LCA Hair and Beauty cheat sheet

Sterilisation kills all microorganisms including spores; disinfection reduces pathogens on surfaces but does not reliably destroy spores.

Single-use items (nail files, wax spatulas, disposable blades) must be discarded after one client, never re-used or re-dipped.

Blood and body-fluid spill procedure: wear gloves, absorb with disposable paper, clean with detergent, disinfect with a chlorine-releasing product at manufacturer dilution, then discard waste as clinical waste.

Hand hygiene: soap-and-water wash for at least 20 seconds or alcohol hand rub; hands must be washed before and after glove use and gloves changed between clients.

Contact dermatitis is the most common occupational skin disease in hairdressing; patch testing and no-bare-hand contact with wet hair or colour products reduce risk.

Material Safety Data Sheet (SDS) must be available for every chemical in the salon and covers hazards, first aid, spill handling and storage.

Electrical equipment must be PAT (portable appliance tested) at intervals set by risk assessment; RCD protection is required for socket outlets used near water.

COSHH requires a risk assessment for every hazardous substance, including peroxide, bleach powder, relaxers, acetone and monomer liquids.

Consultation sequence: greet, clarify the client's goal, assess hair/skin/nail condition, check contraindications, agree the service plan, confirm price and time, obtain informed consent.

Contraindication screening includes pregnancy (avoid high-ammonia colour and strong relaxers), recent chemotherapy, scalp abrasions, allergies and previous reactions to hair dye or adhesives.

A patch test is required at least 48 hours before first application of oxidative hair colour, and again after any gap in colouring or change of brand.

Record keeping: consultation card must note products, formulations, timings, developer strength, test results and consent signature; keep records per local data-protection rules.

Ethical refusal: a professional declines or defers a service when it risks harm, and must explain the reason and offer alternatives rather than perform the service.

Reflective listening and open questions gather accurate information; leading questions bias the client's answer and reduce reliability of the record.

Confidentiality: client data must not be shared, photographed for marketing, or discussed outside the salon without explicit written consent.

Pricing communication: quote before service, disclose add-on costs (extra colour, length surcharge) and confirm in writing where the service is complex.

Sectioning geometry controls the result: horizontal sections build weight, vertical sections remove weight, diagonal sections create graduation.

Elevation rules: 0° builds a solid line, 45° creates a graduated line, 90° layers, 180° removes weight and creates long layers.

Tension and distribution: hair must be combed clean and held at consistent tension; uneven tension produces uneven lines.

Blunt cutting creates a solid perimeter; point cutting, slithering and notching soften the ends without removing length.

Over-direction (cutting hair into a position other than its natural fall) creates length increase toward the over-directed area.

The guide line is the reference length; a stationary guide does not move, a travelling guide follows the previous section.

Fringe design: cut dry where possible, work from the centre out, and check against the brow line for balance.

Finishing: blow-dry direction sets the root lift, cool shot closes the cuticle, and product choice (mousse, serum, wax) depends on hair density and finish required.

The colour wheel: primary colours blue, red and yellow; secondary colours green, orange and violet; opposite colours neutralise.

Natural level scale runs 1 (black) to 10 (lightest blonde); developer strength (3%, 6%, 9%, 12%) controls lift and deposit, not the target shade.

Oxidative colour: ammonia or MEA opens the cuticle, peroxide develops the colour inside the cortex, and colour molecules are trapped on oxidation.

Semi-permanent colour deposits without lift and fades over 6-12 washes; permanent colour lifts and deposits and requires root retouch.

Pre-pigmentation restores warmth before a target shade when going more than two levels darker or when filling previously lightened hair.

Relaxer chemistry: thioglycolate or hydroxide breaks disulphide bonds; the neutralising step (rebonding) reforms the bonds and is essential to stop processing.

Relaxer retouch applies product to new growth only; overlapping causes over-processing and breakage.

Strand test and porosity test determine development time; record the result on the client card and use it as the baseline for the next visit.

Skin analysis order: cleanse, observe under good light, assess oiliness, pore size, hydration, sensitivity and lesion type; palpation follows visual assessment.

Skin types: normal, dry, oily, combination and sensitive; conditions such as dehydration, acne, rosacea and pigmentation are separate from type.

Fitzpatrick scale I-VI predicts UV response and guides waxing, peels and laser suitability; higher types carry greater post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation risk.

Cleansing routine: oil-based cleanser removes make-up and sunscreen, water-based cleanser removes sweat and debris; double cleanse is standard in a facial.

