Triona McCarthy, fashion & beauty guru

Triona McCarthy, fashion & beauty guru

Triona McCarthy is a qualified beauty therapist and makeup artist and one of Ireland’s most respected and renowned cosmetic industry professionals.  Her weekly column in the Sunday Independent’s LIFE magazine has a cult following.

Having also worked in the fashion industry as a buyer and designer Triona is as close to the cloth as to the cosmetic counter and is IMAGE magazine’s resident wardrobe mistress with her ‘What I Know About’ monthly column.

Equally at home in a hoodie or haute couture Triona lives and breathes fashion and beauty but here takes a more subdued look at her life, as a girl…

Because I am a Girl I ask … that people – especially all the girls out there – support this extraordinary campaign.  Have you got a Twitter or Facebook account?  Use it and we can make a real difference in women’s lives by creating awareness, leading debate and driving change.  Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did but backwards and in high heels!  So let’s hear it for the girls!

Because I am a Girl I believe … in making the most of myself.  When I look good, I feel good.  But I’m also very aware that beauty is only skin deep.  Albert Einstein was a right smarty pants and was bang on the button when he said: “If most of us are ashamed of shabby clothes and shoddy furniture, let us be more ashamed of shabby ideas and shoddy philosophies….It would be a sad situation if the wrapper were better than the meat wrapped inside it.”  Hmmm, could have been his wife that whispered that in his ear!

Because I am a Girl I hope … to raise awareness, especially amongst young women, to the fact that we are never too young to be breast aware and a bit of D.I.Y. is a must for the bust!  The best chest test is doing it for yourself.  Detecting a change early means that if cancer is diagnosed any treatment may well have a better outcome.

Because I am a Girl I wonder … if my sister Tricia would still be alive today if she had received a proper diagnosis on time.  At 26 Tricia went to have a lump in her breast examined but was not given the standard practice of triple assessment on the lump due to her young age.  This lead to serious delays in her diagnosis and three years later she learned the cancer has spread to her liver, which was incurable.  She fought a brave battle against cancer but ultimately lost it earlier this year.

Because I am a Girl I dream … of a cure for cancer and better health services all over the world.

Because I am a Girl I remember … my mother Margaret’s unbelievable strength, caring for my father Paddy Mac when he became sick with Renal Cell cancer nearly ten years ago and dying a month after his diagnosis leaving her with eight children, some still in school and college.  Then when Tricia became ill, once again Mum was there to support us all.  When we learnt that Tricia’s cancer had spread to her liver in March 2009, within 10 minutes of the phone call Mum had packed a small bag and left her home in Schull to live with Tricia in Galway.  It wasn’t until July that Mum returned to Schull again just for the day for my Dad’s anniversary.  Tricia would always say “Mum, it should be me looking after you” but I know that Mum was only delighted that she was in a position to be able to look after Tricia.

Because I am a Girl I like … to smile!  Seriously sisters, it’s much easier to smile than to frown.  A smile uses 17 muscles, a frown 43.  As Lee Mildon once said “People seldom notice old clothes if you wear a big smile.”

Actually this might make you smile….. If there had been three wise women instead of men, they’d have asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby and bought disposable diapers as gifts!

Because I am a Girl I dislike … the sexualisation of young girls through inappropriate beauty products and clothing directly aimed at them.  Black leather dominatrix boots on a ten-year-old?  No thank you!

Because I am a Girl I feel … pressure to look a certain way but thankfully I have an appreciation for what is important in life as I age disgracefully!  I realise my belly and bust have expanded and I have an extra chin, but it’s my family and friends that make the journey worthwhile.  Maybe my body expanded to hold all the wisdom and love I’ve gained over the years!

Because I am a Girl I … live my life as best I can.  I believe if you give then you will receive, many times over.  A good deed a day is uplifting, whether it’s helping a friend out, donating to charity or supporting a very worthy cause like this.

– Triona McCarthy