Of all the best makeup products out there, brown eyeliner has got to be the most underrated. It’s simple, easy to use, suits everyone and can really pull a look together, adding subtle definition when you don’t have time (or the desire) for a bold eye look.
For years, it’s been a staple in my routine. I’m a subscriber to the ‘no makeup-makeup’ look, so my everyday makeup is very natural—a skin tint, a few dabs of cream blusher, and a clear brow gel. Adding black eyeliner into the mix can sometimes look too harsh, so if I do want to add a little definition to my eye area, then I’ll always opt for a brown eyeliner over a black one. Much how a brown mascara is softer than black, I find it helps to enhance my eyes without it looking super obvious that I’m wearing eye makeup. And I have plenty of recommendations for the best brown eyeliners out there.
I’m not the only one who’s a fan. Google searches for ‘brown eyeliner’ have steadily increased over the past year, no doubt because the effect feeds into the "clean girl" look made popular by beauty content creators on TikTok and Instagram. Brown eyeliner has also long been a secret weapon for professional makeup artists. "I love using brown liner for a really low-key sculpted look, creating shadows that define the eyes really subtly”, says celebrity makeup artist Emily Clarkson. "I also love building it up to a really beautiful smoky eye, then layering shadows on top so it’s really long-lasting. It’s definitely one of the most versatile products out there.”
From Victoria Beckham’s Satin Kajal Eyeliner to Beauty Pie’s affordable Kohl Eyeliner, there are plenty of options to choose from, in shades ranging from light to dark brown, and in everything from pencil and crayon to kohl and liquid formulas. With the help of Clarkson, I’ve tried, tested, and pulled together an edit of the very best brown eyeliner options for everyone, so you’re sure to find a staple for your makeup bag. Plus, Clarkson shares her expert tips on how to get the most out of your brown eyeliner.
Best Brown Eyeliners, Tried Tested
- Best Overall: Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner in Cocoa (£33)
- Best Shimmer Brown Liner: Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner in Cinnamon (£33)
- Best For Smudging: Jones Road The Best Pencil in Brown (£22)
- Best For Sensitive Eyes: Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'n' Kohl in Barbarella Brown (£25)
- Best Affordable Liquid Eyeliner: NYX Epic Ink Liner in Milk Chocolate (£10)
- Best Eyeliner Pencil With Smudger: Beauty Pie Supercolour Kohl Eyeliner in Brown Beauty (£13)
- Best Suits-Everyone Brown Eyeliner Pencil: MAC Cosmetics Eye Kohl Pencil in Costa Riche (£20)
- Best Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil: Yves Saint Laurent Crushliner Waterproof Eye Crayon in Brun Universel (£25)
- Best Eyeliner Pencil For Smoky Eyes: Makeup By Mario Master Pigment Pro Pencil in Perfect Brown (£26)
- Best Retractable Eyeliner Pencil: Ilia Clean Line Gel Eyeliner in Dusk (£28)
- Best Luxury Eye Pencil: Lisa Eldridge Seamless Glide Eye Pencil in Ground Coffee (£24)
- Best Gel Eyeliner Pencil: Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Gel Eyeliner in True Brown (£19)
- Best For Easy Application: Kosas Soulgazer Intensifying Gel Eyeliner in Depth (£20)
1. Best Overall: Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner in Cocoa
With a soft creamy formula and built-in sponge applicator, this soft matte liner can be used to create tonnes of different looks—a sharp wing, a smoky eye, a smudged lash line—to name just a few. The Satin Kajal Liner in Cocoa is rich, saturated and totally matte, making it incredibly wearable for day-to-day eye makeup looks to bolder, smoky eyes.
Pros
- Applies effortlessly
- Can be used to line and define, as well as smoke and smudge
- Easy to sharpen
- Comes in both matte brown (Cocoa) and shimmer (Cinnamon)
Cons
- A little on the expensive side, but worth the investment
2. Best Brown Shimmer: Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner in Cinnamon
"If you prefer a touch of shimmer to your brown eyeliner, then you really cannot go wrong with VB's cinnamon shade," says beauty editor Eleanor Vousden. "It's a brown-bronze hue, with flecks of cinnamon shimmer that adds a pretty glimmer around your eyes. In fact, it's one of Victoria Beckham's favourite shades, and it suits all eye colours beautifully. If you prefer a cool-toned shimmer, then the newer Cocoa Pave (£33) shade may be better for you, which is a stunning cool brown with flecks of silver shimmer."
