Welcome back to Emily's Anthology, everyone! I am kicking the week off with a nail post - since I hardly ever do these.

Long gone are the days when a few coats of simple nail polish were enough to make your hands look their best. From glitter to strass, shellacking to degrade – today there’s a whole world of nail art at your disposal. Our hands offer an excellent canvas for people to express their inner artist, particularly for creative personalities looking to show off their designs.

And what better occasion to show off your beautiful nails than on a first date? Wherever you’re based in Australia – whether Melbourne or Sydney – great dating opportunities abound. There is a lot to love about Melbourne and Sydney, and you can discover new places together, with a bit of nail art prep only adding to your allure. Wherever you go for your date, make sure your nails are in tip-top condition, ready to wow your new guy, with these four nail art designs.

1. The Classic French Polish


Now it might not be the most outgoing of nail designs – in fact it’s possibly one of the oldest and best-known nail styles around – but at the end of the day, it’s a tried and tested method.

If you aren’t the most girly of girls, but still want to make the effort of having your nails done, this is a feminine and flattering nail design that’s sure to impress on any date.

2. Strass nail design

If you’re a fan of your bling, strass nail designs will let you glitz and glam your nails to your heart’s content. You can choose a stone design that matches your outfit, or perhaps co-ordinate with the other gemstones in your jewellery.

If it’s a first date and you’re unsure of how much he likes glittery styles, maybe stick to a tasteful, simple gemstone in each finger, rather than diamonds encasing the entire nail!

The Kiss Nail strips (pictured above) retail at AUD 13.99 per pack of 28 strips.

3. Shellac nails
This is the perfect nail art for anyone heading on an outdoors date, like rock climbing or hiking. Shellac nail polish is much stronger than traditional polish and won’t chip during physical activity or sport. This means you can get stuck in on a first date, without worrying about damaging your nails.
4. Degrade nail design

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you've all got fun plans for this weekend :)

Today I am sharing with you my review of one of the latest nail products to reach our shores - the Press & Go Nail Dress by US brand Broadway Nails.

Broadway Nails: Get a salon perfect manicure in seconds!

• Press on, peel off.

• No drying time, no mess

• Superior, lasting shine

• Easy removal

• Lasts up to a week

I had these babies on for about a week and here are my thoughts:

Packaging
This has got to be one of the cutest packages I've seen in a while on a Western brand! It comes in a clear nail polish bottle, which slides open to reveal a pop-open case housing the nail covers.


Product
The kit comes with 24 nail covers, and there are lots of different sizes so they cover almost every nail size. They even have a cleansing pad to prep your nails before application. The concept is simple enough - first, match the nail covers to your natural nails and line them up so they are at the ready during the application. Clean your nails, then peel of the protective sticker cover and press the nail cover onto your natural nail.

The nails are short - which I think is smart because longer stick-on nails tend to be really uncomfortable and cause some pain at times. At their shortest, my nails are relatively long, and the decals cover them just nicely. If you have especially long nails, you might want to check these out in store before you buy them.


One thing I don't like about this is the smell of the nail covers. They have this plastic odour, much like the smell of plastic toy jewellery for children. When you first open the kit, it is very strong and unpleasant, but the smell fades after the first day. In the days following, the smell was still there, but only when I brought my fingers right up to my nose.

Performance
The overall effect of the nails once applied was beautiful! I loved the way my nails looked - very polished and not at all fake.


These lasted me about 6 days before I finally took them off. By the 5th day or so, one or two nails were starting to feel a little loose, and I could feel them moving whenever I put pressure on them. It might have been the way I applied them, because the rest of the nails felt as sturdy as ever. I am really impressed with the lasting power of these nail covers - they stuck really well and felt very comfortable, like I wasn't wearing anything on my nails at all.

The print on the nails started wearing off a little by Day 5 - as pictured below. But as you can see, they were hardly noticeable and didn't take away from the overall appearance of the nails.


Removal was quick and easy, although one or two nails did get slightly damaged in the process. Two of my nails looked damaged, and the rest had just minor scratches on them.


Overall, I think these nails worked amazingly well for me, and I would definitely get some to use for a special occasion. They come in 18 different patterns, and some of them are really gorgeous. I cannot wait to get my hands on them!

They are on sale now for AUD 13.99 at Pricelines and selected pharmacies. You need to check out their other patterns - they are absolutely brilliant!

This product was provided for review and consideration in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.