IN Cosmetology cheat sheet

Pathogenic bacteria are classified by shape: cocci (round), bacilli (rod-shaped), and spirilla (spiral); fungi, viruses, and parasites are separate microbial groups.

Disinfection destroys most microorganisms on nonporous surfaces but not bacterial spores; sterilization destroys all microbial life, including spores.

Blood or body-fluid spills require an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant labeled tuberculocidal, used for the contact time printed on the label (commonly 10 minutes).

Porous items - files, buffer blocks, wooden sticks, cotton, sponges - cannot be disinfected and must be discarded after a single client.

Correct order for reusable implements: wash with soap and water, dry completely, then immerse fully in disinfectant for the labeled contact time.

Quaternary ammonium compounds are non-toxic and non-corrosive and are used on nonporous surfaces; phenolics are tuberculocidal but can damage plastic and irritate skin.

Universal precautions treat all blood and body fluids as infectious; gloves are required whenever contact with blood or broken skin is possible.

Exposure incident sequence: stop the service, put on gloves, wash the wound with soap and water, apply antiseptic and a bandage, then disinfect the area and implements.

OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard requires a 16-section Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for every chemical product kept in the salon.

Elevation of 0 degrees produces a one-length (blunt) cut; 45 degrees produces graduation; 90 degrees produces uniform layers; 180 degrees produces long layers.

Distribution is the direction hair is combed relative to its section: natural fall follows the shape of the head, while shifted distribution builds weight in a specific area.

A blunt cut builds a solid weight line at the perimeter; increasing elevation builds graduation, and cutting the perimeter shorter removes weight.

Shears consist of the cutting blade, the thumb blade, the tension screw, and the finger rest; a loose tension screw folds hair instead of cutting it cleanly.

Cross-checking means cutting an already-cut section from a second, perpendicular angle to verify balance and evenness.

Texturizing techniques - point cutting, notching, slicing, slithering, channel cutting - remove bulk and soften a weight line without changing the outline.

Reference points used for sectioning include the apex, parietal ridge, occipital bone, nape, and ear notch.

Clipper guard numbers increase in 1/8-inch increments: a #1 guard leaves 1/8 inch, #2 leaves 1/4 inch, and #3 leaves 3/8 inch.

In a wet set the base controls volume: on-base placement gives maximum volume, half-base gives medium volume, and off-base gives the least volume.

Roller diameter sets curl size: smaller rollers produce a tighter curl with more volume, larger rollers produce a looser, smoother curl.

Wet sets are worked on damp hair and dried under a hood dryer; thermal sets use a heated tool and require completely dry hair.

Thermal iron guidance: 250 degrees Fahrenheit or lower for fine or lightened hair, roughly 275 to 300 for medium hair, and 325 to 350 for coarse, resistant hair.

Backcombing (teasing) builds volume at the scalp by combing hair toward the scalp; smoothing the surface afterward conceals the backcombing.

A soft press uses one pass of the pressing comb on shampooed, dried hair; a hard press uses two passes with pressing oil or cream; a double press uses two irons.

A finger wave uses two shaping strokes and two pinching strokes per wave, creating alternating ridges and hollows in an S pattern.

Pin curls are classified as ribbed (stand-up), carved, or cascade; the direction of the stem determines where the finished curl moves.

Alkaline (lye) relaxers use sodium hydroxide at pH 12.5 to 13.5; no-lye relaxers use guanidine or lithium hydroxide and are activated by mixing.

Relaxer strength is selected by texture and condition: mild for fine or color-treated hair, regular for medium hair, and super for coarse, resistant hair.

A protective base cream is applied to the scalp and hairline before sodium hydroxide relaxer, and hair should not be shampooed or scratched for 48 hours before the service.

Relaxer retouch is applied to new growth only; overlapping previously relaxed hair causes breakage, and retouches are scheduled roughly every 6 to 8 weeks.

Neutralization stops the relaxer by lowering the hair's pH into the acid range; neutralizing shampoo is lathered and left on per the manufacturer's directions, then conditioner follows.

Alkaline permanent waves use ammonium thioglycolate at pH 8.5 to 9.5; acid waves use glyceryl monothioglycolate at pH 4.5 to 7 and require external heat.

Permanent waving breaks disulfide bonds with a reducing agent; the neutralizer (hydrogen peroxide or sodium bromate) rebuilds those bonds in the new shape.

Hair containing metallic salts, or hair relaxed with a thio product, must not receive a sodium hydroxide relaxer until at least two weeks have passed and a strand test is clean.

Hair color levels run from 1 (black) to 10 (lightest blonde); each level represents one step of lightness and roughly one degree of pigment.

Developer volume determines lift: 10 volume (3%) deposits only, 20 volume (6%) lifts one level, 30 volume (9%) lifts two to three levels, 40 volume (12%) lifts three to four levels.

Complementary colors neutralize unwanted tones: blue cancels orange, violet cancels yellow, and green cancels red.

Primary colors are red, yellow, and blue; mixing two primaries in equal parts produces a secondary color - orange, green, or violet.

A patch test for aniline-derivative tints is performed 24 to 48 hours before the service; redness, swelling, or itching contraindicates the color service.

Semi-permanent color deposits without developer and fades in about 4 to 6 shampoos; demi-permanent color uses low-volume developer and lasts longer.