Exfoliation options: mechanical (scrubs, brushes) and chemical (AHA, BHA, enzymes); AHAs are water-soluble, BHA (salicylic) is oil-soluble and suits oily skin.

Contraindications for facial massage and heat: active acne, recent injectables, rosacea flare, sunburn, open lesions and pregnancy (certain essential oils).

Make-up colour theory: undertone (warm, cool, neutral) is matched before surface colour; correctors neutralise, concealers cover.

Facial sequence: consultation, cleanse, exfoliate, steam or warm compress, extractions if appropriate, massage, mask, tone, moisturise, protect.

Nail anatomy: plate, bed, matrix, cuticle, eponychium, hyponychium, lunula, lateral folds and free edge; the matrix produces the plate.

Nail shapes: square, squoval, oval, almond, stiletto and coffin; shape is chosen for hand proportion and lifestyle.

Cuticle work removes non-living tissue only; cutting live tissue (eponychium) risks infection and must be avoided.

Contraindications for nail services: paronychia, fungal infection, psoriasis flare, open cuts, severe onycholysis and undiagnosed discolouration (refer).

Acrylic system: monomer liquid plus polymer powder; correct mix ratio prevents heat spike, yellowing and lifting.

Gel polish removal: break the seal, saturate a pad with acetone, wrap in foil for 10-15 minutes, then gently push; never force or file off.

Electric file safety: use the correct bit, keep speed low near the sidewalls and cuticle, and never hold the bit stationary on the plate.

Pedicure: assess for diabetes, circulatory problems and neuropathy before any tool that can cut; these clients need medical clearance.

Hair growth cycle: anagen (active growth), catagen (transition), telogen (resting); waxing is most effective on anagen hair.

Waxing contraindications: isotretinoin (Roaccutane) within 6-12 months, recent chemical peel or laser, varicose veins, moles, sunburn, active skin infection, diabetes with neuropathy.

Patch test 24-48 hours before first waxing, and after any change of product; record the result.

Wax temperature must be checked on the therapist's wrist or with a thermometer; hot wax should not exceed about 55-60 °C.

Direction rule: strip wax is applied in the direction of hair growth and removed against it, holding skin taut.

Hot (film) wax is applied against the direction of hair growth, allowed to set, and removed without a strip; it suits coarse or sensitive-area hair.

Aftercare: avoid heat, sun, chlorine, tight clothing and perfumed products for 24-48 hours; exfoliate after 48 hours to prevent ingrown hairs.

Threading uses a twisted cotton thread to trap and lift hair; it is suitable for sensitive skin and precise brow shaping.

Service cost must include product cost, staff time, overhead allocation and margin, not just the price the competitor charges.

Retail selling follows needs-based questioning; recommend one product at a time and explain the benefit in terms of the client's stated concern.

Client retention metrics: rebooking rate, visit frequency, average ticket value and lifetime value; each is tracked separately.

Stock control: par level is the minimum stock that triggers reorder; stock rotation follows FIFO (first in, first out).

Data protection: store consultation and payment data securely, limit access to those who need it, and delete per retention policy.

Complaint handling: listen fully, acknowledge, investigate, offer a remedy within policy and record the outcome; do not admit liability before investigation.

Marketing consent must be opt-in and separately recorded from the service consent.

Key performance indicators for a salon include chair utilisation, colour-to-cutting ratio, product-to-service ratio and staff productivity.

Skin layers: epidermis (stratum corneum, granulosum, spinosum, basale), dermis (collagen, elastin, blood vessels, nerves, glands) and hypodermis (fat).

The skin barrier is the stratum corneum lipid matrix; it controls water loss and limits penetration of cosmetic ingredients.

Hair structure: cuticle (protective scales), cortex (keratin, melanin, bonds), medulla (core, absent in fine hair).

Bonds in hair: disulphide (broken by relaxers and perms), hydrogen (broken by water and heat), salt (broken by pH change) and peptide bonds (broken by strong chemicals).

Hair growth cycle: anagen 2-7 years, catagen about 2-3 weeks, telogen about 3 months; normal shedding is 50-100 hairs per day.

Nail plate is keratinised cells from the matrix; growth averages about 3 mm per month for fingernails and about 1 mm per month for toenails.

pH values: skin about 4.5-5.5, hair about 4.5-5.5, permanent colour about 9-10, relaxer (hydroxide) about 12-13, skin cleanser about 5-7.

Emulsion science: an emulsion is oil and water stabilised by an emulsifier; oil-in-water is lighter and water-in-oil is richer and more occlusive.