10 Best Eyeshadow Colors to Accentuate Brown Eyes From Our Experts
The best thing about eye makeup? It’s the easiest makeup product to wing. There truly aren’t many rules when it comes to experimenting with colors, textures, and even glitter when designing an eye look. It’s all about finding what makes you feel amazing, inside and out. But, that doesn’t mean we don’t like to share our favorite tips and tricks whenever we can. Especially when we can apply something like color theory to make certain eye colors pop through color compliments.
For example, we’ve guided you through the eyeshadow colors that go amazing with every eye color, from green eyes to blue eyes to brown. Now, we’re taking that one step further and rounding up the highest rated eyeshadow palettes and compacts to make brown eyes pop, according to real reviews by Ipsters like you. Keep scrolling for the 10 best eyeshadows to flatter brown eyes, according to Ipster reviews from past Glam Bags. Plus, we’re sharing expert tips on how to pick the right eyeshadows for brown eyes and why.
About the Expert:
Nydia Figueroa is a celebrity makeup artist and beauty expert based in the NYC area.
How to Choose Eyeshadow for Brown Eyes
Brown eyes traditionally already give a dark and stormy vibe. With this, lighter colors and monochromatic looks can actually compliment them and be some of the best eyeshadow colors to brighten up brown eyes. “Cool tone eyeshadows like purple, blue, and gray look the best because it highlights the brown in your eyes. I also love shades of copper but there are few limits with brown eyes,” says Nydia Figueroa, celebrity makeup artist and beauty expert based in the NYC area.
Nydia notes monochromatic makeup tips when doing an eyeshadow look for brown eyes makes the natural color of your eyes appear brighter. “This is when you use different shades of the same color and blend them to create a stunning pop of color to your eyes. I also love to keep the eyes neutral and take a blue eyeshadow or purple eyeshadow and line just the bottom lash line,” says Figueroa.
She does warn against using all brown eyeshadow colors at once if you have brown eyes though. Meaning, you can use shades of brown but make sure you have other colors mixed into your look to compliment and highlight for dimension.
1. Best Smoky Eye Eyeshadow Palette for Brown Eyes:
ICONIC LONDON Booming & Gleaming Eyeshadow Palette
Looking for a palette that truly has it all? This one certainly does. ICONIC LONDON includes 20 eyeshadows in this palette with a mix of warm and cool tones. The shades range from soft neutrals, vibrant blues, and greens to deep and sultry smoky eye shades. You can create everyday natural looks and more dramatic and bold eye makeup looks for your dark brown eyes if a smoky look suits you and your mood best.
We love how compact this palette is despite having 20 different shades. Be sure to swatch for the shades' true colors—some may surprise you!
2. Best Neutral Eyeshadow Palette for Brown Eyes:
R.E.M. BEAUTY Midnight Shadows Eyeshadow Palette
Big palettes not your thing? We totally get it. Sometimes they can be quite overwhelming with the color choices. That’s why we love this six-shade compact palette from Ariana Grande’s brand. It’s everything you need and nothing you don’t! Brown eyes look great when given a proper matte base and accented with shimmer. With four matte colors to choose from and two shimmery neutral choices, you can sport a natural look while still highlighting the color of your eyes with rose and neutral shades.
3. Best Cool Toned Eyeshadow Palette for Brown Eyes:
IBY BEAUTY Enlighten Eyeshadow Palette
Remember, brown eyes look exceptionally complimented when you use cool tone shades to accentuate and bring dimension to your makeup look. This palette not only features neutral shades but also features 10 cool shades within the green and blue range. Try experimenting with a cool tone lined along your lower lash line—it’s almost like a highlight or extra sparkle for your eyes. See which colors appear to make them bigger and brighter and which draw more attention to your deep brown color. Perhaps this is the most universal palette of them all since it has a little bit of everything, plus different eyeshadow finishes too.
4. Best Multipurpose Eye Product for Brown Eyes:
PEAR NOVA Eye Duo Stick and Eyeliner
Our editors and our Ipsters love a multipurpose product that can perfect your makeup routine in a matter of mere minutes. This stick doubles as both an eyeshadow and an eyeliner making your eyeshadow look for brown eyes an absolute breeze. Be sure to make this on the go for touch ups and don’t be afraid to smudge your outer corners with your fingers. Pro tip: take a brush to the top of the eyeshadow stick to extend your lash line instead of the eyeliner side. This will create an elongated eye shape without a harsh line. It’s all about the blur!
5. Best Matte Eyeshadows for Brown Eyes:
OFRA COSMETICS Infinite Palette
Are matte eyeshadows your thing? Check out this palette from OFRA then! While the shade range may seem jarring at first and a bit disjointed, these colors are actually quite useful and should definitely be in your brown eyed collection. We love the deep purple tone that almost reads chocolate. Mixed with one of the steely blue tones—you’ll create the perfect jewel-toned look.
6. Best Shimmery Eyeshadow for Brown Eyes:
LOTTIE LONDON Eyeshadow Quad
Here’s another great no-fuss eyeshadow palette that won’t take up space in your makeup bag. Or, complicate your routine too much. You don’t have to stray away from neutral colors just because you have brown eyes, just remember to create contrast. So with this palette, try picking one darker color and one lighter color to create dimension and highlight simultaneously.
7. Best Eyeshadow Stick for Brown Eyes:
JULEP Eyeshadow 101 Crème-to-Powder Eyeshadow Stick
Liquid eyeshadow not quite your thing? Try this cream-to-powder formula instead. We love how smoothly it glides onto eyelids but quickly dries down into a subtle, lived-in wash of color. You can even pick up a couple shades if you please due to its wallet-friendly price.
8. Best Light Liquid Eyeshadow for Brown Eyes:
ICONIC LONDON Glaze Crayon
If you love the no-makeup-makeup look, you must own a Glaze Crayon from ICONIC LONDON. One side is a stick with the other having a doe-foot applicator to apply an opaque, glittery version of the same color across your lids. We like to use the liquid side to highlight our brow bone if we don’t feel like creating a whole eye look. The crayon side is just as easy to use and can be built upon its own formula to increase color intensity. We like to use it on the inner corner of our eyes for an extra highlight effect.
9. Best Longwear Eye Product for Brown Eyes:
FENTY BEAUTY Flypencil Longwear Pencil Eyeliner
Some of us just need longwear formulas! This pigmented longwear pencil from FENTY BEAUTY is an ideal choice to help your makeup look last from day to night. We like to use this not as your typical eyeliner but by taking a small angled brush to smudge some of the product across our lids for a more lived in color effect. Of course, feel free to use it as a regular liner as well but this doesn’t budge should you wish to use it as an eyeshadow! Because who wants to deal with fallout?
10. Best Highlighting Eye Product for Brown Eyes:
VINTAGE BY JESSICA LIEBESKIND Brighten & Define Eye Shadow Palette
This one is designed to be worn together or to compliment your other favorite eyeshadow shades. Consider this mini palette a highlighter for your eyes with endless ways to use it. Use the lighter color as a base with the darker to define the eyes, or use the darker shade as an eyeliner. Both the vanilla/espresso and lace/caviar color duos are ideal for brown eyes.
Looking for more beginner makeup tutorials to suit your look? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started with your own IPSY beauty subscription. Already an IPSY member? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and TikTok @IPSY.