Pros
- Warm-toned brown has a subtle shimmer
- Suits all eye colours
- Glides on effortlessly and can be applied precisely or smudged
Cons
- On the more expensive side
3. Best For Smudging: Jones Road The Best Pencil in Brown
This Jones Road pencil liner glides onto skin effortlessly smoothly, depositing bold pigment without dragging at skin. The formula is super soft, so you can easily smudge it with your fingertip or buff it out as an eyeshadow.
Pros
- Easy to blend
- Doesn't drag on the skin
Cons
- Needs to be sharpened
4. Best For Sensitive Eyes: Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'n' Kohl in Barbarella Brown
My personal favourite, this powdery pencil has an ultra-dark brown hue which is perfect for tight-lining the lash line with. In addition, the budge-proof formula won’t smudge or transfer, which is essential if (like me) you have super sensitive eyes.
Pros
- Gentle on sensitive eyes
- Applies and blends easily
- Comes with a smudging tool
Cons
- You'll need to sharpen it regularly
5. Best Affordable Eyeliner: NYX Professional Makeup Epic Ink Liner in Brown
A razor-thin felt tip liner, this has a lightweight brush applicator which allows you to apply a light layer, then go back in and pack colour on for more impact, if you wish. Plus, it's totally smudge-proof.
Pros
- Smudge-proof
- Felt-tip applicator allows for precise application
Cons
- If you're not used to liquid eyeliner, it can take some getting used to at first
6. Best Eyeliner Pencil With Smudger: Beauty Pie Supercolour Kohl Eyeliner in Brown Beauty
Price shown is member price.
A highly pigmented creamy kohl liner, this Beauty Pie one is the perfect addition to a smoky eye look (it even has a built-in smudger). Thanks to the butter-soft formula, it glides on effortlessly.
Pros
- Easy to smudge for a smokey eye
- Built-in smudging tool on the other end
Cons
- You need to be a member to access the lower prices
7. Best Suits-Everyone Brown Eyeliner Pencil: MAC Cosmetics Eye Kohl in Costa Riche
"I love Costa Riche from MAC Cosmetics, it's such a beautiful warm brown and suits pretty much every eye colour," says Clarkson. And like all of MAC's formulas, you really can't go wrong. The silky formula glides on, making it great on the waterline, for tight-lining or lining on the lids.
Pros
- Suits everyone
- Easy to blend
- Matte finish
Cons
- It's popular, so may be hard to find in-store
8. Best Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil: Yves Saint Laurent Crushliner Waterproof Eye Crayon in 2 Brun Universel
"I’ve recently just discovered the Yves Saint Laurent Crushliner Waterproof Eye Crayon. It's great as I have really sensitive eyes, but it doesn't irritate them," says Clarkson. "Plus, it stays put all night!" It's also a retractable pencil, making it ideal, as you'll never need to sharpen it.
Pros
- Retractable design doesn't need sharpening
- Waterproof formula
- Good for sensitive eyes
Cons
- On the expensive side
9. Best Eyeliner For Smoky Eyes: Makeup by Mario Master Pigment Pro Pencil in Perfect Brown
"This has become one of my staples in my kit, too," says Clarkson. "It’s double-ended, with a smudging brush on the other end, which makes it super easy to use (no brush required). Together they blend like a dream."
Junior beauty editor, Grace Lindsay, is also a big fan of the Makeup by Mario pencil. "I fell in love with the creamy, easy-to-use formula. I opted for the shade 'Perfect Brown' to create a winged eyeliner look, and used the custom brush on the other end of the pencil to smudge it out for a softer finish. I loved the pencil so much that I even used it as a lip liner before applying my gloss," she says.
Pros
- Comes with a brush on the other end
- Includes a sharpener
- Great for creating smoky eye looks
Cons
- On the premium end of the scale, so has a higher price tag
10. Best Retractable Eyeliner Pencil: Ilia Clean Line Gel Eyeliner in Dusk
A soft gel liner with an ultra-precise nib, this Ilia eye liner can be used for everything from an super precise line to a blended out wing. Just make sure you blend it quickly, because once it sets, it stays put for hours. Plus, the retractable nib means you won't need to worry about sharpening it.
