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Brown Eyeliner Comparisons


Brown Eyeliners: Tokidoki Savana, CoverGirl Brown, Milani Brown, Chanel Brun-Cuivre, Chanel Brun-Teak

Need More Brown Eyeliner…

I went through my pencil eyeliners and picked out shades I thought would fit in the “brown eyeliner” category, but between you and me, using the color of the packaging is definitely not the ideal way to do it. I ended up with a few shades (okay, four) that don’t fit well within the brown family. I had a feeling my brown eyeliner stash was a bit skimpy, and it definitely is–don’t really feel like this is a full comparison!

  • Tokidoki Savana Glitter Eyeliner is a coppery brown with soft copper shimmer. It has warm undertones. (Review)
  • CoverGirl Brown Liquiline Blast is a dark neutral brown. (Review)
  • Milani Brown Liquif’Eye Eyeliner is a miedum-dark brown that’s pretty neutral, though it has red undertones. (Review)
  • Chanel Brun-Cuivre (66) Precision Eye Definer is a medium-dark copper brown with soft copper shimmer. It is significantly darker than tokidoki’s Savana.
  • Chanel Brun-Teak (02) Precision Eye Definer is a medium-dark brown with subtle warm red undertones.
  • Urban Decay Bourbon 24/7 Liner is a medium brown with a bit of taupe and flecks of bronze shimmer. (Review)
  • Urban Decay Corrupt 24/7 Liner is a dark chocolate brown with warm amber undertones. (Review)
  • Urban Decay Underground 24/7 Liner is a light-medium taupe brown with a metallic sheen. (Review)
  • MAC Uniform Technakohl Liner looked brown on the end, but it’s actually a khaki green-brown with subtle olive tones and green shimmer. I wouldn’t consider this brown.
  • MAC Brownborder Technakohl Liner is a medium-dark brown with warm, red undertones. It is extremely similar to Chanel’s Brun-Teak.
  • Dolce & Gabbana #11 Eye Liner is a blue-based black with flecks of green and teal shimmer. Not brown!
  • Dolce & Gabbana #1 Eye Liner is a purple-black with green and teal shimmer. Not brown! (Review)
  • Jouer Mure Eye Definer is a darkened plum with multicolored shimmer. Not brown!

Honestly, most of these seemed pretty different from each other. Some have only slight differences, but they were still noticeable whether one was lighter or darker than the other. I’ll have to see what I can do about rectifying my brown eyeliner situation and re-do a comparison when I have more.

I only have wear issues with Dolce & Gabbana’s Eye Liners–sometimes they wear all day, but sometimes it seems to fade after six hours or so.  I don’t personally like Tokidoki’s Glitter Eyeliners because they are rather scratchy/rough against the lash line from the glitter particles, but it wears fine.

The creamiest formulas were Milani Liquif’Eye, CoverGirl Liquiline Blast, Urban Decay 24/7 Liner, and Chanel Eye Definer.  MAC Technakohls are twist-up pencils, so they allow for a much finer, precise application.

What are your favorite brown eyeliners?

See more swatches!


Brown Eyeliners: Tokidoki Savana, CoverGirl Brown, Milani Brown, Chanel Brun-Cuivre, Chanel Brun-Teak


Brown Eyeliner: Chanel Brun-Teak, Urban Decay Bourbon, Urban Decay Corrupt, Urban Decay Underground, MAC Uniform


Brown Eyeliner: MAC Uniform, MAC Brownborder, Dolce & Gabbana #11, Dolce & Gabbana #1, Jouer Mure


Brown Eyeliner: CoverGirl Brown, Milani Brown, Chanel Brun-Cuivre, Chanel Brun-Teak, Urban Decay Bourbon, Urban Decay Corrupt, Urban Decay Underground, MAC Uniform, MAC Brownborder, Dolce & Gabbana #11

69 Comments

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kaylynrenee Avatar

ohhhh, I love Chanel Brun-Cuivre… I can’t tell from the photo, but tell me it doesn’t have glitter bits like UD Bourbon. I really like the shade of Bourbon but dislike the glitter…

Jennie P Avatar

Looks super gorgeous with hazel eyes or brown eyes that have a smidge of green ! My favorite eyeliner, although I wish they would make it in an automatic pencil 🙂

GJ Avatar

I like Urban Decay Bourbon, and Mac Teddy eye khol. I also had a L’oreal liner in bronze which was nice. UD Underground looks beautiful, I gotta get that!

