Self-test: Is the "Make-up artist with federal certificate" course the right one for me?

What does the day-to-day work of a make-up artist with a federal certificate look like?

Make-up artists work in cosmetics and beauty studios, for magazines, film, television and theater or for fashion shows, trade fairs or in department stores, hairdressing salons and perfumeries. They apply make-up to your customers and beautify or change their faces depending on the desired effect. First of all, they assess the skin type and condition of the skin and clarify the customer's wishes and needs. They show what is possible and advise the customer on the advantages and disadvantages of each make-up technique. They then cleanse the face and décolleté and apply a foundation. Then they beautify, emphasize and sculpt brows, eyelashes and lips, cover scars or blemishes and apply eye shadow and lip color. Depending on the customer's wishes, they advise them on suitable make-up techniques and products. Some make-up artists also file and paint fingernails and model a suitable hairstyle. For special orders, they also use wigs, artificial facial parts, beards or artificial hair.

In addition to advising and looking after customers, the activities of make-up artists with a federal certificate also include administrative tasks, scheduling, costing and marketing.

Note: The distribution of tasks and their weighting and frequency may vary depending on the job profile, the type of task and the company. 

Target group and skills: Who is the professional examination (BP) to become a make-up artist with a federal certificate suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?

The course and the professional examination "Make-up artist with a federal certificate" are suitable for

• Trained beauticians / beauticians, hairdressers / hairdressers
• People who work in fashion and photography or in drugstores / perfumeries and would like to further their education
• Persons who wish to prepare for the federal professional examination as a visa specialist with a federal certificate

Make-up artists should have the following personal qualities and skills:

• Skilled hands
• Creativity
• Precise working method
• A sense of color and current trends
• Empathy and ability to work in a team
• Sociability
• Communication skills
• Hygiene awareness
• Sense of responsibility
• Willingness to work irregular hours
• If you have your own practice: economic skills to run your own business

Requirements for admission to the professional examination for make-up artists with a federal certificate (BP):

In order to be able to take the federal professional examination for make-up artists, you must, in accordance with the examination regulations:

• Have a federal certificate of proficiency as a beautician EFZ and at least 2 years of professional experience in make-up artistry

Or

• Have another EFZ and at least 3 years of professional experience in make-up artistry and have successfully completed the basic modules (cosmetics, management and support processes, customer advice).

And

• Have the required module qualifications or certificates of equivalence (Module 12: Day, Evening and Wedding Make-up, Module 13: Fashion, Module 14: Medical / Cosmetic Camouflage and Special Effects)

You will find out whether you have been admitted to the professional examination at least 12 weeks before the start of the examination with a written notification including reasons and information on legal remedies in the event of rejection.

Note: The requirements, such as professional experience, only need to be fulfilled at the time of the federal final examination/application for the examination. Some schools may be prepared to admit you to a preparatory course for the professional examination for make-up artists if you do not (yet) meet the criteria for admission to the federal examination. You must then ensure that you meet the necessary requirements at the time of the exam or exam registration (the responsibility lies with you).

Subject matter and content of the training

The subject matter and content of the preparatory courses for the federal professional examination for make-up artists with a federal certificate are based on the specifications of the sponsoring body of the professional examination, the Swiss Make-up Artists Association (VVdS).

The learning content for make-up artists is divided into the following modules:

• Module 1: Cosmetics(Assessing treatment needs based on a medical history, skin and nail assessment, treatment plan, basic knowledge of color and shape theory, knowledge of and compliance with hygiene and environmental regulations)
• Module 2: Management and support processes(market, environmental and customer orientation, economic and ecological handling of consumables, calculation bases, justification of product prices, receipt of goods, inspection and processing of these, careful handling of materials, devices and equipment, finance and accounting)
• Module 3: Customer advice(Conscious communication taking into account verbal and non-verbal communication techniques, conducting consultation, sales or treatment discussions, relationship building)
• Module 12: Day, evening and wedding make-up(Independent execution of the work steps: Analysis of the customer's skin, product selection, choice of make-up according to the occasion, filing and painting nails, informing the customer about the products used and their application)
• Module 13: Fashion(make-up of various people and models for photo shoots and fashion shows, hair styling according to specifications)
• Module 14: Medical / Cosmetic Camouflage and Special Effects(situationally correct use of medical/cosmetic camouflage, with the help of bald heads, rubber parts, wigs and hairpieces, customers are transformed into another person, animal or fairy-tale figure)

