I Just Realized I’ve Been Using the Wrong Mascara Color for 20 Years—& You Might Be, Too

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I might be a beauty editor, but that doesn’t mean I’m obsessed with makeup (now, skincare on the other hand…). It all comes down to a general pickiness and preference for enhanced natural beauty versus a full-on cover-up. While I might skip concealer and claim my tinted SPF as foundation, no MOTD is complete without a swipe or two of mascara, in my opinion. But after getting my colors analyzed last fall, I realized I’ve been using the wrong mascara shade for over 20 years.

Best Brown Masacaras at a Glance

• Best Drugstore Mascara: Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara, $7
• Best Volumizing Mascara: Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara, $20
• Best Clean Mascara: Saie Mascara 101 , $26
• Best Mascara That Separates Lashes: Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara , $29
• Best Mascara for Thick Lashes: Fenty Beauty Hella Thicc Volumizing Mascara, $22
• Best Mascara for a Lash Extension Effect: Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Tubing Mascara , $29
• Best Water-Resistant Mascara: Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara, $24
• Best Tubing Mascara: Urban Decay Tube Job Tubing Mascara, $25

During my color analysis, I learned that I am a soft summer. This means that the dark black tones I frequently wear and apply as eye makeup do not do as much for my complexion as I thought. Does it look dramatic? Yes. But, does it truly enhance my features? Not exactly. Upon learning this, I decided to test the color theory and give brown mascara a try—and the results were honestly more surprising than expected. 

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Brown versus Black Mascara

For this test, I tried the Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara in both black and brown. I added even coverage of brown to one eye (on the right) and black to the other (on the left), and as you can see, the brown makes my lashes look so much more enhanced while working with my eye color and skin tone, not against them. 

Brown mascara isn’t by any means superior to black mascara (and vice versa). But, with my fairer complexion, light eyes, and overall summer color palette, it does a better job at enhancing my features. And, the good news is, there’s no shortage of brown mascaras to start rotating into my collection. 

Here are the best brown mascaras, including ones I use regularly. 

The Best, Editor-Approved Brown Mascaras to Shop Now

Best Drugstore

Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara

$9 Buy Now at Walmart

$7 Buy Now at Target

$9 Buy Now at CVS

$9 Buy Now at Ulta

The Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara is one of my all-time favorite drugstore mascaras that I have used on and off in my rotation since I was a pre-teen, wearing its clear formula. This under-$10 option is great if you want something cheap that gets the job done. While it might seem like no frills, I find that the wand actually does an amazing job of separating lashes and giving them just enough of a coat for a more subtle everyday makeup look, which I prefer. I also love the waterproof formula for my bottom lashes to prevent any fall. 

Size: 0.43 oz.
Shades: 9

Best Volumizing

Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara

$20 Buy Now at Tower 28

$20 Buy Now at Sephora

$20 Buy Now at Credo Beauty

$20 Buy Now at Goop

$20 Buy Now at Kohl’s

$20 Buy Now at Revolve

I’m obsessed with Tower 28’s makeup because it elevates your natural features without making it look like it’s doing too much. The MakeWaves Mascara is one of the products I reach for the most, and TBH, the mascara that made me realize the power of brown mascara. This mascara is also great if you have sensitive eyes (hello, it’s me) as it won’t cause any irritation, no matter how long you wear it. 

Size: 0.29 oz.
Shades: 2

Best Clean

Saie Mascara 101

$26 Buy Now on AMazon

$26 Buy Now at Saie

$26 Buy Now at Sephora

$26 Buy Now at Credo Beauty

$26 Buy Now at Shop App

$26 Buy Now at Kohl’s

Saie is another makeup brand I adore, especially since the formulas are considered clean beauty and don’t wreak havoc on my dry, sensitive skin and eyes. Don’t let that clean beauty claim fool you, though—this Mascara 101 works wonders and is a great option for volumizing and adding some density. I’ve used the black shade for years and am so thrilled to see the brand introduce a brown hue. 

Size: 0.31 oz.
Shades: 2

Best Separating

Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara

$29 Buy Now at Ilia

$29 Buy Now on Amazon

$29 Buy Now at Goop

$29 Buy Now at Sephora

$29 Buy Now at Nordstrom

$29 Buy Now at Anthropologie

$29 Buy Now at Ulta

$29 Buy Now at Credo Beauty

For another clean makeup brand, consider all things Ilia—especially the Limitless Lash Mascara . This mascara subtly enhances the look of natural lashes, can withstand long wear, and is flake and smudge-resistant, making it an excellent choice for a long day at the office or running weekend errands in unforgiving weather. Its wand is also like a fine-tooth comb for your lashes, separating each one for a fuller and less clumpy finish. 

Size: 0.27 oz.
Shades: 2

Best Thickening

Fenty Beauty Hella Thicc Volumizing Mascara

$22 Buy Now at Ulta

$15 Buy Now at Fenty Beauty

If you love the look of thicker lashes, you can get a gorgeous flutter from the Fenty Beauty Hella Thicc Volumizing Mascara. This mascara is available in brown, black, and a fun royal blue hue (very Y2K-coded) and is designed to coat each individual lash and build a fuller-looking finish.  

Size: 0.33 oz.
Shades: 3

Best False Extension Effect

Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Tubing Mascara

$29 Buy Now on Amazon

$26 Buy Now at Thrive Causemetics

Everyone I know (including my own mother) is completely obsessed with the Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Tubing Mascara , and I can see why. The clean mascara—which is available in two shades of brown, plus black, gray, and navy—is designed to create a lengthening and volumizing effect. And, since it’s a tubing mascara, it’s so easy to remove with just warm water. 

Size: 0.38 oz.
Shades: 5

Best Water-resistant

Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara

$24 Buy Now at Ulta

If you’re like me and hate using an eyelash curler, the Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara is a fabulous pick. This one comes with a brush wand that lifts, volumizes, and curls the lashes, all while coating them in a gorgeous shade of brown mascara for extra oomph. It’s also water-resistant, so it can withstand sweat and other daily factors that can result in that dreaded smudged under-eye look. 

Size: 0.45 oz.
Shades: 2

Best Tubing

Urban Decay Tube Job Tubing Mascara

$25 Buy Now at Sephora

$21 Buy Now on Amazon

$21 Buy Now at Macy’s

$25 Buy Now at Urban Decay

For a dramatic lash that can totally compete with a full beat, the Urban Decay Tube Job Tubing Mascara is a great choice. This is the mascara that I reach for when I want a little more drama, making it an excellent choice for nighttime wear. I also love that the mascara is formulated with lash-nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, castor oil, and peptides, so you get a little long-term lash support, too. Plus, it’s available in two different shades of brown.

Size: 0.32 oz.
Shades: 5