In three weeks, her determination will pay off when she becomes a qualified beautician.

On Wednesday, Ms Scanlon put her skills to the test, competing against 56 trainee and apprentice hairdressers in the South West TAFE 2009 Verde Hair and Beauty Competition.

She applied lashings of pink, purple and yellow eye shadow to model April Stutchbury while her competition partner, hairdressing apprentice Katelyn Gibson used a comb and hair straightener to create a curly, bouncy hairdo.

Even in a room filled with eclectic, unusual hairstyles and make-up, the student's avant garde design stood out.

"We think big and bright will be more effective," Ms Scanlon said.

"It definitely stands out more."

TAFE hair and beauty teacher, Jenny Best, said the competition gave students the opportunity to work outside the more generic framework of the commercial beauty industry.

"It encourages them to think creatively and come up with the sort of designs they wouldn't get to create on a day-to-day basis in a commercial salon," she said.

"The students are showcasing the work they've been doing during the year and the judges have been highly impressed."