TESDA Hairdressing NC II cheat sheet

TESDA basic competencies cover effective communication, teamwork, workplace safety, and professional conduct; these are assessed in every NC II qualification.

5S is Seiri (sort), Seiton (systematize/arrange), Seiso (sweep/clean), Seiketsu (standardize), and Shitsuke (sustain/self-discipline).

Workplace hazard control follows the hierarchy: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, then PPE as the last line of defense.

OHS recordable injuries are documented in the establishment's accident/incident report form and logged in the safety committee minutes for review.

Team roles in a salon are typically receptionist, hairdresser/stylist, assistant, and supervisor; each role has defined reporting lines.

A material safety data sheet (SDS) must accompany every chemical product (shampoo, relaxer, dye) and be kept accessible to staff.

Personal hygiene for hairdressers includes short trimmed nails, clean uniform, tied-back hair, and no jewelry that can catch hair or chemicals.

Common competencies for Hairdressing NC II include maintaining tools and equipment, performing basic salon operations, and observing safety and sanitation.

Disinfection kills most pathogenic microorganisms on surfaces; sterilization destroys all microorganisms including spores; sanitation reduces contamination to safe levels.

Barbicide-type quaternary ammonium solutions are used at label dilution; metal implements are immersed after cleaning, and the solution is replaced per manufacturer schedule.

Single-use items (razor blades, cotton, wooden sticks, neck strips) are discarded after one client and never reused.

A blood spill is cleaned with gloves, absorbent material, a 1:10 household bleach solution (or approved disinfectant) with 10-minute contact time, then disposed of properly.

Client consultation covers hair history, allergies, previous chemical services, scalp condition, and desired outcome, recorded on the client card.

Salon tools are inspected before use: shears for nicks, clippers for blade alignment, dryers for cord damage; defective tools are tagged and removed from service.

Hair structure: cuticle (outer protective scales), cortex (bulk, pigment, strength), medulla (central core, may be absent).

pH scale: hair and skin ~4.5-5.5; shampoo ~5.5-7; permanent wave ~9-9.5; relaxer ~11-13; neutralizer ~3-4.

Hair classification: Type 1 straight, Type 2 wavy, Type 3 curly, Type 4 coily; subclasses a, b, c describe diameter/curl tightness.

Porosity: low porosity cuticle tight, resistant to moisture; high porosity cuticle raised, absorbs and loses moisture quickly; tested by float test or spray test.

Density: sparse, medium, thick; texture: fine, medium, coarse; elasticity: normal hair stretches 30-50% of length and returns without breaking.

Permanent waving uses reducing agent (ammonium thioglycolate) to break disulfide bonds, then neutralizer (hydrogen peroxide or sodium bromate) to reform them.

Relaxers: sodium hydroxide (lye, pH ~13) and guanidine hydroxide (no-lye, pH ~13); ammonium thioglycolate relaxers are pH ~9-9.5; base cream protects scalp.

Hair coloring: temporary (acid dyes, coating), semi-permanent (direct dyes, no lift), demi-permanent (deposit only, low peroxide), permanent (oxidative dyes with developer).

Developer volumes: 10 vol (3%) deposit only, 20 vol (6%) 1-2 levels lift, 30 vol (9%) 2-3 levels, 40 vol (12%) 3-4 levels; 40 vol is avoided on scalp.

Color wheel: primary red, yellow, blue; secondary green, orange, violet; complementary pairs neutralize (violet cancels yellow, green cancels red, blue cancels orange).

Cutting angles: 0-degree blunt/one-length, 45-degree graduated, 90-degree uniform layer, 180-degree long layer; elevation determines shape and weight line.

Blow-dry and thermal styling temperatures: blow dryer 60-80°C for fine hair, up to 90°C for thick; flat iron 150-180°C on fine/damaged, up to 200°C on resistant hair.

Sanitation of chemical service: patch test 24-48 hours before oxidative color or relaxer; check for allergic reaction, and record result on client card.