NY Cosmetology cheat sheet

Hair and scalp are acidic at roughly pH 4.5 to 5.5; alkaline products swell the cuticle and leave hair rough and dull.

Soft water lathers readily; hard water carries calcium and magnesium that leave film and reduce shine.

A surfactant molecule has a water-loving head and an oil-loving tail; the tail binds sebum so water rinses it away.

Sebum is produced by sebaceous glands attached to the follicle and is distributed down the shaft by brushing.

Clarifying shampoos remove product buildup; medicated shampoos target dandruff and diagnosed scalp conditions.

Conditioners are acidic, about pH 3.5 to 4.5, and flatten the cuticle; protein conditioners fill cortical gaps while humectants attract and hold moisture.

Scalp massage movements are effleurage (gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (tapping), and vibration.

Shampoo and massage services are contraindicated with abrasions, sunburn, open lesions, or contagious scalp disease.

Wet hair can stretch up to about 50 percent of its length and is at its weakest when wet.

Elevation of 0 degrees gives a blunt one-length solid form; 45 degrees gives graduation; 90 degrees gives uniform layers; 180 degrees gives long layers.

A stationary guide stays fixed while every other section is cut to it; a traveling guide moves section by section and builds layered shapes.

A blunt cut uses zero elevation and a solid line; graduated cuts build weight at the perimeter.

Point cutting, notching, slicing, and slithering are texturizing techniques that remove weight and soften the ends.

Wet hair stretches, so a wet cut can shrink shorter once dry; dry cutting is used to verify and refine the finished line.

Cross-checking means parting the hair opposite the cutting direction to confirm the line is balanced.

Sectioning and subsectioning control tension and keep the two sides symmetrical.

Cowlicks and whorls are growth patterns that resist styling; leaving extra length or weight at the pattern keeps it flat.

Thinning shears reduce bulk without shortening or changing the outer perimeter line.

A pin curl has three parts: the base, the stem that sets direction and movement, and the circle that forms the curl.

Roller diameter controls curl size; base size and stem direction control volume and where the movement travels.

Wet sets hold until the next shampoo; hair is dried under a hood dryer at roughly 70 to 80 percent dryness before styling.

Finger waves are formed with a comb and styling gel in alternating S-shaped ridges and hollows.

Thermal iron ranges: about 250 to 310 F for fine, damaged, or lightened hair; 310 to 350 F for medium texture; 350 to 390 F for coarse resistant hair.

Thermal irons and flat irons are used on dry hair; pressing uses a heated comb or iron with pressing oil on dry hair.

Soft, medium, and hard pressing differ in heat and pressure; the hard press is reserved for resistant texture.

Blow-drying with the nozzle pointed down the shaft at about a 45-degree angle smooths the cuticle.

Natural-bristle brushes distribute sebum; nylon bristles grip the hair and build tension for volume.

Hair is roughly 90 percent cortex, enclosed by the cuticle, with a medulla core that may be absent in fine hair.

Keratin chains are held by hydrogen, salt, and disulfide bonds; only the disulfide bonds are broken by permanent waves and relaxers.

Alkaline permanent wave uses ammonium thioglycolate at about pH 8.5 to 9.5; the neutralizer (hydrogen peroxide or sodium bromate) rebuilds the disulfide bonds.

Lye relaxer is sodium hydroxide near pH 13; no-lye is guanidine hydroxide; thio relaxers use ammonium thioglycolate near pH 9 to 9.5.

Relaxer retouch is applied to new growth only with a protective base cream on the scalp, and neutralizing shampoo removes residue and restores the hair's acidic pH.

Developer volumes: 10 volume is about 3 percent peroxide, 20 volume about 6 percent, 30 volume about 9 percent, and 40 volume about 12 percent; higher volume lifts more.

Color wheel: primaries are yellow, red, and blue; secondaries are orange, green, and violet; complementary colors neutralize each other.

Level is lightness or darkness from 1 (black) to 10 (lightest blonde); tone is the warm, cool, or neutral cast.

Semipermanent color deposits without lift and fades over roughly 4 to 6 shampoos; permanent color lifts and deposits and requires a patch test 24 to 48 hours ahead.

Epidermis layers from deepest to surface: basale, spinosum, granulosum, lucidum (palms and soles), and corneum.

The dermis holds collagen and elastin fibers; the subcutaneous layer stores fat and provides insulation.

The acid mantle of skin sits near pH 5.5, which supports barrier function and limits bacterial growth.

Fitzpatrick scale runs from type I, which always burns and never tans, to type VI, deeply pigmented skin that rarely burns.

Skin types are normal, dry, oily, combination (oily T-zone), and sensitive; product selection follows the analysis.

Facial massage movements are effleurage, petrissage, tapotement, and vibration, performed in an upward and outward direction.

Extractions follow warm steam softening and are avoided on inflamed papules, pustules, and open lesions.

Contraindications include contagious skin disease, sunburn, open wounds, and recent peels or waxing.

A Wood's lamp emits ultraviolet light that reveals hydration, sun damage, and bacterial or fungal fluorescence.

The nail plate is compacted keratin with no nerves or blood vessels; the nail bed lies beneath it and the matrix at the base produces new cells.

Lunula is the whitish half-moon at the base; eponychium is the living skin fold at the base; hyponychium is the seal beneath the free edge.

Fingernails grow about 1/8 inch per month and replace in roughly 4 to 6 months; toenails take 9 to 12 months.

Standard nail shapes are square, squoval, oval, round, pointed, and coffin.

Base coat improves adhesion and protects the plate; top coat seals the color and adds gloss.

Cuticle softener loosens tissue; nippers are used only on hangnails, never on living tissue.

Paronychia (red, swollen, painful nail fold) and onychomycosis (fungal infection) are contraindications requiring referral.

Buffing with fine grit smooths ridges, but over-buffing thins the nail plate and causes splitting.

Hand and arm massage uses effleurage, petrissage, tapotement, and vibration; joints are moved only through their normal range.

Cleaning removes visible debris and many germs with soap and water; disinfection destroys most microorganisms; sterilization destroys all microbial life including spores.

Use an EPA-registered hospital-grade (tuberculocidal) disinfectant mixed at the labeled dilution and left for the full labeled contact time.

Implement procedure: wash with soap and water, dry thoroughly, immerse completely in disinfectant, then store in a clean covered container.

Porous items such as wooden sticks, files, and pumice sponges cannot be disinfected and must be discarded or given to the client.

Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after every client.

For blood or body fluid spills, wear gloves, clean the area, then treat with an EPA-registered tuberculocidal disinfectant at the labeled dilution.

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) must be on file and accessible for every chemical product in the salon.

Never store food or drink near chemicals and label all secondary containers with the product name.

Dispose of single-use blades and contaminated items in a covered waste container according to local rules.

The New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services, issues appearance enhancement licenses to businesses and practitioners.

Training hour requirements: cosmetology 1,000 hours, esthetics 600, natural hair styling 300, nail specialty 250, and waxing 75.

Applicants must be at least 17 years old and pass the state licensing examination.

Appearance enhancement licenses are renewed on a four-year cycle.

Both the business license and each practitioner's license must be displayed in the salon.

Only licensed practitioners may perform appearance enhancement services for compensation; unlicensed practice is a violation subject to penalties.

Salon sanitation, equipment, and facility standards are set in the appearance enhancement regulations enforced by the Division.

Client service records and patch test documentation should be retained, and retail product sales are subject to New York State sales tax.

Signage and advertising must not misstate licensure or qualifications.