Top 10 first date fears – including when to lean in for a kiss

Nearly nine in ten (89 percent) admitted to getting the jitters before a first date, and 39 percent have an alcoholic drink beforehand to help calm their nerves.

But for some, the first date fears came true, as 34 percent didn’t have anything to talk about, 20 percent had to sit through a boring date, and 14 percent were stood up.

Other failures saw them getting offended by something their date said (11 percent), forgetting their date’s name (10 percent), and spilling sauce down a top or shirt (eight percent).

It also emerged that while 48 percent feared going on a first date, 46 percent similarly worried about meeting the in-laws – and 48 percent were nervous about their first kiss.

For some, there are added worries for this moment, with 20 percent of glasses wearers experiencing “kiss-clash” – where two pairs of glasses collide while going in for a kiss.

Consequently, 38 percent of glasses wearers find them annoying when kissing.

The main reasons for this include having them clashing with the other person’s glasses (46 percent), them fogging up (36 percent), and their hair getting caught in them (24 percent).

Others said their glasses get in the way when they are exercising (26 percent), doing make-up (22 percent), and cooking (20 percent).

The research was carried out by Specsavers, which is offering a one month free contact lens trial to help people avoid kiss-clash.

It also found that of those with a sight prescription, 17 percent are scared of trying contact lenses for the first time – with eight in ten more nervous about this than they are about having a first kiss.

Nearly six in ten (57 percent) are worried the lenses will get stuck in their eye, while 51 percent fear it will hurt, and 50 percent think they will poke themselves in the eye.

And 41 percent are also worried about losing their contact lenses in their eyes, according to the study carried out via OnePoll.

Alexandra Green, head of contact lenses for Specsavers, said: “It’s interesting to hear so many people are more scared about trying contact lenses for the first time than they are about having their first kiss – and we don’t want this to be the case.

“We love glasses, but we know that sometimes they can get in the way – kissing being a prime example.

“That’s why we’re offering a free month’s contact lenses trial, so everyone can have a kiss-clash free Valentine’s Day.”