AL Esthetician cheat sheet

Sanitation reduces soil and pathogen counts on surfaces; disinfection destroys most pathogenic organisms on implements; sterilization destroys all microbial life including bacterial spores.

Implements must be washed with soap and water and dried before immersion in disinfectant, because organic debris inactivates the active ingredient.

Use an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant labeled bactericidal, virucidal, and tuberculocidal, and follow the label contact time rather than an assumed duration.

70% isopropyl alcohol is more effective than 90% because the higher concentration evaporates before it can penetrate the microbial cell wall.

Porous and single-use items such as cotton, gauze, sponges, wooden applicators, and styptic pencils are discarded after one client and are never disinfected for reuse.

Hand washing with soap and warm running water for at least 20 seconds is the single most effective measure against cross-contamination.

Blood or body-fluid contact: stop the service, don gloves, clean the area, apply disinfectant for the labeled contact time, and double-bag contaminated waste.

A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) must be on file for every chemical product in the salon and accessible to employees during working hours.

Epidermal layers from deep to superficial: basale, spinosum, granulosum, lucidum (palms and soles only), corneum.

Keratinocytes make up roughly 90% of epidermal cells and produce keratin; melanocytes make melanin; Langerhans cells provide immunity; Merkel cells sense touch.

The dermis has two layers: papillary (loose connective tissue, capillaries, nerve endings) and reticular (dense collagen and elastin, glands, hair follicles).

Collagen provides strength and elastin provides elasticity; both are produced by fibroblasts and decline with age and cumulative UV exposure.

The acid mantle sits at pH 4.5-5.5, inhibiting bacteria and maintaining barrier enzyme activity; alkaline cleansers raise surface pH and temporarily impair the barrier.

Six functions of skin: protection, sensation, heat regulation, excretion, secretion, and absorption.

Subcutaneous tissue is adipose plus connective tissue; it insulates, absorbs shock, and stores energy.

Epidermal turnover (keratinization) takes about 28 days in young adults and slows with age, producing a thicker, duller stratum corneum.

Primary lesions: macule, papule, nodule, tumor, vesicle, bulla, pustule, wheal, cyst.

Secondary lesions: scale, crust, excoriation, fissure, scar, keloid, ulcer, atrophy.

Refuse and refer contagious conditions: impetigo, conjunctivitis, herpes simplex, verruca, tinea, scabies, and pediculosis.

Do not treat inflamed acne lesions or any undiagnosed growth or mole with irregular borders or color; refer for medical evaluation.

Melanoma ABCDE signs: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter greater than 6 mm, Evolving.

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer and often appears as a pearly or waxy bump; squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common.

Rosacea triggers include heat, steam, friction, spicy food, alcohol, and sun; services should be gentle, cooling, and without extractions.

Waxing is contraindicated with isotretinoin use within 6-12 months, recent topical retinoids, recent peels or dermabrasion, sunburn, and varicose veins in the treatment area.

Fitzpatrick type I always burns and never tans; type VI is deeply pigmented, seldom burns, but carries a higher risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Consultation sequence: intake form, interview, skin analysis, treatment plan, informed consent, service, home-care recommendation, and documentation.

The intake form must capture medications (blood thinners, retinoids, isotretinoin), allergies (latex, fragrance, lidocaine, nickel), pregnancy, and medical conditions.

Skin types are normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive; record them separately from conditions such as dehydration, acne, rosacea, and hyperpigmentation.

Analyze skin on clean skin under bright, magnified, angled light, and ask about sensitivity before palpation.

Wood's lamp readings: blue-white indicates healthy skin, violet or light purple indicates dehydration, yellow indicates oil, brown indicates pigmentation, coral-pink indicates acne bacteria.

Patch-test lash adhesive, tints, and wax 24-48 hours before the first service for a new or sensitized client.

Record the baseline, products used, and any reaction in the client file and have the client sign; update at each visit.

Basic facial sequence: cleanse, analyze, exfoliate, steam, extract, massage, mask, tone, moisturize, sun protection.

Massage strokes: effleurage (gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (percussion), friction, and vibration; work upward and outward toward lymph nodes.

Steam for 3-5 minutes at 8-10 inches from the face; avoid with rosacea, asthma, uncontrolled hypertension, or claustrophobia.

Extract only softened, non-inflamed comedones; never squeeze pustules, cysts, or lesions inside the triangle of the face.

AHAs (glycolic, lactic) are water soluble and act at the surface; BHA (salicylic acid) is oil soluble and penetrates pores.

Microdermabrasion is mechanical exfoliation and is contraindicated with active acne, rosacea, recent retinoid use, and fragile or broken skin.

