Here is the easiest beauty trend of the season: swap your black mascara for a coloured one. Coloured mascara — burgundy, navy, plum, even forest green — is one of the playful breakouts of 2026’s “glitchy glam” movement, the trend that says makeup should be fun and a little unexpected. Beauty experts are predicting a full return to coloured mascaras this year, following burgundy’s moment, and it is easy to see why: it takes ten seconds, it costs very little, and it changes your whole face.

The appeal is that coloured mascara is impact without effort. You do not need new skills, you do not need to learn a technique, and you do not even need to change the rest of your makeup. One coat of burgundy mascara with your normal everyday face reads as intentional, interesting, and quietly fashionable. This guide covers which colours to try, how to wear each one, and the small tricks that make coloured mascara look chic rather than costume-y.

Why Coloured Mascara Works So Well

Mascara sits at an interesting point on the face: it is close enough to the eyes to change how they look, but subtle enough that colour there never overwhelms. A burgundy lip is a statement; burgundy lashes are a whisper of the same idea. That makes coloured mascara the lowest-risk way to experiment with colour in your makeup.

It also flatters in a way people do not expect. Black mascara defines; coloured mascara defines and enhances. Blue-toned shades make the whites of the eyes look brighter. Warm shades like burgundy and plum make green and hazel eyes look greener. Brown mascara softens the whole face compared to black. The colour is doing quiet work that black simply cannot do.

And practically speaking, it is the fastest trend to try in this entire article series. There is no learning curve. If you can apply mascara — and you can — you can wear this trend today.

The Shades Worth Trying This Fall

Not all coloured mascaras are equal, and some shades are much more wearable than others. Here is a field guide, ordered from easiest to boldest:

• Dark brown: the gateway shade. Softer than black, especially flattering on fair skin and blond or light brown hair. If black mascara has ever felt harsh on you, brown is the answer — and it counts as the trend.
• Burgundy/wine: the shade of the season. Deep red-brown lashes look almost black at a glance but reveal their warmth up close. Universally flattering, and the single most recommended coloured mascara by makeup artists right now.
• Plum: similar to burgundy but cooler, with more purple. Beautiful on brown eyes and deep skin tones.
• Navy: the classic coloured mascara, popular since the 1960s. Navy makes the whites of the eyes look strikingly white and suits blue eyes especially well. Choose a deep navy, not a bright blue, for a wearable effect.
• Forest green: unexpected and gorgeous on hazel and brown eyes. Keep the rest of the makeup neutral and let the green be the surprise.
• Aubergine: deep purple-black. Reads as black from a distance, reveals itself in sunlight. A good “secret” coloured mascara for conservative settings.

Shades to approach with caution: bright primary blue, vivid purple, and anything with glitter. They can look fantastic in photos and at parties, but they are much harder to wear day to day. If you love them, save them for evenings.

How to Choose Your Shade

Match the mascara to your eyes for the most flattering effect. Blue eyes glow against navy and warm browns. Green and hazel eyes come alive with burgundy, plum, and forest green — the red and purple tones contrast beautifully with green. Brown eyes can wear almost anything, but plum and navy are standouts. For skin tone: warm skin tones suit burgundy, bronze-brown, and forest green; cool skin tones suit navy, plum, and aubergine.

Consider your hair too. The most harmonious looks echo the hair colour: burgundy mascara with auburn or copper hair is stunning, navy with dark brown or black hair is classic, and brown mascara with blond hair is soft and natural. This is not a rule, just a shortcut to combinations that photograph well.

When in doubt, start with burgundy. It is the rare shade that flatters nearly every eye colour, skin tone, and hair colour, which is exactly why it is leading the trend.

Application: The Same, But Better

You apply coloured mascara exactly like regular mascara — but a few refinements make the colour show up properly:

1. Curl first. Coloured mascara shows best on lifted lashes. Curl, then apply.
2. Wiggle at the roots. The colour needs to coat from base to tip to read as colour rather than black with a tint. Wiggle the wand at the base, then pull through.
3. Two thin coats. One coat can look patchy in colour; two thin coats give even, rich colour. Let the first coat get tacky (about thirty seconds) before the second.
4. Do not forget the lower lashes — or do. Colour on the lower lashes intensifies the effect; skipping them keeps it subtle. For daytime, try colour on top and your regular black or brown on the bottom.
5. Clean the wand neck. Coloured formulas can clump more visibly than black because the clumps are, well, coloured. Wipe excess off the wand before applying.

