Cosmetology
Cosmetology
The Cosmetology portion of the Delaware licensing exam samples the full generalist scope: shampooing and scalp care, haircutting, styling, chemical texture services, hair color, and the infection-control and anatomy/chemistry knowledge that supports every service. Expect questions that ask not only what to do but why a product, elevation, or test is chosen.
Core rules and concepts
- Infection control: clean with soap and water, then disinfect nonporous implements with an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant at the label contact time. Porous items such as emery boards, orange-wood sticks, and cotton are single-use. Stop a service after a blood or body-fluid exposure, gloves on, clean and disinfect, and discard contaminated porous items.
- Haircutting: elevation controls graduation. 0° gives a blunt/club line; 45° builds graduation; 90° creates uniform layers; 180° creates long layers. Distribution and tension decide whether the design sits where intended.
- Color: identify existing depth and target depth; the difference determines lift. A patch test is done 24–48 hours before aniline-derivative color, and a strand test verifies timing and result. Developer volume controls lift, not deposit; 10 volume deposits, 20 lifts about one level, 30 about two, 40 about three.
- Chemical texture: protect the scalp, follow manufacturer strength and timing, rinse completely, then neutralize to restore disulfide bonds and lower pH. Do not overlap relaxer onto previously relaxed hair.
Worked example
A client at level 5 wants level 8. The existing level 5 contributes red-orange; level 8 contributes pale yellow-orange. Because the target is three levels lighter, a 30-volume developer with lightener is a reasonable start, but the strand test decides. If the strand shows orange remaining after the maximum time, do not simply add more developer; reformulate and explain that two sessions may be needed. The reasoning is: assess depth, identify contributing pigment, choose the least aggressive lift that reaches the target, and verify before applying to the whole head.
Traps that cost marks
Calling sterilization what is only disinfection; skipping the label contact time; cutting into the guideline; using 40 volume on the scalp when the manufacturer limits it; failing to neutralize a relaxer; and treating a client with an inflamed or broken scalp.