High-frequency current (violet electrode) is applied briefly over acne-prone skin; galvanic current drives water-soluble products in (iontophoresis) or softens sebum (desincrustation).

LED: blue light near 415 nm targets acne bacteria; red light near 633 nm supports collagen and healing.

Mask selection: clay for oily skin, cream or hydrating for dry skin, gel for sensitive or post-treatment skin.

Hair cycle: anagen (growth, months to years), catagen (transition, days), telogen (resting, about 3 months), then shedding.

Soft wax is applied thin and removed with a strip; hard wax is applied thick, allowed to set, and removed without a strip, gripping short hairs.

Apply wax in the direction of hair growth and remove against it while holding skin taut; sugaring is applied against growth and removed with it.

Test wax temperature on the inner wrist before application; hard wax is typically 55-60 degrees Celsius and soft wax 40-45 degrees Celsius.

Contraindications: isotretinoin within 6-12 months, blood thinners, recent retinoid or acid use, sunburn, active infection, varicose veins, and moles in the treatment area.

Brow mapping: start above the inner canthus, arch above the outer edge of the iris, end where a line from nostril to outer canthus meets the brow.

Post-wax care: no sun, heat, sauna, exercise, or tight clothing over the area for 24-48 hours; gentle exfoliation after 48 hours helps prevent ingrown hairs.

Color correction pairs opposites: green cancels redness, peach or orange cancels blue, yellow cancels purple, and lavender cancels sallow yellow tones.

Foundation undertones are cool (pink or blue), warm (yellow or gold), and neutral; match along the jawline in natural light.

Never double-dip mascara or lip gloss; use disposable wands, spatula product onto a palette, sharpen pencils between clients, and sanitize palettes.

Lash extension diameters run about 0.05-0.25 mm, lengths 8-16 mm, and curls J, B, C, D, L from straightest to most curved.

Cyanoacrylate adhesive cures best at 45-60% humidity and 20-24 degrees Celsius; low humidity slows curing and high humidity causes shock curing and white residue.

Contraindications for lash extensions: blepharitis, conjunctivitis, styes, recent eye surgery, cyanoacrylate allergy, and trichotillomania.

Each eye naturally sheds roughly 2-5 lashes per day, a full lash growth cycle runs about 60-90 days, and fills are typically needed every 2-3 weeks.

Lash removal uses a gel or cream remover applied with a micro-brush; extensions are never pulled or tugged off.

The pH scale runs 0-14; skin and hair sit near pH 4.5-5.5, so alkaline cleansers above pH 7 disrupt the acid mantle.

Surfactant types: anionic cleanse and lather, cationic condition and disinfect, nonionic emulsify and are mild, amphoteric are mild and used in gentle cleansers.

An emulsion is oil plus water plus an emulsifier; oil-in-water emulsions feel light, while water-in-oil emulsions feel heavier and more occlusive.

Humectants (glycerin, hyaluronic acid) bind water; emollients (plant oils, esters) soften and smooth; occlusives (petrolatum, dimethicone) block water loss.

AHA molecular size from smallest to largest: glycolic, lactic, malic, tartaric, citric; smaller molecules penetrate faster and sting more.

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is an antioxidant that oxidizes with light and air; stabilize it with vitamin E and ferulic acid and package it in opaque, airtight containers.

Physical sunscreens use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide and block UV; chemical sunscreens use avobenzone, octinoxate, or oxybenzone and absorb UV.

Preservatives such as parabens and phenoxyethanol prevent microbial growth, while antioxidants prevent oxidation and rancidity; the two functions are not interchangeable.

Fragrance and essential oils are among the most common cosmetic allergens and should be flagged for sensitive clients.

An esthetician's scope is cosmetic: cleansing, exfoliation, massage, hair removal, makeup, and lashes; diagnosing, prescribing, or treating disease falls outside it.

Alabama licenses estheticians through the Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering; both the individual license and the shop license must be current and displayed.

Refer clients with undiagnosed lesions, suspected infection, or medical skin conditions to a physician, and document the referral in the client record.

Client records are confidential; information is disclosed only with written consent or as required by law.

Obtain and document informed consent before waxing, chemical peels, lash extensions, and any service carrying a risk of reaction.

Never guarantee results, make false or misleading claims, or advertise services the licensee is not licensed to perform.

Follow board sanitation rules: disinfect implements, use single-use items, keep SDS sheets on file, and maintain a clean, well-ventilated work area.

Do not perform services while ill with a contagious condition, and decline clients with open, weeping, or infected skin.