ITEC Beauty Therapy (ITEC) study guide
ITEC Beauty Therapy · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
ITEC Beauty Therapy qualifications are vocational awards for people who want to work as beauty therapists, and they are offered at different levels. Level 2 builds the core practical skills - facials, waxing, manicure and pedicure, make-up, basic massage - while Level 3 extends into more advanced treatments, client assessment and salon responsibility. The ITEC Beauty Therapy study guide has 10 sections and about 4,317 words.
01Professional standards, ethics and legislation
Domain 1 tests the legal and ethical framework beneath every treatment: which laws apply, what consent really means, how records are kept, and where your competence and insurance stop. ITEC expects you to name legislation, explain its practical effect in the salon, and apply it to a client scenario rather than merely list statutes.
556 words, about 3 min02Anatomy and physiology relevant to beauty therapy
Domain 2 tests applied anatomy and physiology: the structures you touch, the systems that respond to treatment, and the vocabulary to describe them accurately. Questions often link structure to function - why the epidermis matters for product penetration, why lymphatic drainage follows node chains, and which muscle closes the jaw.
494 words, about 2 min03Client consultation, contraindications and treatment planning
Domain 3 tests the consultation as a clinical safety process, not a conversation. You must gather information, identify contraindications, decide whether they are absolute or relative, plan the treatment, document decisions and refer when needed.
425 words, about 2 min04Health, safety, hygiene and infection control
Domain 4 tests how you break the chain of infection and keep the salon safe. You need to distinguish cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation, select the right method for each tool, manage waste and apply COSHH and basic salon safety.
429 words, about 2 min05Skin analysis and facial treatments
Domain 5 tests whether you can analyse skin accurately, distinguish type from condition, select products, sequence a facial and adapt or stop when contraindications appear. The exam favours client scenarios where the obvious treatment is not the correct one.
408 words, about 2 min06Body treatments, massage and body analysis
Domain 6 tests massage theory, body treatment selection and objective body analysis. You need to name movements, explain their effects, choose a safe treatment and recognise when massage or heat is inappropriate.
360 words, about 2 min07Depilation and hair removal techniques
Domain 7 tests hair removal science and safe practice. You need to know the hair growth cycle, compare methods, apply the correct waxing technique, screen for contraindications and give aftercare that prevents complications.
439 words, about 2 min08Manicure, pedicure and nail services
Domain 8 tests nail anatomy, recognition of nail disorders, safe manicure and pedicure technique, and the judgement to refuse or refer. The exam often shows a description of a nail abnormality and asks whether you would treat.
394 words, about 2 min09Make-up application and eyelash/eyebrow services
Domain 9 tests colour theory, face and brow mapping, product selection, lash and brow safety, and hygiene. Questions often ask you to correct a feature, choose a foundation undertone or decide whether an eye treatment can proceed.
387 words, about 2 min10Product knowledge and cosmetic science
Domain 10 tests ingredient function, formulation basics, pH, preservation, labelling and honest claims. You need to explain why a product works, how to store it and when it is unsafe, without repeating marketing language.
425 words, about 2 min