QQI Level 5 Hairdressing study guide
QQI Level 5 Hairdressing · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The QQI Level 5 Certificate in Hairdressing is an Irish further-education award for people who want to work as a junior or graduate stylist in a salon, or to progress to a Level 6 or higher award. It suits school leavers, career changers, and practising assistants who need a recognised qualification to move from shampooing and assisting into cutting, colouring, and styling roles. The QQI Level 5 Hairdressing study guide has 10 sections and about 3,284 words.
01Hairdressing Theory and Professional Practice
This section examines the science underneath the scissors - hair and scalp structure, the growth cycle, bonds and pH - together with the professional standards a Level 5 stylist must hold without being reminded: presentation, confidentiality, hygiene discipline and scope of practice. Three layers: cuticle (overlapping scales controlling porosity and shine), cortex (the bulk, holding melanin and all the bonds), medulla (a loose core, often absent in fine hair).
395 words, about 2 min02Health, Safety and Hygiene in the Salon
The legal duties of employer and employee, chemical safety, infection control, waste and fire procedures, and the practical hygiene routine the examiner expects to see described step by step. Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005: the employer writes the safety statement, carries out risk assessments, provides PPE free of charge, trains staff and plans for emergencies; certain accidents must be reported to the HSA.
349 words, about 2 min03Client Consultation, Analysis and Communication
Whether you can run a structured consultation: greet, question, analyse hair and scalp, agree a realistic plan, record it, obtain informed consent and give aftercare - while communicating without jargon and recognising when to stop. Open questions first ("What would you like to change?"), closed questions to confirm detail ("Is that the shade you mean?"); paraphrase back to check understanding.
323 words, about 2 min04Shampooing, Conditioning and Scalp Care
The purpose of each product type, how surfactants and conditioners work, correct water temperature and massage technique, and the judgement to select and adapt a shampoo routine to the scalp in front of you. Anionic surfactants (e.g.
311 words, about 2 min05Cutting and Styling
Sectioning, elevation and distribution; the named techniques; how a guide line is set and followed; and the finishing skills - blow-drying, roller and thermal styling - that hold a shape. Elevation decides the shape: 0° gives a solid one-length line, 45° low graduation, 90° uniform layer, 135–180° long, disconnected-looking layers.
314 words, about 2 min06Colouring and Lightening
Colour theory applied to real hair: the level system, developer strengths, mixing ratios, application order, grey coverage, lightening, toning and the safety rules around patch tests and incompatibility. Levels run 1 (black) to 10 (lightest blonde).
320 words, about 2 min07Perming and Chemical Texture Services
The reduction–oxidation chemistry of perming and relaxing, rod and winding decisions, test curling and processing, neutralising, and the contraindications that make a service unsafe. The reducing agent (ammonium thioglycolate, pH around 9–9.5; acid perms with glyceryl monothioglycolate, pH 4.5–7) breaks a proportion of the disulphide bonds.
311 words, about 2 min08Long Hairdressing and Upstyling
Whether you can prepare long hair, build a structure that holds, and finish a classic upstyle - pleat, chignon, roll, ponytail or braid - with balance, proportion and hidden pins. Start with clean, product-free hair, set or blow-dried so the shape has memory; mousse or setting lotion adds grip, serum smooths the surface.
329 words, about 2 min09Salon Business, Customer Service and Employability
Costing and pricing, stock and record control, the legal basics of running a salon, service recovery, and the employability skills - CV, interview, professional conduct - that get and keep a chair. Split costs into fixed (rent, insurance, utilities) and variable (product, commission).
311 words, about 2 min10Work Experience and Professional Development
How you plan, record and reflect on supervised salon practice, and whether you can map that experience onto a realistic career path. Know your induction: fire exits, first aid, supervision arrangements, what you may and may not do unsupervised, and how to report an incident.
321 words, about 2 min