In my job as a beauty editor I particularly enjoy hearing what everybody else - from fellow editors, to friends, colleagues, makeup artists, celebrities and product formulators use.
I have the face, skin type, body and hair that I have, so it’s essential to hear what works best for other faces, bodies and stages of life too. Moreover I can - like everyone else - find myself stuck in a beauty rut. I know what I love and what works for me, so hearing others rave about things that I’ve not yet tried gives me the nudge that I need to shake things up and find new favourites.
In an interview with London-based makeup artist Lisa Eldridge a few weeks ago, she mentioned her love for brown mascara … “Day-to-day, I team fresh, pared-back skin with a ‘my lips but better’ lip (my Baume Embrace in Epanoui is one of my favourites), and lifted, defined, fanned-out lashes. I don’t usually leave the house without curling them and applying my Kitten Lash Mascara, £29 (lisaeldridge.com) - these days in soft, warm rich brown burnt umber shade - it makes me feel and look instantly more awake.”
Since then there seems to have been something in the air and I have come across countless people who have said the same, spurring me to locate my sizable, but recently neglected, stash of brown mascara tubes, which I have been using ever since.
It’s a switch that has happily coincided with a couple of great new launches, as brands have picked up on this current pigment penchant: Hourglass has just turned out a beautiful brown incarnation of its best-selling Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara, £32 (hourglasscosmetics.co.uk), while Refy has released their superlative Lash Sculpt Mascara, £22, refybeauy.com) in a rich, chocolate hue, too.
Why this current love affair with brown? Sure, we all know that a slick of black mascara adds instant, definition and drama, but in many ways brown alternatives are equally impactful - achieving all of the same heavy lifting, stretching and fanning - but in a more versatile, subtle and perhaps even grown up way.
“Brown mascara is softer, warmer and a lot more mysterious than black, says makeup artist Mel Arter. “There’s a real sophistication to it, and it’s especially flattering on blondes, redheads and those with lighter eyes, which it complements beautifully.” We are - of course - also deep in the grip of a minimalist makeup age, where the Clean Girl aesthetic - which sits seamlessly alongside fresh, clean complexions and understated beauty looks - is going nowhere fast.
On this note,here are some of the best brown mascaras that I have tried. I recommend adding one or two to your autumn makeup bag pronto.
For soft-focus definition and easy removal: Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara in expresso, £32 (hourglasscometics.co.uk)
For a sculpted, lifted fan-effect: Refy Lash Sculpt Mascara in brown, (£22, refybeauy.com).
For fluffy, fanned-out lashes: Lisa Eldridge Kitten Lash Mascara in burnt umber, (£29, lisaeldridge.com)
For buildable, grown-up definition: Clinique High Impact Mascara in Brown in black honey, (£23, clinique.co.uk)
For corner-to-corner stretch and volume: L'Oréal Panorama Mascara in Brown, £12.99 (superdrug.com)
For supercharged volume: Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara in brown (£37, dior.com)
For superb separation and a featherweight feel: Glossier Lash Slick in Brown, (£20, glossier.com)
For 24H lift and stretch: Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes! Mascara in dream pop (£28, charlottetilbury.com)
