Dopamine Makeup Tutorial

Step-by-step

1. 1

   Choose two colours with a relationship

   Step 1 of 8

   Either analogous — two shades adjacent on the wheel, like pink and orange, or blue and green — or complementary, two opposites like cobalt and tangerine. Two colours picked at random will fight; two with a defined relationship read as deliberate.

   Tip: If you're unsure, analogous is far more forgiving. Complementary pairs have more impact but need cleaner edges to work.

2. 2

   Keep the base minimal

   Step 2 of 8

   Sheer foundation or skin tint, spot concealing only, and no contour. The colour is the subject of the look — a full sculpted base competes with it and pulls the whole thing toward heavy rather than playful.

3. 3

   Prime and set the lid white

   Step 3 of 8

   Eyeshadow primer, then a thin layer of white or very pale base over the mobile lid. Saturated brights lose most of their punch over skin tone; a white underlayer is what makes a cobalt look cobalt instead of dusty navy.

4. 4

   Pack the first colour on the lid

   Step 4 of 8

   Cream or gel formulas over powder wherever you can — they carry far more pigment. Pat the first colour flat across the mobile lid with a dense brush and stop cleanly at the crease rather than blending it upward.

5. 5

   Place the second colour with intent

   Step 5 of 8

   The lower lash line is the easiest home for it — a bright line under the eye in the second shade gives the colour-blocked look immediately. Alternatively run it above the crease as a floating band, keeping the boundary between the two colours crisp.

   Tip: Crisp edges are what separate colour blocking from mud. Clean the line with a flat brush and a little concealer.

6. 6

   Echo one colour on the cheeks

   Step 6 of 8

   A cream blush in a lighter version of one of your two shades, high on the cheekbone. Repeating a colour that's already in the look ties the face together; introducing a third one is where cohesion breaks.

7. 7

   Decide the lip by contrast

   Step 7 of 8

   Either a gloss in the same family as the blush, which keeps it harmonious, or a deliberate pop of the complementary shade if the eyes are analogous. What doesn't work is a neutral nude — it deadens the whole thing.

8. 8

   Skip powder, lock with setting spray

   Step 8 of 8Almost done!

   Powder dulls saturation, which is the one thing this look can't spare. A generous setting spray keeps cream colour in place with the finish intact.