Triona McCarthy: Embrace the yellow mellow trend with my sun-inspired nail polish, make-up and skincare picks

Hello yellow! Are you seeing lots of yellow everywhere? From nails to knickers, it’s the biggest trending colour at the moment, with designers like Chanel and Chloé including it in their spring/summer 2025 collections. My 10-year-old daughter tells me it’s one of indie-pop star Gracie Abrams’ favourite colours so if you’re a stan, then you’re probably already wearing it. From butter yellow to neon brights, there are so many ways to incorporate the sunshine shade into your look, and trust me, it will boost your mood. Research in neuroscience indicates that being around the colour yellow can boost serotonin production and I am here for it!

Nailed it Now, if yellow scares you, let’s go in gently with the new Chanel Le Vernis in Ovni (€33, brownthomas.com) a chic yellow polish that’s long-wearing, extra-fine and ultra-shiny. It has a flat, wide brush for easy and precise application and features a high concentration of pigment, and best of all it’s good for your nails as it is enriched with camellia eco-ceramides.

Trinny Yellow I always associate Trinny Woodall with the colour yellow as she often wears it as well as incorporating it into her branding. She has just launched the ultimate multi-tasker for lips, cheeks and eyes — a make-up stick which comes in bronze and pink tones. They are so handy when out and about and without a mirror. The Trinny London Trinity (€44, trinnylondon.com) sticks are dual-ended, with one glow formula and one creamy matte. There are three different sticks — New York, Mustique and Venice — and one end is a sheer, dewy balm formula that adds subtle glow wherever you want it, while the other end is a pigmented, beautifully creamy formula. Check out Woodall’s video tips on how best to apply it.

Sunny Showers The Sundae Whipped Shower Foam in Lemon Zest (€16.99, simplybe.ie) is the very thing to brighten up your bodycare routine. The Australian beauty innovators are on a mission to elevate our state of mind with their oh-so-sweet shower foam scents. Vegan and cruelty-free, they instantly whip into a luxurious frothy foam, and the hydration and long-lasting scent lingers on your skin all day to keep you happy out.

Yelly the Elephant Drunk Elephant Mello Marula Cream Cleanser (€38, arnotts.ie) is an ultra-gentle, low-lather cleanser that soothes and replenishes skin while gently removing make-up, sunscreen and daily pollution. It calms and balances all skin types and removes impurities, even in the eye area. Your skin will feel soft and clean after use. The cleanser also contains seed oil for a healthy glow and seed butter to intensely moisturise.

Sunny Spritz If you’re heading away on holidays or if the Irish weather agrees to play ball with us, you might want to give yourself a spritz of Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance SPF 50 Body Spray (€41.40, spacenk.com). It has a creamy vanilla, amber essence that smells great and gives your skin a natural sheen. Apply it generously 15 minutes before exposing yourself to the sun. The bonus is that while the SPF 50 protects your skin, it will also refresh and hydrate it.

Treat

Marc Jacobs Daisy Glow, from €99, pharmacies nationwide While we’re on the yellow theme, the beloved Marc Jacobs has three new limited-edition fruity and floral scents that reflect the playful and bold spirit of his design aesthetic. There’s Daisy Glow, Daisy Eau So Fresh Glow and Daisy Love Glow, which have all been created by the renowned perfumer Alberto Morillas.

Treatment

Lumecca IPL, €250, kerryhanaphy.com Lumecca IPL is what all the beauty journalists I know are talking about. Kerry Hanaphy in Dublin does it, and it’s one of the most powerful intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments around to treat pigmented and vascular lesions. It gives a significant improvement to the complexion and clarity of skin, and diminishes the appearance of age spots⁣⁣, sun damage⁣⁣, rosacea⁣⁣ and⁣⁣ pigmentation.⁣⁣ Now that’s what I call magic!

Trick

Face-brightening hack My daughter Mini loves a TikTok trend and her latest one is face icing, which is beloved by celebs like Bella Hadid and Kate Moss. Cold therapy treatments can be done in the salon, which restrict blood flow and drain excess fluids from the lymphatic system, soothing and tightening the skin. But you can try it out at home for free by gently massaging cold teaspoons or ice cubes across your face several times to reduce swelling and puffiness.