Darwin ‘local gal’ named Australia’s top small business makeup artist
Darwin’s Nicki Marakas started doing makeup in her bedroom aged 17 – now she's beaten Australia's best to claim a prestigious national business award. Read more.
As the Top End recovers from the swirling mass that was Cyclone Fina, one Darwin “local gal” is still recovering from her own whirlwind after scoring a top national award.
The 26-year-old business owner of Enness Beauty, Nicki Marakas, was still reeling in shock days after attending the Australian Women's Small Business Champion Award 2025 where she was named the winner in the Makeup Division.
At the beginning of the night, Nicki said the odds were not stacked in her favour.
Her fellow nominees were all based in Sydney and it seemed she was the only Territorian in attendance.
So when her name was called out, the born and bred Darwinite was unprepared.
“I thought what are my odds being a local NT small business because the NT does get missed a lot,” Nicki said.
“I really didn’t expect to win at all.
“I’m still in complete shock. The crowd definitely went a little bit crazy when I said I’m here to represent the NT.
“It’s just so humbling obviously the industry I work in we don’t really work for the accolades but even just to be recognised and I guess somewhat to a degree appreciated on a deeper level …
“Things like this mean a lot to a small business.”
Nicki was 17 years old when she first started doing makeup from her bedroom.
With a background in dance and performing arts, as a teen Nicki enjoyed playing around with stage makeup and as she refined her craft, she started freelancing with big name brands like Estelle Lauder, Clinique and Lancôme.
Eventually Nicki started her own business account and moved from her bedroom to a private studio with her business name lit up in LED lights.
“That was I made it moment,” she said.
“My biggest thing was I really wanted to see my business name lit up in lights.”
From there, the makeup artist with a double degree started doing different collaborations for gyms, magazines and working weddings.
“What I would say I enjoy the most is definitely wedding days,” Nicki said.
“I love being surrounded by all the organised chaos on the day especially when I’m doing mobile services.
“I’ve been told by my clients that I have a calming presence.”
Despite her success, the Magnify HER Darwin and NT Young Achiever nominee, said growing her business has not been without its challenges.
During Covid Nicki worked hard to stay relevant and consistently produced makeup tutorial videos while getting another degree and was forced to take a break from work after undergoing two ACL knee reconstruction surgeries.
But through it all she said there is that moment at the end of an appointment which makes it all worth it.
“When your client looks at themselves in the mirror after their makeup and they’re like ‘Oh my god, I feel so beautiful. I feel so confident’,” she said.
“That for me is the most fulfilling thing in my job is making people realise, especially for girls who maybe don’t see their full potential in their beauty, for them to have that realisation or to feel like themselves a little bit more.”
When asked what was next, Nicki said one day she would love to have her own cosmetics brand but for now she was working on being a one-stop shop by moving into providing hair services.
“And just constantly upskilling making sure my customer satisfaction is still sitting at 100 per cent and still doing my job as efficiently as I can,” she added.
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Originally published as Darwin ‘local gal’ named Australia’s top small business makeup artist
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