday use!!
I like to wear brown mascara with Natural makeup looks. It seems to make the look a bit softer.
no, i’m a redhead and it just looks weird if my lasjes are brown..
Black might be unnatural, but it looks more natural than brown does on me!
I have dark brown lashes with golden tips. I don’t like the way black mascara looks; I wear brown pretty much exclusively. Black just looks too harsh. I like to use DiorShow in Chesnut on my top lashes and a colored mascara on the bottom lashes.
I really do wish more companies would make a true brown mascara, like Chestnut, or at least black/brown; sometimes I have to use black L’oreal Explosive or Maybelline Lash Discovery on the corners, but I always try to find them in black/brown.
I acccidentally got the brown clinique bottom lash mascara in stead of the black one but decided to use it anyway and now i’m hooked!! It defines my bottom lashes in a very pretty way and really opens up my eyes 🙂 will repurchase many many times!!
I like the idea of brown mascara for a “no makeup” look, but I personally always wear black mascara.
YES! I have light blonde hair and fair eyes. When a Sephora employee recommended the DiorShow mascara in dark brown rather than black I thought he was crazy. Brown mascara is the only way to go for fair haired folk. My skin color is not fair but rather warm and I tan easily but I only ever wear brown mascar. I still get wonderful lashes but without the harsh black contrast. Honestly, I believe that it helps my undereye circles to not look so pronounce from the black tones.
I use to use brown mascara but I found it didn’t help to define my lashes enough and switched to the blackest ones in a lines. 😉
I think it depends on your coloring. If you’re pale and have warmer light brown or blond hair, black can look too harsh. If you have black or very dark brown hair or are cooler toned, black blends in better. I have red hair and use auburn mascara for daily use although I’ll wear black when I’m going out at night.
I’m blonde and fair-skinned, and always wear black mascara! I actually think the black looks good with my pale coloring (just as long as I make sure to cover my eyelash “roots”! Visible, pale eyelash roots at the base of heavy black mascara is a pet peeve of mine), and I almost always wear eyeshadow too. I could see how maybe if you were pale and weren’t wearing much makeup (eyeshadow in particular), then maybe black mascara would be a bit much.
Yes! I learned how to use them last week and it hass been my day-by-day mascara since them (I use Bare Naturale)
I have black lashes but I think dark brown is great if you want less of a dramatic eyelash. The mascara color that is rare and I absolutely love is bronze. I think it makes brown and hazel eyes pop. I am not talking about those mascaras with the highlighters either. I am talking straight bronze or copper colored mascara. Shiesedo and Chanel made one back in the day.
I have black lashes so I stick to the blackest black mascaras.
Brown is a must for me, though even it can seem a little too dark. I’m strawberry blonde and get my mascara from Just for Redheads. Their ginger red shade is perfect for me. Only wish it came in water proof 🙁
you may want to try Anastasia’s Lash Genius Waterproof Topcoat it is a clear topcoat that its meant to turn your mascara waterproof… I haven’t tried it so I cant speak in regards of how well it works… but you know, just mentioning it.
I did check it out once and considered buying it for my wedding, but as expensive as it is I’m waiting until the VIB sale to get it.
Absolutely. I’m NC15/20 with very light (almost white) eyebrows and eyelashes and dark blonde hair. Unless I’m going for a very dramatic look, black mascara looks crazy on me.
I have black lashes, but really dark blue circles. If I’m looking rather raggedy and tired it’s just less severe, especially during the day.
I love Bare Minerals Espresso color. Is not a reddish brown, but more like greyish brown. For me it´s perfect for during the day make up.
It is interesting… because at really I never tought about buy a brown mascara until now! My eyelashes are naturally long and I use only a bit of black mascara daily (I’m NW20 with medium brown hair). But, since I use just a bit of the black one maybe turn to brown color could be interesting!
i have very dark brown lashes and i wear brown mascara all the time! it makes my brown eyes look so pretty!
I have lighter lashes than my eye color, so sometimes I will use brown just for a bit of definition, and I do always keep a brown great lash around, but for most looks I do go with black.
I have black lashes but I don’t like wearing black mascara too much. My lashes are fairly thick and very straight and I don’t like how heavy black looks. I don’t want to look like a camel.
