MO Barber cheat sheet

Pathogens are ranked by resistance: bacterial spores (most resistant) > mycobacteria > fungi > most viruses > vegetative bacteria (least resistant); prions resist nearly all standard disinfection.

Disinfection kills most pathogenic organisms on nonporous surfaces but does not destroy spores; sterilization destroys all microbial life including spores.

EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant with a tuberculocidal claim is required for blood and body-fluid spills in barbershops.

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

Hepatitis B and C spread by blood contact; HIV is far less stable outside the body. All three are bloodborne pathogens under OSHA-style rules.

Contaminated implements must be cleaned (soap and water) before disinfection; organic debris inactivates disinfectants.

Porous items that cannot be disinfected (neck strips, towels) must be single-use or laundered; electrical clippers require an EPA-registered clipper spray or blade wash.

Hand washing with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds is the single most effective infection-control measure; hand sanitizer is a fallback, not a substitute.

Hair is about 90% protein (keratin); the cortex provides strength, color, and elasticity, the cuticle is the protective outer layer, and the medulla is the inner core.

Scalp types: normal, oily (sebum overproduction), dry (flaking without oil), and combination; dandruff is a scalp condition, not a hair type.

Shampoo selection rule: oily scalps need higher-detergency formulas; dry or chemically treated hair needs lower-detergency, conditioning formulas.

Surfactants are the cleansing agents in shampoo; the lather carries oil and debris away while water rinses it.

pH matters: alkaline products open the cuticle and raise swelling; acidic products close the cuticle and add shine.

Conditioners work by smoothing the cuticle, reducing static, and restoring moisture; they should not be applied heavily to the scalp on oily scalps.

Contraindications: avoid shampooing over open lesions, active ringworm, or a fresh chemical burn; refer scalp disease to a physician.

Water temperature for shampooing should be warm, not hot; hot water strips sebum and can irritate the scalp.

Elevation (lifting) is the angle at which hair is held from the head: 0° = blunt/one-length, 45° = graduated, 90° = uniform layers, 180° = long layers.

A blunt cut is cut at 0° elevation; a graduated cut stacks length and adds volume; a layered cut removes weight and creates movement.

Sectioning: four sections (front, crown, sides, nape) is standard; subsections should be no wider than the hair's density allows for clean control.

Guide (guideline) is the first cut strand that sets length; a stationary guide stays fixed, a traveling guide moves along the head.

Tension must stay consistent; uneven tension produces uneven lines. Cut with the blade parallel to the subsection for blunt lines.

Cross-checking means re-combing the hair in a different pattern to verify balance and symmetry before finishing.

Clipper-over-comb uses the comb as a guide and guard; the blade cuts only hair protruding above the comb teeth.

Texturizing (point cutting, notching, slicing) removes bulk and softens lines; it should be done after the main shape is established.

Shaving direction: with the grain (downward on most faces) for a close, low-irritation shave; against the grain gives a closer shave but raises razor-burn risk.

Hot towel and lather soften the beard and open follicles; a cold towel after shaving closes pores and reduces irritation.

Straight-razor angle: about 30° to the skin; keep the skin taut with the free hand and shave in short strokes.

Never shave over moles, raised lesions, or active acne; nicks should be stopped with styptic powder or a cold compress.

Beard shapes follow face geometry: a full beard adds length to a round face; a goatee or defined line slims a wide jaw.

Neckline rule: define the beard line just above the Adam's apple and curve to the jaw; a straight neckline looks unnatural.

Disposable blades and straight razors are single-client items; blades must be discarded in a sharps container, never reused.

Beard trimmers cut against the growth direction for even length; finish edges with a liner or razor for a crisp outline.

The hair color wheel: red, yellow, and blue are primary; orange, green, and violet are secondary. Complementary colors neutralize unwanted tones.

Level system runs 1 (black) to 10 (lightest blonde); the natural level determines how much lift is possible.

