Some girls just don't like playing with dolls. Upon confrontation with such a norm-rejection many a young Mum would start early preparations for that 'Mum, I wanna be a truckie' or even the 'Mum, I'm gay' speech.

But Olga Malafouris seems to have gotten her stereotype-wires crossed – somewhere in between ditching the dolls all those years ago and becoming a world-beating make-up artist.

It was a connection to designer of the label Bebe that secured Olga her first gig in '98. The label was looking for a makeup artist for a shoot and, bam! Olga was in. A solid stint of working for free, assisting on jobs and establishing her portfolio helped Olga develop a strong sense of dedication to her profession; it also allowed her obsession with her art to blossom.

'You have to work on your craft no matter what stage of your professional life you're at... I think in order to stay truly creative to your art you need to do things on your own, and keep the inspiration alive by doing things, not necessarily for clients and not necessarily for money, but just for the love of it. That's what makes you a better artist on any scale.'

Olga's dedication impressed some of the top dogs in Australian fashion. In particular Sam Correy, Kellie Straton and Rae Morris whose experience and knowledge she received gratefully

'I think what they taught me was to just go along your path and trust your instinct and see where that takes you.'

Olga's path took her overseas, where she tried the old 'have a crack and see if I can make it' approach. New York was her destination, six months was the waiting/working period before: look out NY, Olga's in the biz! The formula of knowing your shit + taking a risk = pay off: Olga found herself was working international shows in New York, London and Paris, for Val Garland – London's make up artist extraordinaire who has worked with the like of Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Bjork and Chloë Sevigny – and Charlotte Tilbury – who has painted the faces of Kate Moss and Gwyneth Paltrow and is more recently known for her daring collaborations with McQueen.

So it was with all that international success in her wake that Olga retuned to the outstretched arms of agents in Australia. Today she continues to work freelance under the agency of Company 1.

Olga puts her success down to (in part) a high level of talent and determination. Still, a few minutes in the company of this woman makes you think that it might also be Olga's need to constantly challenge herself that's the secret ingredient here.

'To improve your art you need to work with the best. That's how you excel because you're under pressure and they challenge you and that's what you continuously need to do. Of course every job becomes mundane and routine-based so if you end up going overseas and working with the world's best you step up to the next level.'

In the fickle world of fashion, Olga has also committed herself to protecting her rep and has been blessed in the word-of-mouth game as a result.

'I will not sell myself, I just can't do it, I'm incapable, of course you get to a point where you're just so exhausted and mentally drained for just trying to prove yourself that you consider the option but I didn't, that's one thing I'm really proud of.'

Now that Olga has reached the point where she gets to work freelance on the jobs she wants, she realises that, although make-up ain't brain surgery, it is her own process of creativity, and creatively it gets her orrrff.

'The beautiful thing about working for yourself is that it's your own creative process. You come up with the idea you interact with the photographer and the stylist and it becomes a process to create an image that was in some ones head.'

'The ironic thing is I never liked dolls and a kid and now all I do it play dress ups.'