NC Barber study plan

List the NC Board's required sanitation, disinfection, and sterilization steps for non-porous implements, porous items, and electrical tools, in the correct order

Distinguish sanitation, disinfection, and sterilization and state which one applies to each tool category on a barber station

Outline the correct procedure for handling a blood or body-fluid exposure on a client, including tool quarantine and surface cleanup

Build a one-page pre-service station checklist covering handwashing, drape use, neck strips, and tool retrieval

Complete 40 practice items on sanitation and safety and log every missed item with the reason it was missed

Explain how contagious skin and scalp conditions are recognized and which ones require refusing service or referring out

Identify the four main haircut sections, the corresponding parting lines, and the elevation each produces

Describe how head shape, hairline, and growth patterns change a cut before you pick up shears

Demonstrate on a mannequin the difference between blunt, graduated, and layered cutting using consistent sectioning

Complete 30 mixed sanitation-plus-haircutting items and record accuracy by sub-topic

Match each styling tool and product (clippers, edgers, shears, razors, pomade, gel, thermal tools) to its correct use and NC-required sanitation method

Explain the correct draping sequence and why capes, neck strips, and towels are used in that order

Outline clipper-over-comb and shear-over-comb techniques and the situations where each is preferred

Describe thermal styling safety limits, including heat testing and tension control on curly and chemically treated hair

Complete a timed self-assessment of 25 styling and tool-knowledge items and note any item you could not justify

Sequence the steps of a safety razor shave from preparation through post-shave finishing, in the correct order

State the correct blade angle, skin tensioning method, and stroke direction for the face, neck, and jawline

List the conditions that contraindicate shaving and the steps to take when one is present

Describe beard and mustache design and outlining considerations, including symmetry and client consultation

Complete 30 shaving and facial-hair items and correct every error before moving on

Distinguish the purpose, action, and mixing rules of relaxers, texturizers, and curl-softening products

Explain the patch test, strand test, and scalp analysis steps required before a chemical service

Describe the neutralization and rinsing process after a relaxer, including why timing and thoroughness matter

Outline the hair color categories, developer strengths, and the strand test used to predict results

Complete 35 chemical-service items and write out the reason for each wrong answer

Label the layers of the skin and the structures of the hair shaft, follicle, and sebaceous gland and state each one's function

Identify the stages of hair growth and describe how they affect cutting, shaving, and chemical services

List the signs of common scalp and hair disorders and state which require referral rather than service

Summarize the NC Board's licensing, sanitation-inspection, and scope-of-practice rules that appear most often on the exam

Write 20 original practice questions drawn from domains 5 and 7 and answer them without notes

Describe the basic facial massage manipulations and the direction, pressure, and sequence used during a facial

State the contraindications for facial massage and the client-communication steps before beginning

Outline a basic skin-care service sequence, including cleansing, analysis, and post-service recommendations

Review NC Board advertising, record-keeping, and continuing-education requirements and note the specific numbers you must memorize

Re-drill your three lowest-scoring sub-topics from weeks 1 through 6

Take two full-length timed practice exams covering all seven domains and record accuracy per domain

Rank your domains from weakest to strongest and spend remaining study time only on the bottom two

Recite from memory the key numbers, temperatures, contact times, and ratios used in sanitation and chemical services

Re-answer every item you have missed across the previous seven weeks and confirm each is now correct