Finally the beauty and fashion world is as obsessed with nail polish as I am, and has taken this tiny canvas to incredible heights.

Nail polish is the new lipstick, claim many beauty experts, and nail art has exploded in popularity over the years. New formulas developed and became mainstream. Everyone from posh salons to mega-brands like OPI is stepping up their game when it comes to options, and nothing seems too extreme anymore.

Take, for example, OPI's shatter formula, which made its debut a few seasons back and is now as ubiquitous as any solid shade. It's meant to be painted as a topcoat, and the shatter formula does just that: create a 'shatter' effect. As it dries, the polish cracks to reveal some of the colour underneath. Debuting in black, the shatter craze has led to the expansion of eight other colours, including gold, red and navy.

Pioneers in the nail art movement, Minx Nails "extends fashion to your fingertips." Introduced in 2007, Minx skyrocketed to popularity with a huge celebrity following. Printing patterns, solids, metallics and anything else imaginable onto an adhesive strip, Minx is applied to the nail and shaped by a pro with zero drying time and weeks of wear. Sally Hansen and Sephora have since created their own do-it-yourself versions with patterns from lace to leopard print now literally available at your fingertips. Shellac, another nail polish breakthrough, is applied like a regular polish and set with a UV light. With a mirror finish and a 14-day chip-free promise, it's a revolutionary way to get a mani.

Sephora, always a leader in products, recently created a magnetic nail polish. After coating nails with the polish, the cap, which is magnetic, can be used to create patterns or designs and is available in chrome, teal and purple. Other fun Sehpora nail goodies include scented nail polish, nail glitter, nail art stickers and the aforementioned Chic Print for nails.

Nail art has reached such great heights. Cosmo TV has debuted a series called Nail Files, which follows Katie Cazorla, owner of The Painted Nail, a popular salon in Beverly Hills frequented by celebrities. Hosting gifting lounges at events such as The Sundance Film Festival and the Academy Awards (and even walking the red carpet herself!), manicurists are the new celebrities. Miss Ladyfinger (missladyfinger.com), an online phenomenon, is further proof of this. Taking runway trends and turning them into nail art, this blog features a photo of a designer creation and a very real replica of the patterns and colours redone and brought to life in a manicure. Chanel at your fingertips? Yes please.