Do you ever struggle to find the perfect brown eyeliner pencil? I’m sure you already have your favorite black eyeliner, but what if you’re looking for something to emphasize your eyes without the intensity? From dark to light browns, this color eyeliner provides definition but still gives a softer appearance. There are numerous selections nowadays, with every brand offering its version of the ideal eyeliner.
It can be hard to narrow down the very best. However, our guide will make this shopping journey a lot easier.
How do you determine the best eyeliner pencils? The key to a great brown eyeliner pencil is to have these three qualities.
Our Top Picks!
Here are our personal favorites of brown eyeliner pencils, for highest performance and worth the price tag.
In The Article
What We Looked For?
Longevity
Whether you want an eyeliner pencil to last throughout your workday or night out, a great brown eyeliner pencil should not budge. They can endure teary heartfelt moments or hot humid summer nights. Ideally, you want to select an eyeliner that is waterproof and/or water-resistant.
Opacity
Nobody likes dull eyeliner. Especially brown eyeliner, where we want rich colors to enhance our eye color or makeup look. Dark brown should be dark and pigmented to provide intensity without the harshness of black eyeliner. Light brown eyeliner will highlight gold eyeshadow looks, or provide subtle smokiness.
Formula
Eyeliner should be creamy, and easy to glide onto the eye. There should be no tug and pull, or the pencil to smudge unintentionally. It should feel smooth, providing a crisp clean line on your eyelid or lower lash line. There shouldn’t be any patches or cracked pencils in only a few uses. The formula should feel consistently velvety.
9 Best Brown Eyeliner Pencils Picks
Lancome Le Stylo Eyeliner Pencil
There is a reason why this brown eyeliner pencil takes first place. This creamy eyeliner provides a flawless application both on the lash and waterline. Its buttery texture glides on your eye with one swipe, and immediately shows high pigment. The pencil also has a tapered smudge applicator at the end, which helps soften and blend color. An added bonus? It is long-wearing, with a soft matte finish.
Key Ingredients
- Ci 77499/Iron Oxides
- Trimethylsiloxysilicate
- Synthetic Wax
NYX Retractable Vivid Rich Mechanical Eyeliner Pencil
Looking for a drugstore option? This NYX brown eyeliner pencil packs color and glide-on texture at an affordable price. The small pointed applicator is great for tight lining your eyes or helping create a sharp clean wing and/or cat-eye. There is a selection of different brown shades, from topaz to bronze. Not to mention, its vegan and cruelty-free formula promises velvety texture and pigment.
Key Ingredients
- Methyl Trimethicone
- CI 77499 / Iron Oxides
- Trimethylsiloxysilicate
L.A. Girl Shockwave Eyeliner
What about getting a bang for your back? There is no better deal than this L.A. Girl brown eyeliner pencil, which is only $4.49. The quality is not being sacrificed here. The gel-like formula gives a smooth finish, gliding onto the eyelid effortlessly. It is also water resistant and holds up to its 16-hour wear claim. Many consumers attest to it being both easy to use and easy to sharpen (which is sometimes hard to come by with a gel formula). If you’re looking for something unique with its metallic finish, this is a great option.
Key Features
- Smudge-proof
- Long-wearing
- Water-resistant
NATASHA DENONA Macro Tech Eyeliner Crayon
If you want to treat yourself to a brand known for its eye products, NATASHA DENONA is a fan favorite in the beauty community. One common concern with brown eyeliners is how they can withstand darker shades. This brown eyeliner pencil delivers high opacity, layering beautifully with even the highest pigmented eyeshadows. With 24-hour wear, this eyeliner will NOT budge.
Key Ingredients
- Iron Oxides Ci 77499
- Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide
- Ascorbyl Palmitate Citric Acid
Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Longwear & Waterproof Gel Eyeliner
Besides being known for their iconic blushes, Rare Beauty has quite a hidden gem. Their brown eyeliner is not only waterproof but also has a glidable formula that is tug-free on both the water and lash line. Vegan and paraben-free, still delivers rich pigment and performance. Need to sharpen your pencil throughout the day? This pencil also comes with a built-in sharpener, how convenient!
Key Ingredients
- Trimethylsiloxysilicate
- Isododecane
- Synthetic Wax
HUDA BEAUTY Creamy Kohl Longwear Eye Pencil
Do you like the look of a kohl pencil but it doesn’t seem to last? Look no further to HUDA Beauty’s “gel hybrid” kohl eye pencil. Their eye pencil combines the creaminess of a gel pencil, with a soft, blendable texture to give the look of a smudged kohl effect. Think of a gold, bronze smokey eye paired with this brown kohl eyeliner pencil to seal the look. The icing on this cake is its 24-hour wear, to ensure your eye look stays all day long.
Key Ingredients
- Iron Oxides
- Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide
- Ascorbyl Palmitate
Makeup Forever Artist Color Pencil Brow, Eye & Lip Liner
There’s a brown eyeliner pencil that can do it all for you. A new addition to this brand, it offers a lot of versatility. Besides giving you a smooth everyday brown eyeliner, you can use this to create a complete makeup look! Faux freckles, lip liner, defined brows, you name it. Its luscious texture is what makes this product multi-dimensional, especially as an eyeliner. Definitely worth checking out in your shopping cart!
Key Ingredients
- Mica
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- Stearyl Dimethicone
Clinique Quickliner™ For Eyes Eyeliner
If your eyes are prone to sensitivity, Clinique will be your tie and true. Don’t assume its allergy testing does not provide a high-performing eyeliner. Expect just the opposite. This retractable pencil offers hassle-free application. With a silky glide-on experience, it provides a quick and easy way to draw the perfect line or wing. Need to create a faded, natural effect to your eye look? The smudge-ended tip is soft enough to blend your eyeliner without removing any pigment.
Key Ingredients
- Cyclopentasiloxane
- Synthetic Beeswax
- Disteardimonium Hectorite
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil`
What if you want more brown color options? Urban Decay has every brown eyeliner pencil you could possibly need. From light to dark brown, matte, or metallic finishes, there is a color to suit your every look and mood. This eyeliner also has hydrating benefits, including ingredients such as jojoba oil and vitamin E. The 16-hour wear pencil is smudge-proof, waterproof, and long-lasting. What more can you ask for?
Ingredients
- Isododecane
- Cyclopentasiloxane
- PEG/PPG-19/19 Dimethicone
If you are looking for getting the no eyeliner look without making your eyes look smaller, check out this easy makeup tutorial.