Costs and financing of further training

The costs vary depending on the provider. In general, the following costs must be expected for the 4-semester make-up artist training course, which is designed to be part-time:

• Course feesbetween CHF 8,000 and CHF 14,000, of which you will receive around 50% back from the federal government after the examination (regardless of the result)*.
• Examination feesIn clarification. (as at April 2023) The examination fee is set by the sponsor of this professional examination/course. It is paid by the candidate after admission has been confirmed.
• Extra costsSome schools do not include the costs for teaching materials, training documents and simulation exams in the course fees. Please contact the provider of your choice directly to find out what additional costs you can expect.

*Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for federal professional examinations (BP) and higher professional examinations (HFP) have been financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses can therefore be reimbursed up to 50% (max. CHF 9,500 for BP, max. CHF 10,500 for HFP) of the course costs paid after taking the federal examination. In exceptional cases of hardship, the federal contributions are also paid out in advance.

Duration of study, teaching times/format and learning effort

• DurationThe make-up artist training course is modular and lasts 4 semesters. It is completed on a part-time basis.
• Lesson timesLesson times vary depending on the provider. As a rule, lessons take place two evenings a week or all day on a weekday and/or Saturday.
• Teaching formatMany schools now offer a mix of face-to-face and online courses (online, hybrid teaching, blended learning) as well as self-study.
• Thanks to the in-service training concept, you can apply and deepen the learning material in practice straight away. Nevertheless, you should allow sufficient time for preparation and follow-up of the lessons and for self-study - how much depends on your prior knowledge, working style and learning speed. We recommend that you allow at least 4-6 hours per week as a precaution.

Note: Some schools offer so-called "taster lessons". This gives you the opportunity to gain an insight into the lessons and the learning atmosphere. Important aspects on the way to a successful graduation. It is best to contact the school of your choice directly for a taster lesson.

Degree, diploma and title

The professional examination to become a make-up artist with a federal certificate takes place annually, provided that at least 3 candidates for the practical field of make-up artistry meet the admission requirements, otherwise every two years. It can be held in German, French or Italian.

Candidates are notified at least 8 weeks before the start of the examination. The invitation includes the examination program (with details of the place and time of the examination) and the list of experts.

The professional examination consists of three parts:

1) Case study (written, 120 minutes)

This part of the examination consists of a written examination based on the contents of Module 2 "Management and support processes".

2) Customer consultation (oral, 90 minutes)

In the oral examination, the competencies from Module 3 Customer Advice are tested. Two different action-oriented examination methods are used: role plays (duration 60 minutes) and critical incidents (duration 30 minutes)

3) Work sample with reflection and technical discussion (oral, 180 minutes)

In this part of the examination, modules 1 "Cosmetics", 12 "Day, evening and wedding make-up", 13 "Fashion" and 14 "Medical/cosmetic camouflage and special effects" are examined. Candidates bring a model to the examination based on criteria sent to them in advance. They then work on the model as part of the work sample. This part of the examination proceeds as follows:

• Skin/nail assessment and preparation of a treatment plan (duration 60 minutes)
• Practical treatment / work sample (duration 90 minutes)
• Expert discussion and reflection on the procedure (duration 30 minutes)

Diploma and title

Graduates of the professional examination receive a federal certificate and are entitled to use the federally recognized and protected title "Make-up artist with a federal certificate".

• In French: "Maquilleuse professionnelle avec brevet fédéral / Maquilleur professionnel avec brevet fédéral"
• In Italian: "Truccatrice con attestator professionale federale / Truccatore con attestator professionale federale"
• In English: "Make-up-Artist, Federal Diploma of Higher Education" (Attention: No protected title only a recommendation)