Triona McCarthy: Dive into the top nail trends hitting the red carpet this summer

My inner child is thrilled, as is my baby sister Anna, who was practically reared by Ariel from The Little Mermaid movie; as a kid, she was often plonked in front of the telly while my parents worked away. I recently went to see the remake of the movie with my little girl Mini, and, in a full-circle turn of events, this is now her favourite movie, like, in the history of EVER! So let’s dive into what’s needed to nail the mermaid nail trend.

Our first port of call should be actor Halle Bailey, who plays Ariel in the current movie. I noticed her nails adorned with accoutrements at various premieres, and it reminded me of the new Chanel nail stickers. The limited-edition, €96, chanel.com — UK only, but you could use AddressPal, includes two shades of polish; Le Gel Coat, a high-shine top coat; and two sheets of 45 logo-adorned nail stickers in black and white.

The brand recently rejuvenated the Le Vernis line and the collection of colours has been whittled down to 24. The new formula lasts up to five days, while the bottle has a bigger, flatter, wider brush, which makes perfect application easy.

My own aqua nails are a divine mermaid-y colour, Across the Universe Turquoise Glitter Gel Nail Polish, €10. I used the Starter Gel Polish Kit, €95, 14daymanicure.com. It has all you need, including an LED/UV lamp, to do your nails at home.

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Rimmel London also has movies in mind with its new Rimmel x Disney 60 Seconds Super Shine Nail Polish Mickey and Friends, €5.49, boots.ie, collection — its most colourful collab yet. It is another limited-edition nail polish collection, with six seasonal shades matched perfectly to everyone’s favourite iconic Disney characters.

The polish dries in less than 60 seconds, creating a high-shine, bold, anti-fade, chip-resistant colour that lasts for up to 10 days. The precision maxi brush gives quick, one-stroke application that glides perfectly on the nail for a flawless, professional-like finish.

If a nude, natural nail is your thing, Perfectil Plus Nails Extra Support tablets, €31.25, mccartans.ie, have the benefit of the original Perfectil tablets but are formulated with extra support for nails with the mineral selenium, as well as biotin for your skin and zinc for your hair.

Three to try

1 Image Skincare Prevention+ Sun Serum SPF30 Tinted 30ml, €64, imageskincare.ie This multi-purpose mineral SPF 30 serum AND skin tint in one provides broad-spectrum UV protection with a lightweight and delicious dewy finish. It feels fresh and is packed full of plant squalane that moisturises the skin.

2 Avene Antirougeurs Unifying SPF30, €25, from pharmacies nationwide and online at boots.ie This terrific tinted daily moisturiser soothes, hydrates and protects the skin daily while correcting redness for up to six hours. Such a great one for the sensitive-skinned amongst us.

3 Sculpted by Aimee, Hydra Tint SPF 20, €25, sculptedbyaimee.com Say a great big hallelujah to this sheer-tinted coverage with 90pc skincare ingredients from Irish gal Aimee Connolly. This gives a soft, natural matte finish to the skin with sheer buildable coverage, while adding a soft veil of colour for all skin types.