The allure of brown lip liner can be a timeless, versatile choice that elevates the beauty of any lip combination. Whether you’re a fan of the bold and bright or the soft and subtle, there’s a brown lip liner that suits your unique style and preference.

How Brown Lip Liner Became an Essential for Shape-Defining and Enhancing Lips

In the 1990s, makeup brands lacked inclusivity, leading many women to use eyebrow and eyeliner pencils instead. Black and brown women, in particular, found resourcefulness in using brown pencil liners to define and enhance their lips.

Ciara Williams, a makeup artist based in Columbus, Ohio, notes that “Black and [brown] women started lining their lips with brown pencils, particularly in the 1990s. Makeup brands lacked inclusivity, which led many to use eyebrow and eyeliner pencils instead. It showed resourcefulness, creativity, and ultimately empowered these women to stand out in a beauty standard that excluded them.”

Fast forward to now, and brown lip liner has become an essential tool for shaping and enhancing lips of all shapes and tones. Whether you’re looking for a cool taupe to contour, a warm cocoa to overline, or a neutral brown to subtly enhance your lip shape, there’s a hue to match every look.

Top Picks for Brown Lip Liners

• Best Overall: MAC Lip Pencil in Cork ($25) – A versatile, creamy formula that provides a consistent application for defining, overlining, or filling in lips.
• Best for Overlining: Merit Signature Lip Liner in Bespoke ($24) – A cool-toned pinky-brown pencil that makes overlining effortless with a smooth, even stroke.
• Best Drugstore: ColourPop Long-Lasting Lippie Pencil in BFF 3 ($7) – A deep-neutral brown pencil with warm undertones that delivers a rich color payoff in a single swipe.
• Best Cream Finish: Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Liner in Brown ($23) – A creamy, maracuja oil-infused pencil that melts like butter and sets to a soft, satin finish.
• Best Matte Finish: Makeup by Mario Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil in Travis ($26) – A milk chocolate brown pencil that provides full-coverage, suede-like pigment in a single swipe.
• Best Multi-Use: Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil in Endless Cacao ($24) – A cool-toned taupe-brown pencil that doubles as a brow definer, eyeliner, and contour stick.
• Best Dark Brown: Fenty Beauty Trace’d Out Longwear Pencil Lip Liner in Coal Blooded ($20) – A deep black-brown pencil that delivers high-impact color that flatters every skin tone.
• Best for Sharp Precision: Juvia’s Place Luxe Lip Liner in Espresso ($13) – A fine-tip pencil that lets you accentuate, shape, and overline with total control.
• Best for Gloss Pairing: NYX Professional Makeup Line Loud Longwear Lip Liner in Make a Statement ($8) – A waterproof pencil that lays down vibrant color with a creamy, hydrating formula.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you find the right brown lip liner shade? Choosing the right shade comes down to your skin tone and the overall effect you’re trying to achieve. If you’re looking for a contoured lip with a nude lipstick or gloss, choose a shade about two shades darker than your skin tone.

What’s the best way to apply brown lip liner, and do you have any tips for people with double lip lines? Start by following the natural shape of your lips with light pressure, and then darken it to your liking. For those with double lip lines, follow the top lip line rather than the line beneath.

Can you make your lip liner smudge-proof or minimize transfer and smudging? You can use a matte lip liner or powder your lips with translucent powder before applying liner to minimize transfer. You can also purchase long-lasting or water-resistant liners that are designed to stay put with minimal touch-ups.

Meet the Experts

Ciara Williams, a makeup artist in Columbus, Ohio, says that “Black and [brown] women started lining their lips with brown pencils, particularly in the 1990s. Makeup brands lacked inclusivity, which led many to use eyebrow and eyeliner pencils instead. It showed resourcefulness, creativity, and ultimately empowered these women to stand out in a beauty standard that excluded them.”

For our list of the best brown lip liners, we considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team.

How We Test and Review Products

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. We also rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

Our staff and testers come from a diverse range of backgrounds and have a wealth of experience in the beauty industry.