Elective Units: Treatment Skills and Salon Operations
What elective units add
Electives let you specialise, typically across skin treatments, hair removal, lash and brow services, make-up, massage and salon retail or operations. Questions test applied technique, contraindication screening, equipment safety and client aftercare for the specific modality.
Skin and facial treatments
Know skin analysis, cleansing and exfoliation principles, product selection by skin type and condition, and massage movements. Understand when to avoid active ingredients or mechanical exfoliation, such as compromised barrier, active breakouts or recent cosmetic procedures. Traps include treating a skin condition you should refer, or recommending aggressive exfoliation on sensitised skin.
Hair removal
Distinguish temporary methods (waxing, sugaring, depilatory creams) from light-based methods. For waxing, know hair growth cycles, patch testing, contraindications such as isotretinoin use, recent sun exposure or certain skin conditions, and aftercare advice. For light-based services, know that only trained and authorised staff operate devices, and that client screening and test patches are essential. A frequent trap is ignoring medication or photosensitivity.
Lash, brow and make-up services
Understand patch testing for tints and adhesives, hygiene with eye-area tools, client positioning, and realistic expectations. Know contraindications such as eye infections or recent eye surgery, and always refer persistent irritation.
Salon operations and retail
Understand appointment scheduling, record keeping, stock rotation, and compliant retail recommendations. Advice must be based on the client's assessed needs, not sales targets, and you must disclose product costs and benefits honestly.
Worked example
A client books a wax and mentions starting a new acne medication. Rule of thumb: screen before you treat. Check the medication and skin condition against contraindications, patch test where required, and if there is doubt, defer the service, document the advice, and suggest they check with their prescriber.