You can never go wrong with a soft brown winged eyeliner. In this soft brown winged eyeliner tutorial, I’m showing exactly how I created this easy everyday neutral glam look using the Milani Gilded Mini Eyeshadow Palette in 150 Call Me Old Fashion and the Milani Stay Put Tank Liner in Brown.
I personally prefer dark brown liner over black for everyday makeup because it feels a little softer and more wearable. It still defines the eyes, but it doesn’t look as harsh. My lashes are more on the brown side as well, so I feel like brown liner blends into the whole makeup look more seamlessly.
This is the kind of look I reach for when I want something polished but still neutral. It’s perfect for everyday, but you can absolutely dress it up for night depending on the lip you pair it with.
Watch the Full Tutorial
You can also watch a short version of this soft brown winged eyeliner tutorial on my TikTok and Instagram if you prefer a quick breakdown.
Products I Used
Eyeshadow
Milani Gilded Mini Eyeshadow Palette – 150 Call Me Old Fashion
Eyeliner
Milani Stay Put Tank Eyeliner – 120 Brown
Stila Stay All Day Smudge and Set Liner- Damsel Dark brown
Brushes
Omnia BOM-416
Omnia BOM-515
Mascara & Lashes
Too Faced Foreplay Mascara Primer
Too Faced Waterproof Better Than Sex Mascara
Zanlufly Lash Clusters – two 9mm on the outer corners
Why I Choose Brown Eyeliner Over Black
I’ve found that dark brown eyeliner is just easier for me to wear every day. Black liner can look beautiful, but sometimes it feels a little too bold for daytime.
Brown eyeliner:
• Blends more naturally into neutral eyeshadow
• Looks softer along the lash line
• Is easier (for me) to clean up if I make a mistake
If you’ve ever felt like black liner looks too intense, trying dark brown might feel more wearable.
How I Created This Soft Brown Winged Eyeliner Tutorial Look
Step One: Brighten the Inner Corner
I start by applying some concealer or eyeshadow primer to my lids.
Once that was set, I used the white shade from the Milani Gilded Mini palette and patted it into the inner corner using the Omnia BOM-416 brush.
I like starting here because it immediately opens up the eye area and gives me a reference point for how bright I want the look to feel. A bright inner corner also helps balance the darker liner later on and really adds contrast.
The 416 brush works really well for this because it has a nice flat shape to place the shadow on. I also love this flat shader brush for applying shadows to larger areas.
Step Two: Champagne Shimmer on the Lid
Using that same BOM-416 brush, I applied the champagne shimmer shade all over the lid, keeping it slightly away from the inner corner so the matte white could stand out.
I love champagne tones for everyday looks because they add brightness and dimension without looking overly glittery. I also find they’re more wearable compared to a true silver or gold.
Keeping the lid bright helps the brown wing stand out without making the look feel heavy.
Step Three: Draw the Brown Wing
Next, I went in with the Milani Stay Put Tank Eyeliner in 120 Brown and created a soft outer corner wing.
To draw this on, I first map it out visually. I’m only doing a half wing for this look. I start by sketching a line following the upward slope of my lower lash line, almost imagining the lower lash line continuing upward. That’s where I place the liner.
Then I swoop the liner inward back toward my lash line. I like looking down while doing this portion. I prefer the outer corner thicker and the inner portion thinner.
Once I have the wing sketched out, I use small flicking motions to clean up the shape and fill it in. After that, I sketched a tiny inner corner wing to mirror the outer wing, following the natural contours of my eye.
Step Four: Diffuse with Dark Brown Shadow
Using the Omnia BOM-515 brush and the darkest brown shade in the palette, I gently went over the wing and softened the top edge of the liner.
I used the 515 for all of the dark brown portions in this look. It’s perfect for placing a thin line and slightly diffusing deeper shades without spreading them too far.
I focused on blending just the upper edge of the liner so it looks softer but still defined. This keeps the wing from looking too sharp without turning it into a full smokey eye. If you prefer a more dramatic look, you could absolutely use a larger brush and smoke it out further.
I also used that same dark brown shade with the 515 along the lower lash line, keeping it very thin and close to the lashes for subtle depth.
Step Five: Let the Lashes Stand Out
Winged liner naturally makes lashes look thicker, in my opinion, because it darkens the base of the lash line and creates that lifted cat-eye effect.
To enhance that:
• I applied Too Faced Foreplay Mascara Primer (I love using just this sometimes because it holds a curl nicely for me)
• Followed by Too Faced Waterproof Better Than Sex Mascara (waterproof formulas work best for my straight lashes)
• Then added two 9mm Zanlufly lash clusters to the outer corners
I love placing lash clusters only on the outer corner because they lift the eye without making the look feel too dramatic for everyday wear.
Is This Soft Brown Winged Eyeliner Tutorial Beginner Friendly?
In my opinion, yes.
Brown liner is more forgiving than black, especially if you’re still learning how to draw a wing. Because we’re slightly diffusing the top edge, it doesn’t need to be super precise.
You can always clean up the bottom edge with concealer if needed.
Another helpful hack is using tape in the outer corner to guide your wing. If you place it at the same angle as your lower lash line, it creates a sharp bottom edge so you only need to focus on swooping the liner inward. I always stick the tape to the back of my hand first to remove some of the stickiness.
I also have a separate post dedicated to winged liner techniques if you’d like a more detailed breakdown.
How I Would Wear This Day vs Night
For daytime, I would pair this look with a nude lip to keep everything soft and cohesive.
For nighttime, this same soft brown winged eyeliner look would pair beautifully with a red lip. The brown liner keeps the eyes grounded while the red lip adds drama.
If you want even more depth for night, you could add the dark brown eyeshadow from the palette into the outer corner and blend it out slightly.
That’s what I love about neutral looks, they’re easy to adapt.
Brown vs Black Eyeliner (From My Experience)
I don’t think one is “better” than the other. It really depends on the vibe you want.
For me:
Brown eyeliner feels:
• Softer
• More wearable
• Easier to blend
Black eyeliner feels:
• More dramatic
• Higher contrast
• Better for bold evening looks
For everyday neutral glam, brown is usually what I reach for.
That completes this soft brown winged eyeliner tutorial. You can follow this same technique with different shimmer shades or slightly deeper browns if you want something more dramatic.
If you have any questions about placement or products, feel free to leave them below.
Looking for more neutral glam inspiration? Check out this other brown eyeliner look here.
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