Pros
- Glides onto eyes
- Retractable nib
Cons
- Can be hard to find in-stores
11. Best Luxury Eye Pencil: Lisa Eldridge Seamless Glide Eye Pencil In Ground Coffee
No other eye pencil glides quite as smoothly as Lisa Eldridge's eye pencils, which are buttery soft and won't drag on the eyes, making them ideal if you have sensitive eyes. They go on silky smooth but lock into place for a long-lasting finish that stays put all day and night.
Pros
- Luxurious, buttery formula
- Glides on and blends effortlessly
- Great deep brown hue
Cons
- Premium price tag
12. Best Gel Eyeliner Pencil: Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Gel Eyeliner in True Brown
This is a brilliant Rare Beauty gel eyeliner that allows you time to smudge before drying down into a waterproof, no-transfer finish that won't budge. It's particularly great for tight-lining around the waterline.
Pros
- Retractable eyeliner that also comes with a sharpener, so you can always get a precise tip
Cons
- Sharpener doesn't catch the pigment, so it can get messy.
13. Best For Easy Application: Kosas Soulgazer Intensifying Gel Eyeliner in Depth
Thanks to its ultra-fine tip and soft, creamy formula, this is a great option for those who find eyeliner application can be messy. Plus, it includes a built-in sharpener and smudger.
Pros
- Retractable pencil
- Comes with a smudger and a hidden sharpener, so you can always get a precise finish
Cons
- More expensive than other eyeliners on our list
How Do You Apply Brown Eyeliner?
Much like black, brown eyeliner can be applied in a number of different ways. I personally love using a brown pencil or crayon for tight-lining my eyes. I angle the pencil upwards and apply it right into my lash line which helps to add subtle definition and creates the illusion of fuller lashes without it looking like I have any eyeliner on. If you’ve previously found black eyeliner over-powering, but tight-lining with a brown liner has a totally different result which you’ll probably find more flattering.
"The great thing about brown eyeliner is that you don’t have to be too neat, and if you want a smoky, smudgy look, you can just use a pencil brush to blend,” says Clarkson. She also recommends tight-lining to start with, but for a bolder look, she suggests dragging the brown liner into a wing whilst keeping your eyes open to add some extra shape. "If you feel like this, it adds too much product. Instead of applying directly with the pencil, put a generous amount onto the back of your hand and use a small angled brush to apply along the lash line, building it up to your perfect amount.”
Of course, brown eyeliners also come in felt tip pen applicators, which can be used for a more traditional thick line or cat-eye wing. Although this does require a steady hand (and cotton buds to clean up any mistakes!), any error in the shape will be much less noticeable than a black eyeliner would be. Plus, the overall effect will be more subtle.
Who Suits Brown Eyeliner?
"Brown liners bring a lot of warmth which is really flattering to the colours of our eyes,” says Clarkson. It’s true, much like wearing brown eyeshadow, a brown eyeliner can serve to enhance the colour of your eyes, and even if your eyes are brown themselves, it can really bring out any flecks of gold or green in them. No matter what your skin tone, Clarkson also recommends trying a brown eyeliner if you’re nervous about eyeliner application, since it’s much more forgiving than black eyeliner, which needs to be applied very precisely. "Brown eyeliner is just so versatile and perfect for those who are less confident in their makeup ability,” she adds. "If you slip up then you can literally smudge it with your fingers and add some bronzer on top and it’ll still look great!”
Is Brown Eyeliner Better Than Black Eyeliner?
If you are experimenting with a bold eye makeup look, want a classic feline flick, or are creating a smoky eye look, then a black eyeliner will probably create more impact and will stand out more against any eyeshadow you’re wearing. However, if you’re after a more subtle, everyday look, a brown eyeliner will look much softer.
Clarkson says that she always opts for a brown over a black if her client wants a softer and more youthful look. "A black eyeliner can make the eye area look too heavy and, depending on where you place the product, can actually make your eyes appear smaller,” she adds.
How We Tested
Between theBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK editors, we tried and tested a lot of brown eyeliners. We tested them on different eye colours, skin tones and even on the most sensitive of eyes to find the best brown eyeliners that work for everyone. We've been wearing them daily to see how well they apply and how long they lasted throughout the day. We also tried an array of formulas, from gel eyeliners to classic pencils and liquid eyeliners, so you can find the best one for you.
Why Trust Us
AtBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing
UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products, including skincare, makeup, hair and nails, over the years and work closely with trusted experts—dermatologists, make-up artists and leading industry insiders—to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.
This story was previously published at an earlier date and has since been updated.