Triona McCarthy: Make-up in minutes for that unexpected Zoom call

The cocky young wan that I was, I used to think that Mum had paid waaaay more for me, and I used to taunt my brothers and sisters that I was the most expensive baby at £10! Anyhoo, my mum was the original beauty influencer in my life. I spoke on the Today with Claire Byrne radio show recently about how my mum instilled in me a very natural approach to beauty in every way — from using what we had to hand in the kitchen cupboard to passing on the trick of always pushing back my cuticles with a towel after washing my hands. I’ve passed on my love of make-up to Mini, my six-year-old — Ireland’s youngest teenager. She loves nothing more than to watch MUA James Charles’s videos on repeat and then squeals when I show her a selfie I took with him, because she’s also inherited my attention-seeking gene! Happy Mother’s Day to you all —whether you’re a mum, or mum-to-be, or a dog or cat mother — today is a day of love

The trend: Hollywood wives

Who watches mum Victoria Beckham on the ’gram to see what she gets up to on the reg? When she mentioned she wore Room Service, a fragrance by niche perfumers VilhelmParfumerie, and said it was “super chic”, of course I had to hunt it down! I found it online at seagreen.ie. Combining fresh mandarin and blackberry with delicious musk base, the fragrance, above, €210 for 100ml eau de parfum, was apparently created to capture the glamour of Hollywood in a bottle. When I smell it, I imagine I’m at the bar at the Beverly Hills Hotel with Marilyn Monroe, sipping cocktails and having the lols.

The tools

She got stretch marks, labour pains, and sacrificed precious beauty sleep! So give your mother something she actually wants. For Mother’s Day, I’m buying my mum Caroline Hirons’ Skincare, above, €20, eason.com. Hirons is the no-nonsense Kween of skin and her book is the ultimate guide for all ages and skin types to achieve good skin — on any budget.

The treatment: Skin and gin

Samantha MUMba, pictured above (see what I did there!) was a recent guest at Eavanna Breen and the Akina Beauty Clinic ‘Skin & Gin’ virtual event — always a sell-out success. Keep an eye out for the next session because the last one was the perfect way to spend an evening — sipping gin and going through a goody bag, which is sent out to you once you’ve bought your tickets. Then listening to the ladies discussing their must-haves, ‘no-gos’ and what they’ve learned about beauty and skincare throughout their careers, with Evanna giving top tips to ensure healthy skin. With salons closed, Eavanna and her team are also available for daily online skin consultations throughout lockdown. During all virtual consultations, the expert team will carry out a thorough analysis of your skin, discuss any concerns you might have and set you on course to secure your best possible skin health and complexion. See akina.ie

The talk: Mum’s the bird

Who remembers that inspirational quote doing the rounds a few years ago that said we have the same amount of hours in a day as Beyoncé? I’m calling bullshit on this one. Between live-in chefs and nannies, not to mention the staff across her clothing lines, record labels etc, that’s a lot more than a mere 24 hours stuffed into one of her days. Now, I’m not ragging on Queen B, but safe to say, most of us don’t have those luxuries. Lately, many of us have been the live-in everything — chef, nanny, maid, teacher — the list goes on. Whether we’re mums or not, life can be busy (even in lockdown), so we need all of the time-saving quick fixes we can get. You just don’t know when you might be caught off-guard with a last-minute Zoom call. So, this week, I’m talking about make-up you can master just minutes before you need to turn on the Zoom camera. First up, I can’t stress the importance of a good moisturiser so that everything sits well on your face. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream, €61.97, is one of the earliest potions she invented — before her product line was even a real thing. It works wonders for tired skin, so it’s a good first step if an early meeting is on the cards. While you let your moisturiser soak in, focus on the eyes. Drops will instantly brighten up those whites and wake ’em up. I love Optrex Double Action Drops, €11.24. They really help my weary eyes when I’m looking at screens all day.

Then, open the eyes with a really good mascara. Benefit They’re Real! Magnet Mascara, above, €29, brownthomas.com, is a great pick. Exaggerated things tend to come across well on screen, so this mascara will fan out and accentuate your lashes in a flash.

By now, your moisturiser will have soaked in and your eyes will be bright, so it’s time to tackle your skin. You’ve heard me talk about ‘skinimalism’ recently, so we’re skipping the foundation for some realness. If you want to cover a blemish or two, pop on some concealer. Try bareMinerals Original Liquid Mineral Concealer, above, €26.50, which is lightweight and will brighten up any areas that might be a little dull. Check out Note Cosmetics Luminous Silk Compact blusher, €8.95. It’s matte, which means you won’t be all shiny on screen, but it has argan oil, so it won’t dry you out. Surprise Zoom-meeting crisis averted!