A friend told Ms Crooks about the CMC Makeup School’s Makeup Warrior Competition and she set about planning her artwork.

She used model Ashlee Hutchins and photographer Rachel Deane for her artwork that utilised fine lines, something she had struggled with.

“The area I’m struggling with was fine lines, so I pushed myself and worked on it,” she said.

“I wanted to go for really fine lines and it worked.”

She was the only Australian winner out of 50 entries (one other Australian artist entered), with the winner from Bulgaria and second placegetter from the USA.

The owner of Fairy Eyes said body art was symbolic of life.

“You really should grab that moment because once you wash it off, it’s gone,” she said.

“I started out in makeup 10 or 15 years ago and got my certificate I, but I found it restrictive and I went to body- and face- painting. I love that the body can be a canvas and it’s living art.”

The award came about after she received enough likes on Facebook to make the top 10 with one of her images (she entered two), and world-renowned makeup artists then decided on the final three.

Her artwork will be published in The Makeup Artist Mag, sponsored by CMC Makeup School and in The Makeup Warrior 2013 book. She also won a makeup supplies pack.

“It was a nice little New Year’s thing to wake up to,” Ms Crooks said. “I’ve been walking on a cloud since I found out.”

Ms Crooks’ next project is a 2015 body art calendar, collaborating with a local photographer and model, to raise money for SIDS research and awareness.