Millennials might collectively eye-roll at reports of Gen Z canceling black mascara; a vacant lash look à la Hailey Bieber is the new north star, but dialed-down lashes still look distinctly modern. That’s why brown mascara is enjoying a revival: more brands are launching versions, and TikTok videos hashtagged #brownmascara have attracted 188 million views and counting.
“Brown mascara is one of the easiest ways to achieve that ‘your lashes but better’ look,” says makeup artist Aimee Connolly, the founder of Sculpted by Aimee, a beauty line centered on enhancing natural features. “It gives definition and depth to the lashes, but in a much softer, more effortless way than black.”
If brown mascara feels so current because of its effortlessness, it’s its softness that makes it so flattering for everyone. If you want to embrace minimal beauty without sacrificing definition around the eyes, a concern that can become more pressing with age, brown offers the best of both.
Why Soft Contrast Flatters Mature Skin
“As we get older, everything naturally fades a little,” says Edyta Kurowska, lash artist and founder of Edy Lashes. She’s noticed more in-salon requests for brown lash extensions, and her best-selling product, the Pre-Glued Lash Clusters in Paris, is brown rather than black. “Brown looks so much more natural because the contrast isn’t as harsh,” she says.
Connolly agrees. “Brown mascara creates gentle definition around the eyes without looking harsh, which can help the entire eye area appear more lifted and fresh,” she explains.
Age should never dictate what you can or can’t wear, but brown mascara's nuanced contrast feels especially well suited to midlife. “Soft-contrast makeup is all about creating harmony within the face rather than sharp definition,” says Connolly. “Mature skin often looks its most radiant when makeup works with the natural tones of the complexion instead of overpowering them. That might mean swapping stark black eyeliner for softer browns, choosing rosy or neutral blush shades, diffusing eyeshadow, and opting for brown mascara instead of black.”
How to Choose the Right Brown Mascara
Another advantage of brown mascara over black is its versatility. “There are so many variations to choose from,” Connolly points out. Lighter shades work well by day; richer tones feel more “done” for night. But the real rule—if you choose to follow it—is to work with your coloring. “Cooler complexions might prefer a deep espresso brown, while warmer complexions often suit chestnut or chocolate tones beautifully,” the makeup artist says. That said, if you’re unsure where to start, a rich medium-to-dark chocolate brown—like Sculpted by Aimee’s MyMascara in Brown—should be universally flattering. “It provides enough depth to define the eyes while still delivering the softness that makes brown mascara so appealing,” she says.
A common mistake is assuming brown mascara is only for fair skin tones, adds beauty expert Aarti Pal, the founder of South Asian Beauty Collective. “It can be super flattering on deeper skin, but needs to have the right depth.” Here, consider the undertone and look for a neutral shade: “If it’s too warm, it can look slightly red; if it’s too ashy, it can look dull.”
Maybelline covers the bases with three options: Lash Sensational Body Mascaras in the cooler Mocha and warmer Brick, plus the cult Lash Sensational Sky High in Brown—another suit-all shade. Pal’s top tip when choosing a shade is to test the shade against your lashes rather than just the tube, “because some browns look different in the packaging from when they’re applied.”
Are we passing on black for good? Certainly not. But brown is less a replacement than an upgrade. For now, it’s the shade that gives you definition without fighting for attention.