The best brown mascaras you can buy right now, according to rave internet reviews
IMAGE VIA @SEPHORAAUS/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY BRONTE WINNEM
Chocolate hues are in.
There’s something very trustworthy about a person who leaves a product review. They’ve tried it, contemplated the results and gone to the effort of typing out a comprehensive (more or less) summary of their experience.
Granted, sometimes it’s because the reviewer is petty and needs to take their anger out on the internet (the time my Amazon garlic press was simply not pressing) – but for the most part, reviews are left for the greater good of the online shopping community.
We like nosy people. Don’t be shy, head to our Beauty section for more.
Regardless, I will never invest in a beauty or skincare product without a thorough scroll through the comment section. It saves me a lot of impulse purchase regrets and most of the time, the people know what they’re talking about. How else am I supposed to distinguish a ‘shimmery finish’ from a ‘greasy smear’?
While the classic black shade will never go out of style, brown mascara is really having its moment. A staple in the late ’90s to early 2000s, brown mascara is a great alternative that can enhance your look without being too over the top. It’s particularly flattering on those with fairer features, but brunettes shouldn’t be deterred – it’s made to suit all complexions. But with a plethora of options on the market, it’s hard to know where to start. Here’s a selection of the most raved-about brown mascaras to take to the checkout.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Chocolate Mascara
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Star rating: 4.8 of 61 reviews on Mecca
Retaining the iconic Better Than Sex formula, the brown version nails the delivery of long, voluminous lashes. This is your pick if you want intense, multidimensional lashes in a cocoa-inspired shade. One five-star reviewer loves the way the colour is “so natural” but still gives the same length and volume as the original Better Than Sex mascara. Another reviewer states “This mascara is freaking phenomenal!!! I will never use another mascara!!” And with all those exclamation marks, I feel like we should trust her.
Yves Saint Laurent Lash Clash Mascara
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Star rating: 4.6 of 222 reviews on Mecca
YSL’s Lash Clash Mascara in Brown is a more luxurious option. The creamy texture thickens lashes instantly, adding up to 200 per cent more volume in just five strokes (impressive). Its 24-hour-wear formula, packed with iris florentina extract, keeps your lashes soft and healthy with every application. “[It] stays all day and is not clumpy at all, [I’ve] been looking for a mascara like this for a long time!” one reviewer noted. “I must say, it’s got to be the best mascara I’ve ever used and in such a gorgeous shade”, another said. Sign us up!
Mirenesse 24hr Secret Weapon Tubing Mascara
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Star rating: 4.9 of 552 reviews on Mirenesse
This is an award-winning mascara, loved for its 24-hour tubing formula that packs a punch in length, volume, thickness and curl. It’s smudge-proof, tear-proof and water-resistant. If you want something kind to your eyes, this beauty is a leader in the clean beauty space with no parabens, petrolatum or any other nasties. “Been using this for almost 20 years, and every time I use another brand, I quickly go back to this amazing mascara”, says one reviewer.
Sephora Collection Full Loading Mascara
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Star rating: 4.1 of 180 reviews on Sephora
Sephora Collection’s Full Loading Mascara in Brown gives volume, length, and curl – and all at an affordable price point (hello, cost-of-living crisis calling). It’s enriched with ‘add-on’ waxes, meaning you can apply it to your heart’s desire without any risk of heavy clumping. One reviewer raves it’s “a terrific product at a reasonable price”, writing they always reach for it when craving a “softer and more natural look”. Another reviewer says she was “blown away” by its quality.
Eye of Horus Goddess Mascara
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Star rating: 4.4 of 341 reviews on Adore Beauty
I can personally vouch for Eye of Horus’ Goddess Babylon Brown Mascara. It’s been in my makeup bag for a couple of years. It delivers dramatic, fluttering, curled lashes without overdoing it. Its botanical ingredients and natural waxes, drawing on inspiration from the ancient Egyptians, make the formula ideal for contact-lens wearers, anyone with sensitive lids, and people whose brittle lashes need a little TLC. This is the sort of stuff Cleopatra would want us wearing 2,000 years later. “This is my every day [mascara], from work to evening – one coat or three. It says in my handbag at all times!” says one reviewer.
Diorshow 24h Buildable Volume Mascara
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Star rating: 4.2 of 783 reviews on Sephora
Diorshow’s 24h Buildable Volume Mascara is another chocolate-hued mascara that looks natural without compromising on volume. Composed of 90 per cent natural origin ingredients, this little guy defines lash by lash with each coat and comes with a promise of a no-transfer finish. One reviewer claims “It’s the only [mascara] that doesn’t leave me with panda eyes. I wore it for an active, sunny day and it stayed fresh and put from early morning all the way into the night.” Another says it’s the “perfect shade of brown” and really “lifts” and “separates” her lashes.
Lancome Hypnôse Mascara
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Star rating: 4.4 of 942 reviews on Sephora
The Lancome Hypnôse mascara offers perfect custom-volume control in seriously luxurious packaging. Go as bold or natural as you desire, with a provitamin B5-enriched formula that protects and reinforces lashes. One reviewer sings praises about its “smooth application” and the way it “brightens up” her eyes when she opts for a little less makeup. For those among us with sensitive eyes, another reviewer declares it as “one of the very few truly hypo-allergenic mascara options that still offer a ‘traditional’ mascara experience”.
For more on brown mascara, try this.
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