One advanced trick from makeup artists: layer black mascara at the roots and coloured mascara on the tips. Apply black first, let it dry, then coat just the outer half of the lashes with colour. You get depth from the black and a flash of colour on the ends — the most sophisticated way to wear the trend.

What to Wear With It

Coloured mascara is at its best when the rest of the makeup stays calm. The lashes are the accent; everything else should support them. A neutral eye — a wash of matte shadow, or nothing at all — lets the mascara colour show. Eyeliner is optional; if you wear it, brown or a shade that echoes the mascara looks more harmonious than harsh black.

On the lips and cheeks, you have two good options. The safe route is neutral everything: nude lip, soft blush, and let the lashes be the single point of interest. The fashion route is to echo the mascara shade elsewhere — burgundy mascara with a sheer burgundy lip, or navy mascara with a cool-toned blush. Echoing ties the look together and makes the coloured mascara look deliberate rather than random.

What not to do: pair bold coloured mascara with a bold eye look. Bright blue mascara plus bright blue eyeshadow is a lot. One colourful element per face is the rule that keeps this chic.

Making It Office-Appropriate

A common worry: is coloured mascara too much for work? In most workplaces, the wearable shades — brown, burgundy, plum, deep navy — read as polished rather than daring. Nobody in a meeting is going to stare at your lashes and demand an explanation; at most, colleagues will notice your eyes look particularly nice without knowing why.

If your workplace is conservative, choose shades that reveal themselves only up close: aubergine, deep plum, or espresso brown. Save the forest green and brighter shades for weekends. And keep the application neat — coloured mascara looks professional when the lashes are separated and defined, and less so when they are clumpy. A lash comb is a small investment that pays off enormously with coloured formulas.

Shopping Tips: Getting a Good One

Coloured mascaras vary more in quality than black ones, so choose carefully:

• Check the colour in natural light. Shop lighting lies. What looks burgundy under store fluorescents can be brown in daylight. If you cannot test it, check swatches in daylight photos from reviewers.
• Consider tubing formulas. Tubing mascaras (which form tiny tubes around each lash) come in several colours now, and they do not smudge — useful because coloured smudges are more noticeable than black ones.
• Watch the wand size. Smaller, narrower wands give more control and less mess with coloured formulas, especially on lower lashes.
• Replace on schedule. Mascara should be replaced every three months — coloured or not. Old mascara harbours bacteria, and eye infections are not a trend. If it smells off or has gone clumpy, bin it.

Price-wise, you do not need to spend much. Several affordable brands make excellent burgundy and navy mascaras, and since you are experimenting, starting affordable is smart. If you fall in love with the trend, then consider the premium version.

Removing It Properly

If you wear contact lenses, remove them before taking off your makeup, and be extra gentle — rubbing coloured pigment into the eye area is irritating. Anyone who experiences persistent redness, itching, or swelling after using any mascara should stop using it and check with a pharmacist or eye professional rather than switching shades and hoping.

Fun Ways to Play With the Trend

Once you are comfortable with the basics, there is room to play — which is, after all, the spirit of the glitchy glam trend this comes from:

• Mismatched lashes: burgundy on one eye’s outer corner, navy on the other. Subtle rebellion, visible only to those paying attention.
• Coloured lower lashes only: black on top, a shock of colour underneath. Striking in photos.
• Matching your outfit: forest green mascara with an olive sweater, navy with a denim jacket. It is the kind of detail that makes an outfit feel considered.
• Pairing with playful nails: if you like your beauty with personality, coloured mascara sits beautifully alongside fun nail art — our guide to DIY bedazzled nail art is the perfect companion project for a maximalist mood.

The Bottom Line

Coloured mascara is the rare trend with no barrier to entry: no new skills, no big spending, no risk. A single tube of burgundy mascara, applied the way you already apply mascara, puts you right in the middle of 2026’s most playful beauty movement. Start with burgundy or brown, wear it with a neutral face, and see how many compliments your eyes get this week. Sometimes the smallest change is the most effective one.