Not for me. My lashes are very black, so brown mascaras look odd.
Nope – I have invisible lashes and anything other than black or deepest of navy does nothing for me. Brown mascara often has red tone in it and only gives me a crying eye look.
I rarely use brown mascara but usually keep a tube of drugstore brand in my collection. The problem is, I only use it once or twice and either lose it or it expires and I pitch it.
I’m pretty strict on expiration times for mascaras.
Not for me personally, but I swear, every time I see a fair pigmented, blond woman rocking jet black mascara, I want to pull her aside and hip her to the brown options. Maybe it’s their goal, but I feel like black mascara on light lids screams “Hey, lookie here – I’m wearin’ MAKEUP!” I like to think of mascara as the “cheater” cosmetic – if done right, it can really enhance your look, yet look completely natural. *bats lashes at the boys*
This, totally.
You’ve summed up my feeling about black mascara on fair hair.
This, this!
I’ve tried it, but unfortunately I have natural black lashes, so brown looks ackward, even dark brown. Having said that, my only true option is black, and the blackest, the better
If my lashes and brows were lighter, definitely, however they are a cool black – black, black. Brown would look odd.
I do wish blondes and other fair-haired people would stop using black though. The contrast is harsh and unnatural and unless you’re doing dramatic makeup, there’s no point, from what I’ve seen, it’s never flattering.
This might sound extremely unadventurous, but I have never worn any other color but black mascaras :).
Never! Have to use black for stand-out lashes!
I wear brown mascara during the summer, when I am going for a more natual look – tinted moisturizer instead of foundation, lip gloss instead of lipstick. I also wear warm colors (like coral and bronze) during the summer, and brown mascara just goes so well with them. Once fall arrives, though, I want a more polished, more dramatic and sophisticated look, and that means black mascara, the darker the better!
Definitely black! I’m Asian with black long hair so brown would just look unnatural on me and I love dramatic lashes =)
Black only. Thanks.
I’ve tried wearing non-black mascaras (not just brown, but blue and purple too) but none of them show up well on my naturally black lashes.
Absolutely! I reach for brown or brownish black mascara way more than black. I have light hair, light skin, and long lashes…black tends to look a little garish on me unless I’ve done a bold eye.
Brown mascara is okay, but honestly I prefer blak mascara by far.
Nope. I have dark skin and hair so it looks very strange, I’ve tried because I’m not that into any kind of eye makeup. I actually have trouble finding mascaras at the drugstore that are black enough. Since my hair is naturally black most of them turn out grey on me. :/
What you’ve stated up there, Christine. I use brown whenever I don’t want the heavily done black rimmed eye, and sometimes I, being older than most of the ladies here probably, just want a pared down definition to my eye. My lashes are so pale and so sparse that black mascara, although really helpful, can look overly much on me. xoxo Beth in Pgh 😉
ofcoarse there is, i have light eyelashes, black looks scary on me. I love to wear mascara in the summer as well as in spring! my fav mascara ever is 100% pure cosmetics mascara which i purchase from the USA or my handynatural almond oil mascara is good too, its more gentle and nourishing!
Not really but I have to admit a mascara from Estee Lauder that is 2-sided, one side black and one side brown has really caught my eye. Brown for the bottom lashes (otherwise they look too spidery on me!) and black for the top! Simple work look!
Not really because I like my lashes to be dramatic most of the time. I have used brown mascara before but it just didn’t do it for me
No. I do not like brown mascara. I, personally, think if I was going to wear brown mascara, I might as well not even wear mascara at all. I wear mascara to make my eyes pop. Brown mascara just does not do that for me. The blacker and darker a mascara, the better.
Definitely. I’m very fair (N15) with medium brown hair and my lashes are naturally medium brown. Black can look too harsh for me in the day time (fine for night). But in a workplace environment, brown is the only way I go otherwise I look overdone for the office.
I have blonde hair, very fair skin, and green eyes but I only wear black mascara. Why? Because my eyelashes are naturally black and I prefer the dramatic eye even during the day time. I personally like the contrast it makes but after reading some of these comments I might just try brown mascara and see how it looks!