Brown eyes are gorgeous on their own, but you can truly make them sing when you use certain eyeshadow shades. Here, find all of the best eyeshadows for brown eyes.

Bring out the unique undertones of your gaze.

Your brown eyes are gorgeous on their own, but you can truly make them sing when you play with certain eyeshadow shades. “Specific hues can enhance the allure of your eyes by working in harmony with your natural eye color,” says Saffron Hughes, a makeup artist based in Wales.

“I find that bronzy, warm copper tones (especially if they’re a bit metallic) really bring out the lighter specs in the eyes,” says celebrity makeup artist Neil Scibelli. “Plums and deep olive eyeshadow tones are also my go-to’s for brown eyes because they make brown eyes look richer and bolder.”

To get the shadows that will bring out the best in your brown eyes, peruse the 10 pro-picks below.

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Best Overall

Anastasia Beverly Hills Fall Romance Eyeshadow Palette

View On Sephora $55 View On Ulta $55

What We Love: It has a gorgeous mix of metallics and shimmers.

What We Don’t Love: Because all of the shades are deep and moody, it might be a bit intense for everyday use.

“The beauty of this palette is that all of the colors work to enhance brown eyes, from a natural and sultry look to a pop of color using some of the brighter colors,” says makeup artist Tomy Rivero. It contains a stunning mix of green and purple hues accented by bold metallics and rustic mattes.

Type: Powder | Finish: Matte and shimmer｜Number of Shadows: 12 | Formula Highlights: Cruelty-free｜Size:  12 x 0.04 oz

CoverGirl

Best Budget

CoverGirl Clean Fresh Color Clean Eyeshadow Spiced Copper

View On Amazon $6 View On Ulta $14

What We Love: It’s a great, compact neutral palette.

What We Don’t Love: The shades are intentionally similar, so it may not be the right fit if you’re looking for variation.

Shade Name: Spiced Copper

“Rich earth tones with terracotta undertones are perfect for bringing light around very dark brown eyes,” says Rivero. “I love the shimmer tones in the center to create a glazed brown eye look that never goes out of style and can be worn day and night.”

Type: Powder | Finish: Matte and shimmer｜Number of Shadows: 4 | Formula Highlights: Vegan, cruelty-free｜Size: 0.14 oz

P.Louise

Best for Dark Brown Eyes

P.Louise Bridal Series Wedding Wish XL Palette

View On Co.uk

What We Love: It has so many options.

What We Don’t Love: It’s a massive palette so it may be difficult to store or travel with.

Go monochromatic with this palette, which houses an array of brown shadows. “It offers a wide range of cool, neutral shades and warm brown hues in both matte and shimmer finishes,” says Hughes. Plus, it has a few metallic shimmers and purple mattes. To ensure the fine particles within the metallic finish stay put all night, start with an eyeshadow primer first to prep your lids with a grippy base, then layer the shimmery shadow on top.

Type: Powder | Finish: Matte and shimmer｜Number of Shadows: 50 | Formula Highlights: Cruelty-free｜Size: 50 x 0.042 oz

Natasha Denona

Best for Light Brown Eyes

Natasha Denona Retro Eyeshadow Palette Purple

View On Sephora $69

What We Love: It has a stunning range of purple hues.

What We Don’t Love: Most of the shadows are shimmers, so it's not a fit if you prefer a matte base.

With a ton of light lavender shadows, this eyeshadow palette is perfect to complement brown eyes that are on the lighter side. “The Natasha Denona Retro Eyeshadow Palette is a beautiful plum-based eyeshadow palette with a range of 15 plums, burgundies, and taupes — all of which are perfect for brown eyes,” says Scibelli.

Type: Powder | Finish: Shimmer and matte｜Number of Shadows: 15 | Formula Highlights: Cruelty-free｜Size: 15 x 0.045 oz

P.Louise

Best for Brown Eyes and Blonde Hair

P.Louise A World Full Of Wonder Palette

View On Co.uk

What We Love: You get tons of blue and purple hues.

What We Don’t Love: There are so many shades it may be difficult to choose.

“For captivating blues and purples, check out A World Full of Wonder,” says Hughes. It’s a double-decker palette with a top layer of warm-toned shadows and a bottom layer of cool-toned options so you can create the ethereal eye look of your dreams.

Type: Powder | Finish: Matte and shimmer｜Number of Shadows: 42 | Formula Highlights: Cruelty-free ｜Size: 42 x 0.042 oz

Flower Beauty

Best for Brown Eyes and Brown Hair

FLOWER Beauty Desert Lights Shadow Palette

View On Ulta $20

What We Love: The shadows have a creamy texture.

What We Don’t Love: It only has shimmer shades.

“Flower Beauty makes a range of gorgeous, creamy metallic eyeshadows that are really flattering for brown eyes,” says Scibelli. “Their Desert Lights Shadow palette is packed with warm coppers, champagne, rose gold, and deep brown tones really make brown eyes pop.”

