Nameera Kazi

This research examined how dopamine-triggering influencer content on TikTok and Instagram shapes both purchase and post-purchase emotions among UK Gen Z beauty consumers. Using narrative inquiry interviews, it analysed how platform affordances and multisensory influencer cues (textures, swatches, ASMR, transformations) stimulate dopamine-driven anticipation and impulse buying. Findings showed that TikTok drives rapid discovery through novelty, while Instagram provides aspirational validation, but short-term highs often collapse into regret or novelty-seeking unless sustained by transparency and credibility.

Key managerial implications highlight two strategic pathways. First, brands can harness gamification and AR/VR experiences as visual proxies to extend the dopamine chase loop using virtual try-ons, immersive filters, and interactive challenges to keep consumers engaged while nudging them towards sustainable shopping habits (e.g., refill incentives, conscious consumption rewards). Second, they must build trust-driven communities through transparency, honest influencer disclosure, extended routines (GRWMs, 30-day reviews), and peer-validation groups that stabilise satisfaction and reinforce loyalty. By balancing playful, dopamine-triggering engagement with credibility, community-building, and ethical storytelling, beauty brands can convert fleeting impulses into enduring and responsible consumer relationships. Ultimately, the future of influencer marketing lies not just in sparking desire but in managing the emotional aftermath that shapes Gen Z’s evolving trust, satisfaction, and loyalty.