Lauren Avatar

Wow! There are so many shades of brown! Way bigger differences here than in your black liner comparison. I love the color of UD Corrupt but I only have the milani liquif’eye in brown.

CeeBee Avatar

I love brown eyeliner – if I’m not wearing purple, chances are I’m wearing brown liner.

My absolute favourite is Revlon Luxurious Colour eye liner in Sueded Brown – warm with a touch of bronzy glimmer.

Mora Avatar

i’m hardly looking for a brown eyeliner with the consistency of macs smolder. i love smolder, because it works on my waterline, but i have teddy und stubborn brown form mac and they totally don’t work on my waterline.

any suggestions anyone?

Carrie Avatar

the best thing I’ve found for my waterline is loose kohl. I have a couple of the Loreal HIP loose kohls but someday I want to try the fancy Guerlain kind. It’s more difficult to apply (for me) and messier than pencils but they look great and last for hours.

Krista Avatar

In addition to my love for MAC’s Teddy, I also Like UD’s Whiskey but it is hard to come by 🙁 I just wanted to say that I like these cross brand comparisons! Keep is up Christine! 😀

Erica Avatar

I LOVE UD CORRUPT! BEST BROWN EVER FOR ME BUT ONLY HAVE THE MINATURE ONE FROM LAST YEARS SMAS so i am trying to make it last until ud gets smart and makes it permanent! LOL I also see its in this years xmas collection at full length but I am not spending $92 just to get it!

Lauren B Avatar

Very nice, Christine! Have to say though, you left out the best one–Lord It Up pearlglide from Tartan Tale! =) It’s totally the color I have been waiting for Mac to come out with. A bronze with no funky red or orange tones like Teddy or Spare Change or UD Bourbon.

Lord It Up totally flatters uber pale cool complexions and blue eyes. 😀 I bet you have a MILLION bronze liners and only so much time though, huh Christine?

Thanks you for taking the time to swatch and review these bronzes n’ browns!

Christine Avatar

I tried not to include limited edition shades 🙂 (I included Feline in the black one, because I knew people would want to see comparisons – plus it is coming outa gain soon, lol!) I just don’t want people to be like “OOH!! PRETTY!” and then not be able to get it, you know?

Lauren B Avatar

Understood, Christine! It was nice to see a great variety, anyhow.

Also, you definitely want to check out the GOSH Velvet Touch eyeliner pencils. They are my HGs, over MAC. They go on buttery smooth, have beautiful rich color, and never ever smudge. “True Brown” is my go to matte brown. “Metallic Brass” is a gorgeous burnished gold-green-black that would look nice on your brown eyes. 🙂 I would send you some, but I always have to get people in Canada or the UK to cp them for me. Hope you get to try them! They blow MAC (minus the pearlglides) out of the water. And they’re cheaper!

lesilla Avatar

Ooh, i love the colours! But they never last on my eyes.
So the salesperson said i had to try the waterproof, is the chanel waterproof worth the price?

Lucie Avatar

Ooh, I want Chanel’s Brun-Cuivre…my favourite brown eyeliner at the moment id UD 24/7 in Underground, it’s dark enough to define with out looking harsh on pale skin.

Katie Avatar

Thanks, Christine! I’ve always wanted to try Corrupt. Too bad it’s not permanent.

I got fed up with Teddy straying on my lower lashline, but I might buy it again because I love it. Do you know of any dupes that stay put? The closest I found was Tarina Tarantino’s Hyperliner in Puppeteer, but it doesn’t have the same sheen. I might as well also ask since I’m stopping by MAC this week: how do you compare MAC’s Margin Blush to Benefit Sugarbomb? I know you like both. Margin was my first and is my favorite blush, but I want to try something new.

Veronica Avatar

Thank you so much Christine for your eyeliner comparisons!

I’m surprised you didn’t have any MUFE Aqua Eyes in your comparisons…I haven’t tried them but I know you’ve mentioned them before. (I don’t care either way, just an observation!)

aradhana Avatar

i like brownborder and bourbon…some of my other favourites are mac powerpoint in stubborn brown, teddy is a great one for lower water line, and earthline is a more low key brown for me….

LorraineER Avatar

Thanks for doing these comparison posts- they are so helpful and they’re fun to read too. Even though it’s not exactly brown I really like the very last liner but I’ve never heard of it before. Is that the brand, or the name of the shade?

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