Love is in the air as Triona McCarthy, our beauty expert, gives us the lowdown on what she’s lusting over this week
Triona’s Trends
Love may be blind, but if you’re beauty obsessed, then I’ll bet getting ready for a date night doesn’t stop at choosing the right outfit. Do you put more thought into your make-up look? Why not make Valentine’s Day the perfect excuse to get a little adventurous and move away from your usual make-up routine? I’ve found two hot products with plenty of pulling power.
First up, let’s talk about Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Foundation SPF 30, €44, available nationwide. The clue is in the name ‘self-refreshing’, meaning it provides all-day hydration and keeps your face looking flawless. The formula is fantastic; it’s lightweight without being too sheer. It’s a kind of magic.
With your skin primed, now’s a good time to focus on your eyes. Whether you’re a dab-hand or not, Too Faced wants to make eyeliner application the easiest yet. Too Faced Better Than Sex Eyeliner, €23, is a sultry, inky black liner that sets and dries in seconds. It’s vegan and cruelty free, and promises to last up to 24 hours without a smudge in sight. Perfect for the type of date you never want to end.
Most Wanted
Victoria Beckham’s first foray into skincare is with biomedical scientist Augustinus Bader. The Victoria Beckham By Augustinus Bader Cell Rejuvenating Priming Moisturiser, from €110, is absolutely divine. The primer has anti-aging and skincare benefits, and it leaves my skin with the best dewy, healthy glow. Posh produced this lightweight créme that aims to activate the skin’s regenerative process, bringing you closer to a radiance akin to Vicky’s flawless and poreless skin. Sold!
Mani Inspo
Looking for some mani inspo? My advice is to check out Tom Bachik on Instagram. Celeb manicurist, Tom, nailed it at last month’s Golden Globes. He did the talons of J-Lo and Margot Robbie – check out his Insta feed for close-ups – and he has inspired me to get a little experimental with my own nails in the process. Luckily, I found my own Tom in Dublin. Well, her name is Queralt and she’s a nail tech at Origin Hair Company, and an absolute pro. She added a glittery ombre dimension to my nails that effortlessly took me from a funeral one day, to TV the next.
Origin Hair Company, 41 Ranelagh Village, D6, tel (01) 497-1209 or see www.originhaircompany.com
Smile!
For that dentist-clean feel at home, the clever sister duo at Spotlight Oral Care have launched the Spotlight Sonic Toothbrush, from €110. It boasts effective brushstrokes and three settings, along with a 70-day battery life. The vibrations tickled the mouth off me to begin with, and I seriously considered contacting the gals to let them know they could go into another type of business, should the whole dental thing not work out! Definitely something to smile about.
Cult Product
I know it’s cheesy, but Will and I often wear matching his and hers fragrances. I can see you rolling your eyes there! Anyhoo, just in time for Valentine’s, Emporio Armani has released a new duo of fragrances: for him, Stronger With You Freeze, €63, a woody citrus fougère; and for her, In Love with You Freeze, €78, a fruity floriental that are both available nationwide. These scents are new flankers to 2018’s In Love With You for women, and 2017’s Stronger With You for men. So, if you were a fan of that duo, you’re gonna totally fall in love with these, too.
Available at Brown Thomas
Triona’s Trick
Seeing as scents are said to affect our feelings, why not get those love hormones pumping by spritzing some in in a few more places for maximum effect; try the inner elbows, the neck hollow, behind the ears, and even behind the knees.