LA Alternative Hair Design exam-day guide
LA Alternative Hair Design · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the exact ID name you registered under; a mismatch can block entry. Confirm with the provider which ID types they accept and whether a second form is required.
Admission or confirmation document
Print or save your appointment letter, candidate number, and any check-in instructions. Confirm with the provider whether printed copies are mandatory.
Model or mannequin arrangement
Many alternative hair practicals require you to supply or arrange a model or head form. Confirm with the provider the accepted options, model consent or age requirements, and whether the provider supplies a head form.
Kit and tools per the published supply list
Pack only items the current candidate handbook permits: combs, brushes, clips, shears or razors if allowed, pins, thread or tape, adhesives, styling tools, spray bottle. Confirm with the provider which tools are prohibited and whether electrical styling tools are permitted on site.
Hair goods and materials
Bring the wig, extensions, closures, or hairpieces and any fibre, bonding, or adhesive products your plan requires, in original labelled containers where products are involved. Confirm with the provider whether unlabelled decanted products are refused.
Sanitation supplies
Include disinfectant, gloves, capes, neck strips, and waste bags. Practical scoring commonly includes sanitation and workspace safety, so treat these as scored items, not extras.
Written service plan or time budget
A one-page sequence with timings per section keeps you on schedule. Check whether notes may be brought into the practical area; confirm with the provider.
Professional attire and closed-toe footwear
Dress to the published dress code; hair tied back and jewellery minimal. Confirm with the provider whether a uniform, apron, or specific colour is required.
Food, water, and any medication
Practical sessions run long. Confirm with the provider the break policy and whether food and drink are allowed at the station.
Transport and arrival plan
Arrive with buffer for security screening and kit setup. Confirm with the provider the reporting time, which is usually earlier than the start time, and the late-arrival rule.
Lockable case or labelled bag
Label every tool and container with your candidate number. Confirm with the provider whether personal belongings may stay at the station or must be stored elsewhere.
Review of the current candidate handbook
Read the version in force for your exam date for station layout, time allowances, and scoring weights. Policies change; confirm with the provider rather than relying on older guides.
Plan the day
Re-read the current candidate handbook and your appointment letter. List every permitted tool and material, then compare against your kit and buy or borrow what is missing. Rehearse your full service sequence once end to end on a head form or model, timing each section, and cut anything that will not fit the allowance. Confirm model logistics, including arrival time, consent paperwork, and transport. Confirm with the provider any open questions about prohibited items, electrical tools, or product labelling.
Pack the kit against your list and label items with your candidate number. Clean and disinfect tools now rather than in the morning. Lay out attire and ID. Check travel time and parking or transit for the actual reporting time, allowing extra for security. Eat normally, hydrate, and sleep on a regular schedule; avoid last-minute practice that disrupts sleep. Reread your time budget and the scoring criteria so you know which sections carry the most weight.
Eat a proper meal and limit caffeine if you are prone to hand tremor. Arrive at the reporting time, not the start time, with ID and confirmation document accessible. At check-in, ask where to set up and whether your model has a separate waiting area. Set out tools in the order you will use them, confirm your station has power if needed, and do a final sanitation pass. Stay off other candidates' stations and keep conversation minimal.
Listen to the full briefing before touching anything, and note the announced start, warning, and stop times. Work to your time budget and check the clock at each section boundary. Announce or follow the required protocol before any cutting, colouring, or adhesive step if the handbook specifies one. Keep the station tidy as you go and place waste in the designated container. If equipment fails or a material is defective, raise your hand and ask the examiner rather than improvising outside the rules. At the stop signal, put tools down immediately and follow instructions for clean-down and sign-out.
Rules to check
Bring valid government-issued photo ID matching your registration exactly; candidates without acceptable ID may be refused entry. Confirm with the provider the accepted ID types and the procedure if your name has changed.
Follow the published prohibited-items list. Items not on the permitted supply list, including phones, smart watches, and notes, may need to be stored away; confirm with the provider what must be surrendered at check-in.
Keep to your own station and your own model. Do not observe, copy, or assist another candidate's work, and do not accept assistance from anyone other than the examiner or an approved assistant.
Raise any question, equipment fault, or material problem to the examiner immediately. Do not borrow tools or products from other candidates unless the handbook explicitly allows it.
Break and restroom procedures are set by the provider. Confirm with the provider whether breaks stop the clock, whether you must sign out, and whether your model may leave the floor during a break.
Scoring is against the published practical criteria and is typically weighted across sections such as consultation and planning, execution and technique, finished result, and sanitation and safety. Confirm with the provider the weighting, pass mark, and whether a critical-fail item applies.
Stop work at the announced time and follow clean-down and sign-out instructions. Work performed after the stop signal may not be scored.
Results, appeals, and retake procedures follow the provider's written policy. Confirm with the provider the release timeline and the appeal window rather than relying on what other candidates say.