Cute Simple Makeup Looks for Brown Eyes

Published May 30, 2018
Beauty portrait of a young woman

Whether you have light brown, dark brown or hazel eyes, there are simple yet versatile eye makeup options to suit everyone. These cute looks are easy to create; all are done in five steps or less!

Light Brown Eyes

If you want to achieve a more subtle aesthetic, you can complement your light brown eyes with light pops of color. If you're looking to make a serious style statement, opt for richer or darker tones.

Nude and Chic

This casual everyday eye makeup is straightforward to achieve.

  1. Simply apply an eye shadow powder in a color that's a couple of shades darker than your skin tone for a soft and elegant appearance.
  2. If you have a pale complexion, try beige. For medium skin tone, opt for a bronze or coffee hue. Give mocha or chocolate a go if you have a deep skin tone.
  3. Finish off the look with several coats of black mascara and eyebrow gel for high definition.
Happy beautiful young woman with long hair and nude and classic makeup

Stripped Back Sixties

This cute yet dynamic eye makeup aesthetic is inspired by the swinging sixties. It's all about using graphic eyeliner and mascara to make an impact.

  1. Apply a muted metallic or glittery eye shadow that will complement your light brown eyes like pastel pink, lavender, light green, or sky blue.
  2. Draw a line just above your top lashes with black liquid eyeliner to accentuate your eyes.
  3. Coat both your top and bottom lashes with several applications of black mascara.
  4. Finally, use an eyelash separator to space out your bottom lashes for a dramatic, standout appearance.
 Close up of a woman with brown eyes

Minimalistic Peachy-Pink

If you're looking to add a splash of color to an understated outfit for a casual affair, you can bring out your light brown eyes with a hue that's not too intense such as peachy-pink, ivory yellow, or dusty lilac. Keep the rest of your makeup stripped back for a fresh and dewy appearance.

Close-up of young woman with peachy-pink makeup

Dark Brown Eyes

Dark, rich tones tend to complement dark brown eyes, whereas light, washed-out shades serve as the perfect contrast. It all depends on the occasion and the vividity of the look that you're going for.

Light Metallic Sheen

Wearing an eye shadow cream with a metallic sheen can really draw attention to your dark brown eyes for all the right reasons. Try these tips:

  • If you have a pale complexion, opt for a silvery hue. If you have a medium skin tone, try bronze. Alternatively, if you have a deep skin tone, go with gold.
  • Either way, make sure that you apply your eye shadow cream across each lid, in the inner corners, and in a thin line just under your bottom lashes for maximum effect.
  • If you're heading out to a party or smart casual event, finish off the look with a bold lipstick.
Ethnic woman with light metallic sheen makeup

Ombre eye shadow

This three-tone, dimensional eye makeup aesthetic is beautiful when paired with brown eyes.

  1. Apply an all-over base eye shadow powder in a color that complements your skin tone.
  2. Then pick a hue that's a few shades darker than your skin tone and apply it in each crease.
  3. Proceed to use an eye shadow that's a few shades lighter than your skin tone and sweep it across your lids and each browbone.
  4. Finally, line your top and bottom lashes with a dark brown eyeliner pencil for a natural yet striking look.
Woman with ombre eyeshadow

Smokey and Defined

For a dressier eye makeup aesthetic, try combining an eye shadow that complements your skin tone with smudged eyeliner. It's all about defining the eyes to produce a flawless yet effortless feel.

  1. Once you've applied your complementary eye shadow powder, you can even use a white eye shadow cream in the inner corner of your eyes to make your dark eyes more prominent.
  2. Then use a charcoal or dark gray eyeliner pencil across your top and bottom lashes before applying several coats of black mascara.
  3. You can even smudge the bottom layer of eyeliner for extra flair.
Woman applying eye shadow

Hazel Eyes

Even though hazel eyes tend to be a combination of green, gold, and brown, they often have a mostly brown aesthetic that can be brought out using eye makeup.

Pretty in Pink

As pink looks gorgeous with hazel eyes, team a pretty pink eye shadow shade with feline eyeliner flicks to epitomize femininity.

  1. Use a creamy-pink eye shadow hue if you have pale skin, a powdery pink if you have medium skin, or a strawberry pink if you have a deep complexion.
  2. Take your black liquid eyeliner and draw a line just above your upper lashes that flicks out by 40 degrees at the outer corner.
  3. Finish off the aesthetic with several coats of volumizing mascara.
Girl in pink

Sparkly Color Pop

To put a contemporary spin on traditional makeup aesthetics for hazel eyes, try using a two-tone eye shadow effect. Pick out a metallic hue for your eyelids that's fairly minimalistic like gold or bronze, and then clash it spectacularly with a glittery eye shadow cream like purple or blue. Complete the look by separating your eyelashes with a lash comb and applying several coats of black mascara.

Sparkly Color Pop Makeup

Find Cute Looks to Suit Your Eyes

Whether you're searching for a subtle makeup effect for your brown eyes or you're determined to turn some heads, it's important that you feel comfortable with what you're wearing. Take the time to experiment with different options to see what will fit in nicely with your current makeup routine.

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Cute Simple Makeup Looks for Brown Eyes