Our birthday gal brings us the best of beauty with her must-have hero products of the summer.
MOST WANTED
My flicks look flawless today. My eyeliner game is strong, so it makes me feel, I don’t know, extra. It wasn’t always this way – until I discovered The Vamp Stamp VaVaVoom Stamp, above, €25, from cultbeauty.com.
It’s such a no-brainer. All you have to do is pop the stamp into an eyeliner pot, then line it up to the outer corner of your eye and choose what angle you want your wing to be at. Stamp it on, and BOOM! Perfect flicks. It’s that easy.
TRIONA TRIES
I was always into Wonder Woman when I was a young wan – see Gal Gadot, above, who plays the current incarnation – while Brendan, my eldest brother, always played with Action Man. And guess what, guys, that’s exactly what he grew up to be. His Facebook feed is full of adventures, whether it’s abseiling or rock climbing or raising money for charity – or hanging out with Prince Harry at the Invictus Games in the US.
For some serious grooming action, Brendan favours Sam’s Barbers flagship shop on 28 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1, where brothers Sam and James, fourth-generation barbers, take care of all #groominggoals.
See samsbarbers.com
BEE-UTIFUL
My dad, the late Paddy Mac, told me all about the birds and the bees! He knew the name of every single bird and, as for bees, he was all about the healing properties of honey to treat skin problems.
Now before you decide to break out a big ole jar of the sticky stuff say, eh, hey, to Hey Honey instead, a range of skincare products blending honey with propolis, another amazing healing ingredient. The 911 Pro Gel, above, €45, a multi-purpose skin saviour, helps to repair skin damage, as well as soothe, calm, and purify the skin.
TRIONA’S TRICK
Here’s a handy hack, ideal for Monday mornings. Comfort a parched complexion with a facial mist made using a spritz bottle filled with cooled peppermint tea and a few drops of lavender. Spray it over your make-up during the day as you recover.
CULT PRODUCT
Tom darling, you always tickle my pickle with your delicious designs, such as this limited-edition Tom Ford Orchid Soleil Collection Solid Perfume Compact, above, €155. The exquisitely designed, ribbed, rose-and-gold-tone compact certainly appeals to my Leonine love of all things luxurious.
It’s perfect for popping in your bag. To get noticed, dab the solid scent on your decolletage, shoulders and wrists.
TRIONA’S TOP TRENDS
It’s my birthday tomorrow. So #HBD to me! Wondering what age I am? Well, let me put it like this… I still haven’t had my 40th birthday party, as Will, who’s six years younger, btw, wants us to have a joint one. I know, I know. Like, WTF! So it’ll be a few more years yet. Until then, I need to keep my skin game strong. Pollution is now believed to be as damaging to skin as UV exposure, so something like Declare Global Protection Serum, above, €59.50, is essential. Not only does it protect skin from pollution and environmental stress, it lessens the effects of high-energy visible (HEV) light from electronic devices, and protects against the negative effects caused by infrared light.
It’s not just our skin that suffers the effects of pollution, our hair does, too. If, like me, you get a weekly blow-dry, then your hair can be days between washes, so imagine the deeper impact that the environment is having on hair colour, shine and hair quality. Just as well, then, that Charles Worthington has a new range, Radiance Restore – the very first charcoal hair care range to hit the high street. There’s a Charcoal Shampoo, below left, a Charcoal Conditioner, below centre, conditioner and an Enviromental Protection Mist, below right, all €5.99, to deep cleanse hair from the dulling effects of pollution and grime and help restore its natural radiance and shine.
The mist is my fave; it contains a unique formula of activated charcoal, UV filters and thermal protection, so it double jobs by shielding hair from environmental and heat damage.
*This piece first appeared in the Sunday Independent Life Magazine on July 30th 2017*