A Minimalist's Guide To Dopamine Makeup — Yes, It's Possible

What Gen-Zers refer to as "Euphoria makeup" has been around in different forms forever. While glittery wings and iconic gemstones certainly mark an era of statement makeup, this idea of bringing together color and texture to create a mood is the root of expression makeup itself.

First, let's establish what this aesthetic entails. The idea of "dopamine makeup" is quite simple—it's a makeup look that sparks a feel-good emotion in your brain. It's like when you look at a room where the color palette pleases your eyes, or you see a bright-colored piece of art that you can't look away from.

In order to truly understand what dopamine makeup is, it's helpful to analyze what it is not. "All I can think of right now for the opposite of dopamine makeup is Wednesday Addams' look in Wednesday," Donni Davy, head makeup artist of Euphoria and co-founder of Half Magic tells mbg. (For the record, both looks are equally stunning; it's all up to personal preference.)

If you haven't seen the recent comedy-horror series quite yet, we'll explain the look for a bit more context: Wednesday Addams' eyes and cheeks look gaunt and hollow. Her lips have a deep purple tint, and when you look at her, you'll naturally feel a bit sad or scared—which is the whole point.

Depending on your makeup preferences, the "clean girl aesthetic" could be seen as the opposite of dopamine makeup, too. This ultra-minimalistic look appears to be effortless, but it actually takes a whole lot of effort. In turn, you might feel, well, nothing since the makeup is designed to look invisible.

Before you dive in, do your best to channel what images make your brain light up the most. Is it pink and purple skies? Maybe metallics? Or even glitters and gems? It can even be shapes, like stars and hearts. The options are endless.

If eyeliner is your go-to makeup product, then feel free to start here. You can opt for a colorful glitter liner, a simple black with liquid shimmer or crushed glitter on top, metallic silver or gold, etc. 

The best way to nail a glitter eyeliner look, Davy explains, is to layer colors and textures. Using the Half Magic products, Davy creates her iconic Euphoria-esque looks with this method:

"Start with CHROMEADDICTION MATTE, and layer CHROMEADDITION SHIMMER and GLITTERPILL on top for a multidimensional look," she says.

If you don't have those products at the ready, simply start with any matte color. This will ensure your pigment appears defined and adds a bright pop underneath what comes after. Next, layer a shimmery shadow of the same tone or something adjacent.

For those who love to look at whimsical art or watercolor paintings, this one is for you. The amount of combinations you can do with eye shadow is truly endless.

All you have to do is pick your favorite colors (or whatever hues will complement the rest of your look) and run with it.

This one is oh-so-easy for those in need of a low-lift moment. While classic pink blush and champagne highlighter never fail, you can play around with these steps in your routine.

Opt for a different color blush—from lavender to orange and beyond. For your highlighter, you can pick up Davy's LIGHT TRAP purple shimmer for the ultimate hint of color.

What better time to play with face gems than the holidays? If you're married to a less-is-more makeup look but want something simple to level up your glow, face gems serve as the perfect cherry on top.

Let's say you're really not into playing around with makeup, or you don't want to invest in too many steps. We hear you—and a statement lip might be the answer. Not only is bright lipstick something you can keep on hand for events to come, but it's also arguably the easiest step to nail.