When applying makeup, do you find yourself plagued by thoughts of how other people will perceive you? Or, are you concentrating on what will make you feel your best? Dopamine glam, a term attributed to celebrity makeup artist Sir John, makes a case for makeup that makes you feel good, not just look good. While minimalistic makeup will always have its place, right now, we have our hearts set on spiking our dopamine levels with full glam.
“Think mood-altering makeup. Think instant joy. Just like dopamine floods the brain with feelings of pleasure, satisfaction and motivation, dopamine makeup is a blast of color and/or texture that gives you that feel-good feeling. It’s quite literally like painting on a smile,” says makeup artist Danessa Myricks, founder of her eponymous brand.
Sign of the Times
Myricks says the no-makeup makeup look isn’t going anywhere because it’s easy and classic, but people are making room for more fun, avant-garde looks, too. “I think makeup has several purposes: One is to enhance natural beauty,” says celebrity makeup artist Diane Buzzetta. “Another is to have fun and be expressive!” Cue dopamine glam. Celebrity makeup artist Judi Gabbay calls it “feel good, out-of-the-box glam that’s the opposite of the long-lasting ‘clean girl’ trend.”
Celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath, founder of her eponymous brand, calls the trend “a cosmetic celebration that promotes playfulness, experimentation and pushing the boundaries of beauty. It’s about using makeup to elevate your look and spirit. It’s a sign of the times.”
“When I’m able to do dopamine glam, it ignites an excitement within me to use a range of colors I don’t play with as often,” says celebrity makeup artist Shelby Smith. “It allows you to tap into other feelings and expressions, seeing what you can create with bold colors that are so opposite of the tones you would use with natural looks.”
After the drab days of the pandemic and the muted palettes of minimalistic makeup that followed, it’s no surprise people are craving bursts of color and fun. “The focus is shifting away from wanting to fit in, and moving toward wanting to feel good. We’re desperately seeking joy!” says Myricks.
It’s All About You
“Access to sadness is always available right at our fingertips, as we are so dialed into social media. It’s easy to feel powerless,” Myricks notes. Dopamine makeup shifts some power into our own hands. “We can stimulate joy in an instant and access it at any moment through small adjustments to our daily routine,” she adds. “Different is the new normal. Beauty lovers are becoming more confident exploring and sharing their joy for beauty in whatever way feels good.”
COURTESY OF DANESSA MYRICKS BEAUTY, PHOTOGRAPHER: MIGUEL HERRERA
Dopamine Boost
Pop of Color
An easy way to incorporate the dopamine glam ethos “is to replace something familiar with a bolder or more colorful choice,” says Myricks. “Swap your traditional black eyeliner with a bright yellow, pink or blue.” McGrath’s best advice is to be fearless. “Traditional rules of makeup, while important, can and should be broken. When you break the rules, you discover your creativity and unique makeup identity.”
Bright eyeshadow is always fun, but colored mascara is a more unexpected way to boost some dopamine and dimension. Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara ($33) in shades Blue or Brick unleashes vibrant color on the lashes that can be paired with either bare lids or colorful shadow and liner.
Dopamine glam can be as simple as going overboard with blush like Chanel N°1 de Chanel Lip And Cheek Balm ($48). Pair a bold blush with a bold lip using Pat McGrath Labs Dramatique Mega Lip Pencil ($29), which was designed with creativity and “boundary-pushing lip designs” in mind, says McGrath.
Speaking of eye-catching liners, Haus Labs by Lady Gaga Optic Intensity Eco Eyeliner ($22) comes in just about every exciting shade, from Chartreuse Matte to Magenta Shimmer. Additionally, Buzzetta says Halsey’s brand about-face has “a great color range to achieve dopamine looks.” The Matte Fluid Eye Paint ($16) comes in 31 different shades, so you can essentially create your own artist’s palette for endless options.
Glittery Glam
Head Euphoria makeup artist and Half Magic cofounder Donni Davy loves amping up the dopamine with sparkle and shimmer—think glossy lips, glitter and gems. If this sounds out of your comfort zone, we suggest you give it a try anyway and see how you feel. You might be pleasantly surprised. “Glittery eyeliner and lip color are both surprisingly easy to pull off,” says Davy. “People are also getting so creative with gems, and I love it. We are seeing more of them on the red carpet and runways, and also in everyday life.”
Products to Try
To add unique shine to your lids, we suggest L’Oréal Paris Brilliant Eyes Liquid Eyeshadow ($12) Apply it on its own, or layer it on top of other shadow as icing on the cake.
Buzzetta says she loves using Half Magic products, noting that she feels Davy’s work on Euphoria “impacted a lot of the dopamine trend.” The brand’s easy-to-apply face gems and glitter are also ophthalmologist-tested. The All That Sparkles Set ($38) featuring both gems and Glitterpuck, a sparkling pressed glitter, is the perfect dopamine glam starter kit.
Another way to add bold sparkle to the eyes and cheeks is with Danessa Myricks Infinite Chrome Flakes ($26). “Wear them alone for otherworldly effects, or top off your traditional shadows with bold reflective textures like glitters, foils and metallics,” says Myricks.
