The Best Eyeshadow Palettes for Making Brown Eyes Pop

January 04, 2023

By: Jazmine A. Ortiz | Makeup.com by L'Oréal

Eyeshadow can really take your makeup look to the next level, and while technique is key (it’s all about blending!), your color choice is important as well. If you’re not sure what shade to start with, look to your eyes. There are certain hues that look particularly flattering on specific eye colors. If you have brown eyes, you’re in luck — it’s the most versatile color you could have, meaning you can pull off just about any eyeshadow. You can go bold with head-turning reds or keep it neutral with warm browns — the choice is yours. To help make your decision easier, we’re sharing some of the best eyeshadow for brown eyes.

The Best Eyeshadow Palettes for Brown Eyes

Urban Decay Naked Half-Baked Mini Eyeshadow Palette

This mini palette is full of warm browns and shimmer-flecked neutrals that will make your brown eyes sparkle. We love the mini size because it’s easy to carry on-the-go and not quite as overwhelming as some full-palettes. Plus, the toasty metallic shades add a metallic flash to any eye look.

Maybelline New York Nudes Of New York 16 Pan Eyeshadow Palette

Warm browns and neutrals really enhance your brown eyes and are great options for the makeup lover who’s just getting into eyeshadow, or someone who wants a low-key look. Try the Maybelline New York Nudes Of New York 16 Pan Eyeshadow Palette, which features brown and neutral shades in shimmer, metallic and matte finishes. You can use it to create a no-makeup makeup vibe, smoky eye looks or anything in between.

NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Color Palette in Festival

Feeling colorful? Opt for this festival-inspired palette packed with scorching hot oranges, reds and electric purples. As a brown-eyed babe, go for an understated burnt orange or a vivid neon eye — either way, you’ll look fly.

Lancôme Hypnôse 5-Color Eyeshadow Palette in Drama Denim

If you ask us, blue eyeshadow was made for brown eyes. Brown eyes have a lot of orange and golden tones to them, and blue sits across the color wheel from orange, making it a complementary color. You’ll be amazed at how much a pop of blue will enhance the richness of your eye color.

Urban Decay Naked Foxy Mini Eyeshadow Palette

We love the way greens bring out the golden tones in brown eyes. This palette contains down-to-earth olives and neutrals that will transform your standard smoky eye or spice up your minimal makeup looks.

NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Edit Petite Shadow Palette in Utopia

With two chunky glitter shades and an array of mattes, this palette is the definition of a day-to-night makeup product. The smoldering plum shade is the perfect way to smoke out your lash line and up the drama of your look.

Lancôme Hypnôse 5-Color Eyeshadow Palette in Reflet D’Amethyste

A wash of purple is another gorgeous choice for brown eyes. This palette from Lancôme covers the spectrum of shades, from an icy lavender that’s perfect for highlighting your inner corner to a velvety burgundy that will darken your outer corners and lash line.

L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Dual Effects Eyeshadow in Emerald Conquest

Brown eyes can carry off even the boldest of shades, like this striking peacock blue shadow. Paired with the soft gold highlight color and rich black, you’ll have a smoldering smoky eye that’s selfie-ready.

Urban Decay Naked Honey Eyeshadow Palette

Whether your eyes are a light golden shade or a deep espresso, these honey-inspired neutrals are sure to become staples in your makeup routine. With a range of buttery soft mattes, glistening metallics and high-shine shimmers, you can have fun playing up your eyes with different finishes.

YSL Beauty Couture Clutch Eyeshadow Palette

Go ultra-luxe with this eyeshadow palette from YSL Beauty. Inside, you’ll find a range of berry tones and neutrals that will give you the perfect elevated basic eye look.

Makeup by Mario Ethereal Eyes Eyeshadow Palette

Soft blush, taupe and brown shades are easy to incorporate into any makeup look you want to create. The glitters are intensely reflective and offer an almost wet effect to the lid, while the mattes glide on like silk.

Natasha Denona My Dream Eyeshadow Palette

We dream of purple eyeshadows on brown eyes…and of this eyeshadow palette. Full of warm-toned neutrals and smoky purples (including a striking duochrome shade), reviewers rave that this palette is versatile enough for everyday looks and bold enough to glam with.

ColourPop Sage the Day Pressed Powder Palette

There’s no shortage of pretty green shades in this palette, from pale mint to a deep hunter durchrome. The $14 price point gives an even bigger incentive to start playing with color on the eyes.

Patrick Ta Major Dimension Eyeshadow Palette

With two cream shadow bases and a variety of rich, warm-toned powders, there’s plenty of room for experimentation with this Patrick Ta eyeshadow palette. For a soft glam look, pack one of the shimmery shades on your lid and smoke out your crease and outer corners with a deep matte shade.

Juvia’s Place Warrior II Eyeshadow Palette

It’s the versatility of this eyeshadow palette for us. With warm, matte shades that range from rich reds to understated browns, each shadow is easy to blend and can be mixed to create your own custom color. Each shadow is also ultra-pigmented.

Lime Crime Venus 3 Eyes and Face Palette

Dust the pink and purples from this palette all over your eyes and cheeks for a dreamy monochromatic look, and highlight your features with the pale shimmery shades. The romantic rosy hues flatter every skin tone and offer a pretty contrast to brown eyes.