Type: Creamy powder | Finish: Shimmer｜Number of Shadows: 6 | Formula Highlights: Gluten free｜Size: 0.7 oz

P.Louise

Best for Brown Eyes and Red Hair

P.Louise The Money Shot Palette

View On Co.uk

What We Love: The range of shades covers the entire green family.

What We Don’t Love: It’s a gorgeous palette, but may be overwhelming for beginners.

Green is a gorgeous shade on redheads, as it sits opposite of red on the color wheel. For “enchanting greens,” Hughes recommends this palette. It has 42 gorgeous greens ranging from blue-toned, to neutral, to yellow-towned. The shadows have a mix of matte and metallic finishes so you can craft a super unique look.

Type: Powder | Finish: Shimmer and matte｜Number of Shadows: 42 | Formula Highlights: Cruelty-free｜Size: 0.18 oz

Merit

Best Beige

MERIT Solo Shadow Cream-to-Powder Soft Matte Eyeshadow in Vachetta

View On Sephora $24

What We Love: The formula is super creamy.

What We Don’t Love: It has a soft matte finish, which may not be ideal if you prefer shimmer.

Shade Name: Vachetta

This Merit shadow has a “foolproof cream-to-powder formula,” says Rivero. “Add warmth with this rich earth tone, and wash color all over the lid to pull forward the caramel tones in brown eyes. It’s a great look for beginners.”

Type: Cream-to-powder | Finish: Matte｜Number of Shadows: 1 | Formula Highlights: Chamomile, calendula, and magnolia bark extracts soothe skin and peptides even skin tone｜Size: 0.17 oz

NARS

Best Purple

NARS Single Eyeshadow in Sultan

View On Narscosmetics.com

What We Love: It has a velvety, easy-to-blend texture.

What We Don’t Love: It has a soft shimmer finish, which may not be ideal if you prefer matte.

Shade Name: Sultan

We’re ride-or-die fans of everything Nars, and we can’t get enough of this gorgeously striking hue. “If you want to keep the focus on your brown eyes, purple eyeshadow shades are without a doubt the color that will help you achieve just that,” says Scibelli. “This beautiful saturated lilac color sits opposite brown on the color wheel, guaranteed to make brown eyes stand out and look more honey-colored.”

Type: Powder | Finish: Shimmer｜Number of Shadows: 1 | Formula Highlights: Paraben-free｜Size: 0.04 oz

Flower Beauty

Best Chrome

FLOWER Beauty Chrome Crush Pressed Pigments

View On Ulta

What We Love: It can be used alone or layered over eyeshadow.

What We Don’t Love: It’s best applied with your fingers, which isn’t ideal if you have long nails or prefer using a brush.

“The Chrome Crushed Pressed eye pigments come in a range of colors that are universally flattering,” says Scibelli. Choose from Amber, Copper, Jade, Prism, Quartz, or Topaz to make your brown eyes pop.

Type: Gel powder | Finish: Shimmer｜Number of Shadows: 1 | Formula Highlights: Vegan｜Size: 0.1 oz

What to Keep in Mind

Formula + Finish

The shadows in this story are all powder, which come in a range of finishes, including matte, cream-to-matte, and shimmer. Deciding which to use comes down to personal preference. If you want drama and light reflection, reach for shimmer options. If you want something a bit softer or moodier, go matte. And for maximum interest, you can mix the two.

Finding Your Perfect Fit

We know the above recommendations look gorgeous on brown eyes, but that might not mean they’re all the best for you. Keep in mind what you like and what you don’t, what shades you gravitate toward, and what finishes you love. From there, you can shop the above with a discerning eye.

Your Questions, Answered

What color eyeshadow makes brown eyes pop?

“Among the most flattering options are shades like blue, green, and purple. What makes these shades particularly appealing is their remarkable ability to create a mesmerizing contrast with the warm undertones commonly found in brown eyes,” says Hughes. “The secret behind this captivating contrast lies in the color wheel. These shades stand in stark opposition to the warm undertones, resulting in a striking effect that causes your brown eyes to truly stand out. It’s like a visual magic makeup trick that instantly draws attention to the allure of your eyes.”

Why should you still wear any colors you like?

“Because makeup, and eye makeup specifically, is a reflection of one's personal style and mood — which can naturally change day to day,” says Scibelli. “There's always room to have fun with your eye makeup, whether it's your statement feature for the day, or just a soft backdrop to your style.”

Why Shop With Us

Kara Jillian Brown is the beauty editor at InStyle, has worked in the industry for nearly five years, and has had brown eyes for all 27 years of her life. For this piece, she interviewed makeup artists Saffron Hughes, Neil Scibelli, and Tomy Rivero. They have worked on countless numbers of brown-eyed beauties.