Developer volume maps to lift: 10 vol deposits tone, 20 vol lifts about 1 level, 30 vol lifts 2–3 levels, 40 vol lifts 3–4 levels with more damage risk.

Lightening (bleach) removes pigment; permanent color both lifts and deposits; semi-permanent deposits only and fades over washes.

Strand test before any lightening service predicts timing, result, and damage risk, especially on previously colored or relaxed hair.

Never lighten hair that has been relaxed (or relax hair that has been lightened) without a patch/strand test and at least a two-week gap.

Patch test 24–48 hours before color services to screen for allergic reaction, per manufacturer instructions.

Aniline derivative tints (oxidative dyes) require a developer; metallic dyes are incompatible with them and can cause severe chemical reactions.

Relaxers use a strong alkaline agent (sodium hydroxide or guanidine hydroxide/no-lye) to break disulfide bonds; thio-based products are used for perms.

The chemical process has two phases: reduction (bond breaking) and neutralization/oxidation (bond reforming into the new shape).

Base and no-base relaxers differ in whether a protective base cream is applied to the scalp before the product.

Processing time is set by manufacturer instructions and hair texture; overprocessing causes breakage and scalp burns.

Relaxer retouch application goes on new growth only; overlapping previously relaxed hair causes overprocessing.

Neutralizing shampoo must be used until the product is fully removed and the pH returns to normal; residual relaxer keeps breaking bonds.

Contraindications: do not relax hair with scalp abrasions, recent chemical burns, or a history of allergic reaction to the product.

Perm rod size controls curl: smaller rods produce tighter curls, larger rods produce looser waves.

Skin types: normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive; treatment products are chosen by type and condition.

Cleansing order for a facial: cleanse, exfoliate (if indicated), steam, extract, massage, mask, moisturize, protect.

Massage movements: effleurage (gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (tapping), and friction; always move toward the heart on the face and neck.

Contraindications for facial massage include active acne, open lesions, recent chemical peels, and contagious skin conditions.

Extractions should be limited to comedones that are ready; never force a lesion or extract over inflamed skin.

Steam softens sebum and opens pores but should be brief on sensitive or couperose skin.

Sunscreen and moisturizer finish a facial; advise clients to avoid harsh scrubs immediately after treatment.

Hair anatomy: follicle (root sheath), bulb (matrix where growth occurs), papilla (blood supply), sebaceous gland, and arrector pili muscle.

Hair growth cycles: anagen (growth, years), catagen (transition, weeks), telogen (rest, months); shedding follows telogen.

The three layers of hair: medulla (core), cortex (bulk, pigment, strength), cuticle (overlapping scales, protection).

Skin layers: epidermis (outer, no blood vessels), dermis (nerves, glands, follicles), subcutaneous (fat).

Sebaceous glands secrete sebum; sweat glands (eccrine and apocrine) regulate temperature and are concentrated in the armpits and groin.

Bones of the skull relevant to barbering: frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, and zygomatic (cheekbone).

Muscles of facial expression include frontalis, temporalis, masseter (chewing), and orbicularis oculi and oris.

Nerves and blood vessels of the face: facial nerve (movement), trigeminal nerve (sensation), and the superficial temporal and facial arteries.

Missouri barbering is regulated by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners under the Division of Professional Registration.

Licensure requires completing an approved barber program (typically 1,000 hours) and passing the state practical and written exams; verify current hour requirements with the Board.

Shop licenses and individual licenses must be displayed; only licensed barbers may perform services for compensation.

Sanitation rules require disinfecting implements between clients, using clean capes and neck strips, and proper disposal of sharps and blood-contaminated items.

Continuing education and license renewal cycles are set by the Board; renewal deadlines and fees should be verified on the state website.

Ethical practice: protect client confidentiality, disclose pricing, refuse services outside your scope, and refer medical conditions to a physician.

Advertising must be truthful and must not claim services or credentials the barber does not hold.

Recordkeeping: keep client records and service documentation as required by state rule; report suspected communicable disease per public health guidance.