I Used to Love a Minimalist Mani, Until I Discovered 'Dopamine' Nails—They're Perfect For Festival Season

As a beauty journalist, experimenting comes with the job. Whether it’s testing out skincare infused with salmon sperm DNA or reviewing a questionable shade of a brand new blusher, when you spend your whole career trying new things in the name of beauty, it starts to feel like second nature.

That said, when it comes to my nails, I haven’t always been just as keen to shake things up, and have often stuck to what felt familiar and safe (i.e. a French or yet another variation of a milky white mani). In fact, there was a time when even the famed “glazed doughnut” nails or “cat-eye” designs felt too ‘extreme’ for my liking, and it wasn’t until a good two years ago that I decided to change things up a notch.

That was when I first dipped my toes into the fabulous world of nail art and discovered a brand new way to approach manicures. I still remember the exact design I went for, “aura nails,” which involved a pop of peach and pinky hues to mimic an aura reading, complete with a few astrology-inspired gems to go with it. At first, I felt a wave of anxiety-inducing thoughts: "How do I pair my outfits with it? What if the gems fall off? Will people take me less seriously?"

But despite the overwhelming feeling of it all, the truth is that, on the whole journey home, I couldn’t keep my eyes off my nails, and my grin was evidence enough. As days went on, I started to observe that my nails were the reason behind at least a few smiles a day—even on days when I didn’t feel like smiling at all. Be it after a long and dragging week at work or when I felt a bit down, a simple glance at my bedazzled nails and the playful combination of colours made it all better (even if it was for a fleeting moment). Though there wasn’t a way for me to prove it, I was convinced that my nails triggered a release of dopamine.

Since then, my approach to nails has completely shifted. Gone were the days when my choice of mani was highly dependent on a trend or a colour that would've best suited my wardrobe. Rather, I was determined that I would go for whichever colour, pattern, design or shape made me feel best.

And it doesn’t exclusively apply to nail art per se. I started trusting my gut and stopped thinking about which option would be more trending or socially-acceptable. This meant that if I wanted a set of bright neon nails in the middle of winter, a black mani outside of Halloween or to have my nail design inspired by one of my favourite anime characters, I’d go for it without a second thought.

It further cemented my belief that as far as beauty routines go, there are no rules. Yes, there are guidelines to keep us away from overwhelming our skin with actives or to avoid harsh contour, but at the end of the day, it’s all about doing what feels right for you. Below, I’ve rounded up some of my favourite dopamine nail ideas that never fail to boost my mood.

Best dopamine nail inspo

Intricate nail art

Ever since I first discovered it, nail art has become my go-to mani request, and with good reason. I love that it genuinely feels like having a work of art live on your nail beds. But as I delved deeper, there came a point when flowery patterns and turquoise patterns didn’t quite scratch the itch anymore. That is, until I stumbled upon my current nail artist’s Instagram account @gelestialnails. Apart from spotting that Jisoo, one of the members of BLACKPINK, was one of her previous clients, I immediately fell in love with the level of detail that goes into her Asian-inspired intricate nail art designs.

From her studio in Southwark, Rachael Nguyen's created practically every set imaginable: from nails inspired by Japanese anime character Totoro (that have repeatedly gone viral on Pinterest) to what was probably the most-detailed Chinese porcelain-inspired design I’ve seen. As for my own nails, she’s behind some of my most-complimented sets: be it strawberry Matcha nails or lemon drizzle blueberry nails. In fact, on more than one occasion, I had to prove to a few people that her nail art is indeed hand-drawn and not done through using stickers.

Experimental colours

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about “dopamine nails”, it's that you shouldn’t shy away from colour. I get it—it’s all too easy to settle for yet another set of baby pink or milky white nails. However, as chic as they are, sticking to such colours leaves little room for self-expression. After all, beach holidays aren't the only occasion that call for brighter, bolder colours like yellow, blue and orange.

My favourite thing is to treat myself with an experimental set featuring colours that I wouldn’t typically go for. Take it from someone who swore I’d never paint my nails green: most colours aren’t as scary as they seem. In fact, all it takes is a little imagination, and all of a sudden, a swampy green will be a Matcha-coloured, and if you throw a few pink nails into the mix, you’ll get yourself some strawberry Matcha nails. The logic is simple: go for whichever colours you’re naturally drawn to, even if it’s not your usual aesthetic. I also recommend opting for some seasonal shades regardless of the time of the year. Think: red nails outside of Christmas or black nails in the middle of summer.

Bedazzled nails

I'm not sure if my love for highlighters or shimmery lip glosses have anything to do with it, but I adore a bedazzled design on my nails—and I refuse to believe that New Year’s Eve is the only appropriate excuse to embrace this. After all, adding gems can instantly boost your confidence, making your nails look like a glamorous accessory in their own right, no jewellery needed.

The best part? Bedazzled nails can easily tailor to every preference. It could be anything from a sparkly halo to further intensify a look (similar to what Kylie Jenner did with her baby blue French nails) or an all-out gem-studded moment with various shapes and colours scattered throughout each nail.

Dessert-inspired designs

I don’t know about you, but I’m a hopeless sweet tooth, so when I think about my dopamine-boosting nails, I often find myself getting inspired by the very thing that never fails to make my day better: dessert. Thanks to Hailey Bieber, cinnamon-roll-inspired nails or glazed doughnut nails were my first venture into sweets-inspired manis. Today, some of my favourite sets include everything from strawberry shortcake nails and lemon drizzle blueberry nails to gingerbread cookie nails and even tiramisu nails.

It’s less about the actual food premise and more about the feeling that you get when you think about having dessert. You instantly slow down to try and savour each bite, all while feeling comforted and joyful, and that’s exactly what I strive to recreate on my nails.