CA Esthetician study guide
CA Esthetician · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The California Esthetician license is the credential that allows you to perform skin care services for pay in the state - facials and skin treatments, hair removal by waxing and other methods, makeup application, and brow and lash services. It is issued through the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and is intended for students completing an approved esthetics program as well as for practitioners trained elsewhere who need a California license. The CA Esthetician study guide has 7 sections and about 2,332 words.
01California Cosmetology Act and Board Regulations
California's cosmetology law sits in the Business and Professions Code (Division 3, Chapter 10) and is carried out through regulations in Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations. The Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC), part of the Department of Consumer Affairs, issues licenses, inspects establishments, and may cite, fine, suspend, or revoke.
344 words, about 2 min02Health, Safety, and Infection Control
Know three distinct levels. Cleaning removes visible debris with soap, detergent, or an ultrasonic unit.
347 words, about 2 min03Skin Care and Facial Treatments
A facial is a sequence, not a single act: consult and check contraindications, cleanse, analyze the skin, exfoliate, steam, extract, massage, mask, tone, moisturize, and protect with SPF. Skin analysis covers type (normal, dry, oily, combination, sensitive) and condition (dehydration, acne, rosacea, hyperpigmentation, aging).
307 words, about 2 min04Hair Removal Techniques
Hair grows in three phases: anagen (active growth, deepest follicle, the target of permanent methods), catagen (transition), and telogen (resting, then shedding). Vellus hair is fine and unpigmented; terminal hair is coarse and pigmented, and androgens convert vellus to terminal hair at puberty and in some hormonal conditions.
341 words, about 2 min05Makeup and Brow/Lash Services
Know the primaries (red, yellow, blue) and secondaries (orange, green, violet) and how complementary pairs neutralize: green cancels redness, orange cancels blue or bruising, lavender cancels sallow yellow. Match foundation to undertone (warm, cool, neutral) in natural light.
354 words, about 2 min06Anatomy and Physiology of the Skin
The epidermis is avascular and nourished by diffusion. Its layers, deep to superficial, are basale (mitosis and melanocytes), spinosum, granulosum, lucidum (thick skin of palms and soles only), and corneum (dead keratinized cells that form the barrier).
321 words, about 2 min07Client Consultation and Professional Practices
Greet, drape, and consult before touching the client. The intake form captures health history, medications, allergies, pregnancy, past reactions, and prior treatments.
318 words, about 2 min