NC Cosmetology cheat sheet

Disinfection means using an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant labeled bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal, with implements fully immersed for the label contact time (commonly 10 minutes).

Sterilization destroys all microorganisms including bacterial spores; disinfection destroys most pathogens but not necessarily spores, and cosmetology requires disinfection, not sterilization.

Clean before you disinfect: oil, hair, and debris left on an implement or surface keep the disinfectant from contacting it, so the process fails.

Porous items such as nail files, wooden sticks, buffers, and cotton cannot be disinfected and are single-use: discard them or give them to the client.

Blood or body fluid exposure: stop the service, put on gloves, remove visible matter with absorbent material, disinfect the area with hospital-grade disinfectant, and place contaminated single-use items in a closed container.

Wash hands with soap and warm water before and after every client and after restroom or food breaks; hand sanitizer does not replace handwashing when hands are visibly soiled.

Chemical and electrical safety: keep products in labeled original containers, keep Safety Data Sheets on site, never mix products unless the manufacturer directs it, and use only UL-listed equipment with intact cords away from water.

Decision rule: refuse service and refer to a physician when a client has a contagious or infectious condition, an open lesion, or an infestation such as lice or scabies.

Consumer protection: advertising and service claims must be truthful and substantiated, and client service records, formulas, and patch test results are confidential.

Hair shaft layers from outside in: cuticle (protective scales), cortex (strength, elasticity, melanin, most of the hair's weight), medulla (innermost core, sometimes absent in fine hair).

Hair and scalp pH is about 4.5 to 5.5; alkaline products swell and lift the cuticle, acidic products smooth and close it.

Developer strengths: 10 volume = 3% hydrogen peroxide, 20 volume = 6%, 30 volume = 9%, 40 volume = 12%; volume strength, not the amount of product, determines lifting and damage.

Patch test aniline-derivative hair color 24 to 48 hours before the service and record the result on the client card; a positive reaction (redness, swelling, itching) cancels the color service.

Relaxer decision rule: do not relax hair that is already relaxed within the manufacturer's waiting interval, is bleached or highly lightened, or fails an elasticity test.

Neutralizing shampoo lowers the hair's pH and stops relaxer action; incomplete neutralizing leaves residual alkalinity and causes continued breakage.

Wet hair stretches up to about 50% of its length and returns; dry hair stretches only about 20%; hair that snaps with mild tension has low elasticity and is unsuitable for chemical services.

Growth cycle phases: anagen (active growth, the majority of scalp hairs), catagen (transition), telogen (resting, then shedding).

Thermal styling rule: use lower temperatures on fine, damaged, or lightened hair and keep the tool moving so heat is not concentrated in one spot.

Skin layers: epidermis (outermost stratum corneum, with new cells formed in the basal/germinative layer) and dermis (collagen, elastin, nerves, glands); subcutaneous tissue lies beneath.

The acid mantle is a film of sebum and sweat with a pH of about 4.5 to 5.5, which limits microbial growth and supports barrier function.

Fitzpatrick scale types I through VI describe response to ultraviolet light; lower types burn easily and require shorter exposure and higher sun protection.

Skin type is identified by observation: normal (small pores, balanced shine), dry/alipidic (tight, flaky, few pores), oily (enlarged pores, shine), combination (oily T-zone with normal or dry cheeks).

Massage movements: effleurage (gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (tapping), friction (rubbing); strokes generally move from insertion toward the origin of the muscle.

Contraindications to facial massage or extractions: contagious skin disease, open lesions, sunburn, recent peels or waxing, and inflamed acne.

Waxing rule: test wax temperature before application, apply in the direction of hair growth, remove against the growth while holding skin taut, and never wax over irritated or broken skin.

Extractions are limited to visible comedones; do not squeeze inflamed lesions because it spreads infection and risks scarring.

Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 15 protects against UV-related photoaging and skin cancer risk; advise reapplication after perspiring or swimming.

Nail structures: nail plate, nail bed, matrix, lunula, cuticle, eponychium, hyponychium, sidewalls, and free edge.

Growth rates: fingernails grow about one-eighth inch (roughly 3 mm) per month and are fully replaced in about 4 to 6 months; toenails take about 9 to 12 months.

The matrix produces new nail cells; trauma or pressure over the matrix causes ridges, thinning, or permanent deformity.

Disease versus disorder: onychomycosis, paronychia, and onycholysis are diseases, so the service is refused and the client is referred to a physician; cosmetic conditions such as ridges or spots may be served.

Do not cut living tissue around the nail; soften and push back the cuticle only, because cuts create entry points for bacteria and fungi.

Implement rules: metal tools are cleaned and disinfected between clients, while abrasives, buffers, and wooden pushers are single-use and discarded.

Pedicure basin rule: after each client, drain, clean with soap and water, disinfect with an EPA-registered product for the labeled contact time, then rinse before refilling.

Nail drill rule: use lower speed near the matrix, disinfect reusable bits between clients, and discard single-use bits.

Clients with diabetes or circulatory problems receive gentle services with no cutting of cuticles or aggressive filing, and are referred to a physician for nail disease.

North Carolina cosmetology law is Chapter 88B of the General Statutes; the Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners rules are published in Title 21 of the North Carolina Administrative Code, Chapter 14.

Minimum training hours for North Carolina licensure: cosmetologist 1,500 hours, esthetician 600 hours, manicurist 300 hours.

License categories include cosmetologist, esthetician, manicurist, natural hair care specialist, teacher, and the cosmetic art shop license.

A shop must hold a current shop license, individual licenses must be displayed in plain view, and Board inspectors may inspect during business hours; violations can bring fines, suspension, or revocation.

Service price = labor cost + product cost + overhead + profit; cost per service reveals whether a menu price actually earns money.

Retail price = product cost divided by (1 minus target margin); a $10 item at a 40% margin retails for $10 / 0.60 = $16.67.

Booth renter: pays fixed rent, sets own hours and prices, is self-employed, and is responsible for personal tools, sanitation, and taxes.

Commissioned or hourly employee: the salon controls scheduling and procedures and withholds payroll taxes; misclassifying an employee as a contractor creates tax and liability exposure.

Practice decision rule: no service may be performed by an unlicensed person or in an unlicensed location, and client records and formulas must be kept confidential and secure.