In a virgin on-scalp lightening application, product is applied to midlengths and ends first and to the scalp area last, because scalp heat accelerates processing.

A filler is applied before tinting darker or after lightening to equalize porosity and prevent hollow, muddy results.

Fifty percent or more gray usually requires a natural (base) series shade in the formula to achieve coverage.

Hair has three layers: the cuticle (outer overlapping scales), the cortex (about 90 percent of the weight and the site of pigment and bonds), and the medulla (innermost, sometimes absent).

Hair and scalp are acidic at about pH 4.5 to 5.5; alkaline products raise and open the cuticle, while acid rinses close and smooth it.

Growth cycles: anagen (active, 2 to 6 years), catagen (transition, 2 to 3 weeks), and telogen (resting, about 3 to 4 months) before shedding.

Tinea capitis (ringworm of the scalp) and pediculosis (lice) are contagious and are contraindications to service; the client is referred to a physician.

Pityriasis (dandruff) and seborrheic dermatitis involve scalp scaling; medicated shampoos may contain zinc pyrithione or selenium sulfide.

Hair analysis includes porosity (ability to absorb moisture), elasticity (stretch and return), density (hairs per square inch), and texture (diameter of the strand).

Scalp massage manipulations are effleurage, petrissage, tapotement, and friction; massage is contraindicated over abrasions, recent injury, or inflamed skin.

Nail structures include the nail plate, nail bed, matrix, lunula, eponychium (cuticle), hyponychium, free edge, sidewalls, and nail folds.

The matrix produces the nail plate; its length and shape determine the thickness and curvature of the natural nail.

Fingernails grow about 1/8 inch (3 mm) per month and are fully replaced in 4 to 6 months; toenails grow more slowly and take 9 to 12 months to replace.

Onychomycosis (fungal infection), paronychia (bacterial infection of the nail fold), and onycholysis (plate separation) are disorders to refer, not to treat.

Softening and pushing back the nonliving cuticle is within scope; nipping living tissue such as the eponychium is prohibited in Indiana and most other states.

Single-use items - files, buffers, orangewood sticks, cotton - are discarded after each client; reusable metal implements are washed, dried, and disinfected.

Acrylic enhancements are formed from liquid monomer and polymer powder; the mix ratio controls strength and curing speed, and the stress area sits at the free-edge junction.

Common nail shapes are square, squoval, round, oval, pointed, and stiletto; the shape is chosen to suit the nail bed, the hand, and the client's lifestyle.

Epidermis layers from deepest to surface are basale, spinosum, granulosum, and corneum; the dermis contains the papillary and reticular layers with collagen and elastin.

The Fitzpatrick scale rates skin types I through VI by sun response; types I and II burn easily and require higher SPF and gentler treatment.

Primary lesions include macules, papules, pustules, vesicles, bullae, wheals, nodules, and cysts; secondary lesions include crusts, scales, scars, excoriations, fissures, and ulcers.

Contraindications to facial service include contagious skin disease, open or weeping lesions, recent surgery or waxing, sunburn, and active herpes simplex.

Galvanic current is used for desincrustation (alkaline softening of sebum) and iontophoresis (delivery of water-soluble products); high frequency provides a mild warming, antiseptic effect.

Facial massage movements are effleurage, petrissage, tapotement, friction, and vibration, applied upward and outward following the direction of the muscles.

Chemical exfoliants: AHAs such as glycolic and lactic acid work at the surface; BHA (salicylic acid) is oil-soluble and works inside the pore.

Waxing is most effective on anagen hair; avoid waxing skin treated with retinoids, isotretinoin (Accutane), or recently exfoliated with strong acids.

Business structures: sole proprietorship (full personal liability), general partnership (shared liability), and corporation or LLC (limited liability for owners).

Commission, salary, and booth rental are the three common compensation models; booth renters are typically independent contractors who set their own hours and pay their own taxes.

Indiana's state sales tax is 7 percent and applies to retail product sales; services are generally not taxed, so product and service revenue should be tracked separately.

Pricing formula: price equals the total cost of the service plus desired profit, where total cost includes product, labor time, overhead, and supplies.

Inventory control uses par levels and FIFO (first in, first out) rotation so older products are used before they expire.

Client record cards document services, formulations, patch and strand test results, and adverse reactions, and are retained as required by the state.

Employee versus independent contractor status is decided by behavioral control, financial control, and the nature of the relationship; misclassification creates tax liability.

Professional liability (malpractice) insurance covers injury claims arising from services, while general liability covers premises and property risks.

Indiana cosmetology is governed by IC 25-8 and the rules in Title 820 of the Indiana Administrative Code, administered by the Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering.

Licensing, renewal, and license verification are handled through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA), which maintains the state's online license records.

Indiana issues separate licenses for cosmetologist, esthetician, manicurist, barber, and electrologist, plus establishment (salon) and instructor licenses.

A cosmetology applicant must complete the board-required clock hours in a board-approved school and pass the licensing examination before practicing.

A license must be displayed in the establishment and made available for inspection by the board or its authorized agents.

Sanitation rules require a wet sanitizer containing a hospital-grade disinfectant, covered waste containers, and clean towels and linens for each client.

Practicing without a valid license, or allowing an unlicensed person to perform services, exposes the licensee to discipline including fines, suspension, or revocation.

Services may be performed only in a licensed establishment or a licensed school setting; the salon itself must hold a current establishment license.