ME Esthetician study guide
ME Esthetician · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Maine Esthetician credential is a state license that authorizes you to perform skin care services for the public in Maine - facials, cleansing and exfoliation, facial massage, hair removal by waxing and tweezing, makeup application, and the product and ingredient decisions that support those services. It is issued through the Maine Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, which sets the licensing requirements and administers the examination pathway. The ME Esthetician study guide has 10 sections and about 2,519 words.
01Infection Control and Safety Practices
Infection control questions ask you to match a client-care risk to the correct process: cleaning, disinfection, or sterilization. The exam also checks salon safety and bloodborne-pathogen precautions.
283 words, about 1 min02Anatomy and Physiology of the Skin
Anatomy questions focus on skin layers, cell types, glands, and the barrier. You need to connect structure to treatment effects and contraindications.
243 words, about 1 min03Skin Analysis and Skin Types
Skin analysis questions test whether you can separate skin type from skin condition and choose a treatment that matches both. Skin types describe baseline oil and moisture behavior: normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive.
264 words, about 1 min04Client Consultation and Contraindications
Consultation questions test informed consent, history-taking, contraindication recognition, and the decision to proceed, modify, or refer. Use a written intake and ask about medications, allergies, pregnancy, skin disease, recent procedures, and products used at home.
256 words, about 1 min05Cleansing, Exfoliation, and Facial Treatments
This domain tests cleanser selection, exfoliation method and strength, and safe facial sequencing. Cleansers: surfactants lift oil and debris; syndets are milder than true soaps; the skin's acid mantle favors a low-pH cleanser.
252 words, about 1 min06Massage Techniques and Facial Manipulations
Massage questions test technique names, direction, pressure, and when facial massage is unsafe. Classic movements: effleurage, gliding; petrissage, kneading; tapotement, tapping; vibration; and friction.
224 words, about 1 min07Hair Removal (Waxing, Tweezing, and Related Methods)
Hair removal questions test wax type and temperature, hair growth cycles, contraindications, and sanitation. Hair cycles: anagen, growth; catagen, transition; telogen, rest.
246 words, about 1 min08Makeup Application and Color Theory
Makeup questions test color theory, foundation matching, sanitation, and client safety. Color wheel: primary colors mix to secondary; complementary colors sit opposite and neutralize each other.
235 words, about 1 min09Chemistry, Ingredients, and Product Selection
Chemistry questions test pH, functional ingredients, formulation types, and safe product selection. pH measures hydrogen-ion activity on a 0–14 scale.
245 words, about 1 min10Maine Laws, Rules, and Professional Ethics
Maine law and ethics questions test licensure, scope of practice, sanitation duties, and professional conduct. The Board of Barbering and Cosmetology within Maine's Department of Professional and Financial Regulation licenses estheticians and enforces rules.
271 words, about 1 min