Black is the new crack.

I've fielded many questions at work lately.

"When is the shackle arriving?"

"Where is the crinkler?"

"Is my black spackler in?"

"Can you show me the black cracker?"

And most famously...

"Do you have Katy Perry's crack?"

That was the most accurate description so far.

The true name is Black Shatter, by O.P.I.

Pop Powerhouse + partnership with O.P.I brand + heavy advertising = consumer frenzy.

I can spot them now. The customers who are after the crack. They come in wild-eyed, muttering excitedly (sometimes with a friend in tow), and when their eyes start to frantically dart around the store I usually end their anticipation by saying, "Hi there. You're looking for the Shatter? I'm sorry, they haven't come in yet." I've witnessed a lot of devastation this past month and learned to plaster on my sorry-to-disappoint-you face.

The product itself is a nail polish that 'shatters' when you apply it. I gave in to the trend to see what the fuss was about and after applying one coat of the black shatter, you watch as the colour slowly breaks apart to settle into unique segmented patterns. The real draw is experimenting with different base colours to create customized, signature looks. The possibilities are really endless. I've spied nails that so attractively look like a cow print as well as 'shattered' french manicures.

From a business point of view, it's genius.

From a shopgirl point of view, it's entertainment.

I can see this being a formidable trend that will eventually go down in history once it's overdone like TNA pants or Jersey Shore. In any case, silver shatters as well as coloured shatters are rumoured to be arriving so it's well on its way to fulfill that destiny. Let the mayhem ensue.