Doja Cat, Reigning Queen of The Bold Eye, Shares Her Hack for More Vibrant Eyeshadow

Plus, more of what makes Planet Doja go round.

Doja Cat gave us the keys to her universe via a conversation on Zoom—behind the display name "Nicholas Cage" no less—and at face value, it was everything you’d anticipate. The musical artist, who was fresh off the heels of releasing a chart-topping album and hosting the VMAs, went through the inner workings of her routine in such a way that you’d think you were catching up with your bestie.

What was unexpected, however, was her mentioning that she—being a purveyor of graphic eye looks—is still navigating the waters of wearing bright makeup. “Back in the day I was afraid to do green eyeshadow because I didn’t know what to wear with a green eye look,” she says. “Now I’m learning how to do something that’s tasteful and not too in-your-face when it comes to fashion and combining that with more dramatic makeup.”

Her tools of choice come from her eponymous, newly-launched collection with BH Cosmetics, which includes gilded tools, eyeshadow quads filled with shimmery metallics, bright mattes, and more.

Ahead, more of what makes Planet Doja go round.

The Makeup Look That Makes Her Feel Powerful

Her 36-Color Palette is referred to as “Mega” with good reason. Doja Cat has been into creating “one-color” eye looks (they’re composed of different eyeshadows to give it dimension) and says this palette opens up a world of options for it. “You can create the look with the mint shades, greens, and the purples,” she says. “It’s just a good start for exploring that world of crazy- intense one-color looks.”

The Beauty Trick She Uses When Applying Eyeshadow

Lately, she’s been creating a warm, fiery-pink eyeshadow look on herself, and the process starts with an unexpected makeup product. “Sometimes, it’s nice to go with a matte liquid lipstick underneath,” she says, and explains that the liquid formula acts as an easy-to-blend base. (If you follow suit, just make sure that the formulas you’re reaching for are eye-safe.)

And, if you’re curious, her formula for the look is as follows: Using the Mega 36-color palette, sweep Orchid (a matte, warm magenta) all-over the lid. Then, layer Flora (a shimmering pink) at the center, and highlight with Magic (a cool- toned rose).

The Style That Makes Her Feel Most Like Herself

“I’m constantly changing and evolving,” she says, and explains that some days she prefers a simple eye look. On others, “I do a crazy eye look and I feel the best I’ve ever felt.”

She adds that she feels most like herself with short hair. “I don’t like to have 50 inches of hair, to be honest with you,” she says. “I don’t know how to sleep with it...you have to roll it up and put it away and I don’t feel like doing that. So really short, above the neck hair—it’s really easy to maintain.”

The Ritual She Does Before Every Performance

“It’s nothing too crazy,” she says, explaining that she tries to wash her face right before every show. “Tatcha’s Camellia Cleansing Oil ($48) is my 100- percent holy grail.”

The Best Lesson She Learned From Her Mom

Her mother, a painter, always encouraged her to be free-spirited. “She told me to do whatever I want,” she said. “She was very accepting.”

The Mani She's Currently Loving

She has nothing but praise for her nail artist, Saccia, who created the look she wore for this year’s VMAs. She explains that Saccia glued nose rings, belly button rings, and earrings to the tips of the nails and incorporated tie-dye and heat signature prints into the look. “She does this all by hand, and it’s amazing.”

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