Cast your mind back to a not-too-distant era when wearing nail polish wasn’t the norm. When only sophisticated secretaries, beauty counter assistants and people whose jobs involved gesticulating a lot painted their nails. Of course, most women spent a little time keeping their nails trimmed and tidy, but nail colour was really reserved for special occasions. And even then, it was red or perhaps pearlescent pink - and most certainly not navy blue, pistachio green or glittery yellow.

Fast forward to 2013; thanks to WAH Nails, must-have colours from Chanel, YSL et al, and nail technicians such as Sophy Robson and Andrea Fulerton, nail art - never mind nail polish - is everywhere. But do you honestly have time to spend painting complex designs on your nails? If you’re not a lady of leisure and have any semblance of a normal life, the answer is probably not. Meet NCLA‘s Nail Wraps.

The Los Angeles brand’s clever wraps make jazzy fingertips a cinch. In fact, application takes even take less time than painting your nails - really! Apply a coat of clear varnish to nails, affix the stickers and then file off the excess wrap and finish with a layer of top coat. That’s it. If you’ve got quick-drying base and top coats, it’ll take you less than ten minutes - and that’s a fairly conservative estimate. The wraps last around a week if you’re careful, which is practically a lifetime in fashion years.

Add a summery flash to fingertips with the So L.A.! wraps which feature bright colours and tropical palm trees. Sunshine ahoy! Or choose a modern twist on classic leopard print in sugary tones - how cool is Pastel Pantera? We especially like NCLA’s collaboration with designer Melody Ehsani, resulting in Maasai culture-inspired wraps and eye-catching geometric patterns in black and white. Time to get a job involving lots of waving your hands around? Definitely.

NCLA Nail Wraps are available to buy at Cult Beauty.