Red Seal Hairstylist study guide
Red Seal Hairstylist · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Hairstylist trade has held Red Seal designation since 1986 and is designated in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon. Hairstylists shampoo, cut, style and chemically treat hair, and may also provide scalp treatments, hair addition applications and barbering techniques. They work in hair salons, spas, barber shops, schools, hair replacement clinics, health care establishments, hotels, and in the tourism, fashion and entertainment industries, and some specialize in cutting, hair additions, chemical services or gender-spectrum services. The Red Seal examination is built from the Red Seal Occupational Standard (RSOS), the complete description of the trade's activities, so the standard - not a prep course or a workplace habit - defines what can be tested. The Red Seal Hairstylist study guide has 5 sections and about 1,796 words.
01Occupational Health and Safety
OHS in a salon is about preventing harm from chemicals, tools, electricity, and repetitive work. Know the three levels of decontamination: cleaning removes visible debris; disinfection kills most pathogens on non-porous implements; sterilization destroys all microorganisms and is rarely done in salons.
305 words, about 2 min02Client Consultation and Service
Consultation is a structured conversation that turns a client’s wish into a safe, achievable service plan. Gather hair history (color, relaxer, bleach, heat), health and allergy information, medications, lifestyle and maintenance time, budget, and expectations.
296 words, about 1 min03Haircutting and Barbering
A haircut is controlled removal of hair using guide lines, sectioning, elevation, distribution, and tension. Elevation (angle) determines whether hair is cut blunt, graduated, layered, or long-layered.
293 words, about 1 min04Chemical Services
Chemical services change the hair’s cortex. Permanent color and lightener break and reform pigment; perms and relaxers break and rebuild disulfide bonds.
299 words, about 1 min05Hair and Scalp Care, Styling and Hair Additions
The hair shaft has a cuticle (protective outer scales), cortex (strength, pigment, moisture), and medulla (central core, not always present). Growth cycles are anagen (growth), catagen (transition), and telogen (rest and shed).
603 words, about 3 min