Training & courses
Eyelash-extension courses: nine subjects a serious course must cover
In Switzerland, anyone may teach an eyelash-extension course without a prescribed qualification, examination or government notification. Quality therefore depends on the provider. This guide lists nine essential subjects, four warning signs and the fact that Beauty Rocío does not itself offer an eyelash-extension course.
No state curriculum for lash courses
Federal law requires no licence, notification or V-NISSG certificate to apply eyelash extensions. Article 62 of the Foodstuffs and Utility Articles Ordinance requires cantonal notification for tattooing and permanent makeup, not extensions; the guidance checked for Zurich, Bern and Lucerne also omits them. Other cantons were not reviewed, so ask the competent canton before opening a business.
| Requirement | Laser | Permanent makeup | Extensions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cantonal notification | no | yes, Art. 62 LGV | no |
| V-NISSG certificate | yes, since 1 June 2024 | not for application itself | no |
| Protected activity title | no | no | no |
| Routine work at the eyelid | doctor-only near the eye | normal for eyeliner | normal, without a specific qualification rule |
Product law, advertising law, duty of care and liability still apply. The lack of a state course standard means students must check the curriculum themselves.
Nine essential subjects
- Natural-lash anatomy and growth cycle
- Adhesive composition and cyanoacrylate allergy
- Isolation of one natural lash at a time
- Weight and length relative to the natural lash
- Hygiene, disinfection and ventilation
- Pre-treatment patch testing and its limits
- Aftercare and appointment intervals
- Situations in which treatment must be declined
- Informed consent, product-batch documentation and liability insurance
Growth cycle, weight and isolation
Human measurement data are limited: Thibaut and colleagues reported an average 34-day growth phase, a roughly 90-day cycle and about 0.12 millimetres growth per day, with the full-cycle figure based on four women. Weight tables largely come from manufacturers; they are physically plausible, but no study establishes a universal maximum per natural lash. Isolation means one extension on one natural hair. Bonding two hairs with different cycles creates tension and can pull the younger hair.
Adhesive, allergy and testing
Extension adhesive is mainly ethyl cyanoacrylate. A Japanese ophthalmology series of 107 affected clients reported 64 cases of keratoconjunctivitis after adhesive or remover entered the eye and 42 allergic lid inflammations; all resolved with treatment. The three tested adhesives released formaldehyde above the stated threshold, and cyanoacrylate is independently documented as a contact allergen. “Hypoallergenic” is not a legally defined guarantee.
A wrist test is a precaution, not an allergy exclusion. Sensitisation may develop over time, and a Finnish report on two exposed beauticians found the first workplace-related provocation negative and a later one positive. A course must also cover ventilation, minimal adhesive quantity, closed eyes throughout, instrument processing and when to decline treatment: active eye inflammation, recent surgery, known cyanoacrylate allergy or a medical situation not cleared by the treating doctor.
Four warning signs
One day and a “state-recognised” diploma
One or two days can demonstrate the technique but cannot create reliable isolation practice. There is no federal eyelash-extension qualification to be state recognised.
Practice only on a mannequin
A mannequin neither blinks nor reacts to vapour. Ask how many live models are treated under supervision.
No contact after the course day
Questions begin with the first independent sets. Look for a named contact, a defined support period and feedback on later work.
The course exists to sell one product line
Manufacturer education may know its products well but may omit comparison. A compulsory starter kit and locked-in repeat purchases make the course a sales channel too.
Risks to the stylist
Two beauticians exposed for hours each day developed occupational rhinitis, and one a delayed asthmatic response, in the cited Finnish report; airborne ethyl cyanoacrylate measured 0.4 mg/m³. Occupational contact dermatitis is also documented. A systematic review found roughly eight-fold higher sensitisation risk to a related acrylate among hairdressers and beauticians (risk ratio 8.47). This does not mean every stylist becomes ill; it makes ventilation, tiny adhesive quantities and closed bottles part of training.
Why DIY extensions do not work safely
Proper isolation needs a closed eye and two tweezers working from above. Neither is possible on one's own open eye in a mirror. A prospective study of 32 extension wearers found 84.4 per cent reported symptoms an hour after application, usually a foreign-body sensation; small staining defects and temporarily reduced tear-film stability also appeared and resolved. A DIY user has no trained observer to judge the response.
At home, mascara is the simpler option. Oxidative tint is professional-use only in Switzerland; see eyelash tinting and serums. For lift without synthetic fibres, see lash lifting, priced at CHF 89 with no infill appointment.
Treatment and course costs
Beauty Rocío's public market reference is its treatment price: a Natural 1:1 new set costs CHF 129 and takes 60 to 90 minutes; an infill every two to three weeks costs CHF 79, and removal CHF 35. No dependable national course-price dataset exists. Compare supervised models, support duration and required repeat purchases rather than headline price.
What Beauty Rocío does and does not offer
Beauty Rocío does not offer an eyelash-extension course. Brows and lashes form one block in the broader beautician course with internship, embedded in skin science, hygiene and consultation. The route into the profession is explained in becoming a beautician in Switzerland. The salon does offer extensions as a treatment.
Sources & review date
- Swiss career guidance: Beautician EFZ
- Prospective study of eyelash extensions and the ocular surface
- Clinical case series of eye disorders caused by eyelash extensions
- EU Regulation 2015/1190 on lash-waving products and thioglycolic acid
Sources reviewed: .
Frequently asked questions
What does an eyelash-extension course cost in Switzerland?
There is no standard price or dependable national survey. Compare the number of supervised models, length of follow-up support and included or compulsory materials.
How long does it take to learn eyelash extensions?
Swiss basic courses commonly last one or two days. That is enough to demonstrate the hand movement, not to make isolation reliable. Competence needs repeated work on many different eyes under feedback.
Do I need a licence for eyelash extensions?
Not under the federal rules or the three cantonal guides checked. Product, advertising and duty-of-care law still apply. Ask the competent canton before opening a business.
Is a lash-course certificate state recognised?
No federal qualification exists specifically for extensions. A private certificate records what its school assessed; it is not an EFZ or federal professional diploma.
Can I apply extensions to myself with a kit?
We advise against it. Proper isolation and adhesive control are not possible on your own open eye, and nobody is present to assess symptoms.
Do extensions damage natural lashes?
Evidence is mixed. Short-term prospective data found temporary ocular-surface changes; an observational study found associations with abnormal lashes but cannot prove causation. Neither complete harmlessness nor dramatic inevitable damage is established.
Does Beauty Rocío offer an eyelash-extension course?
No. Brows and lashes are included as a block in the beautician course with internship. Extensions are offered as a salon treatment.
Courses at the Zürichstrasse institute
Four courses: beautician training with internship, gel nails, makeup and permanent-makeup artist training. Brows and lashes are a block within beautician training. Fixed prices range from CHF 280 for the basic makeup course to CHF 6900 for beautician training, excluding VAT.
View the four courses