Texas Class A Barber cheat sheet

Elevation angles: 0° produces a blunt, one-length cut; 45° produces a graduated shape; 90° produces uniform layers; 180° produces long, blended layers.

A blunt cut is executed at 0° elevation with no overdirection, so the perimeter carries the heaviest, solid weight line.

Texture is the diameter of one strand (fine, medium, coarse); density is the number of hairs per square inch; porosity is the ability to absorb and hold moisture.

Low-porosity hair resists moisture and needs heat or alkaline products to lift the cuticle; high-porosity hair absorbs quickly but loses moisture fast.

Elasticity test: a wet strand that stretches and rebounds is normal; a strand that snaps indicates damage and contraindicates chemical services.

Cross-check by parting the hair opposite to the original section to confirm the cut is even and balanced.

Scalp massage is omitted when the scalp shows inflammation, pus, open lesions, fungal infection, or recent injury.

Hair grows roughly 1/2 inch per month; anagen is active growth, catagen is transition, and telogen is rest with shedding.

Shampoo with the fingertips, not the nails; rinse thoroughly and apply conditioner from midshaft to ends.

Hold the razor at approximately a 30-degree angle to the skin, and shave in the direction of hair growth for the first pass.

Hot, moist towels hydrate and soften the beard before lather is applied; lather lubricates the skin and holds moisture in place.

Keep skin taut with the free hand and use short, smooth strokes, rinsing the razor frequently to prevent clogging and drag.

Apply styptic powder to minor nicks; dispose of single-use blades in a sharps container and launder or discard contaminated linens.

Beard and moustache trimming: comb the hair against its growth, trim from longest to shortest, then blend the jawline and sideburns.

Facial massage manipulations are effleurage (gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (tapping), and friction (rubbing).

Shaving and facial services are contraindicated over skin infections, cold sores, open lesions, sunburn, or recently chemically peeled skin.

A close shave does not require a second pass against the grain; that pass increases irritation, ingrown hairs, and razor burn risk.

The hair color level system runs from 1 (black) to 10 (lightest blonde); the natural level is identified before any formula is chosen.

An allergy patch test for aniline-derivative hair color is applied 24 to 48 hours before the service behind the ear or in the inner elbow.

Developer volumes: 10 volume is 3% peroxide, 20 volume is 6%, 30 volume is 9%, and 40 volume is 12%; higher volume yields more lift.

Complementary colors cancel unwanted tones: yellow neutralizes violet, red neutralizes green, and blue neutralizes orange.

Permanent waving uses ammonium thioglycolate to reduce disulfide bonds in the cortex; the neutralizer (hydrogen peroxide or sodium bromate) rebuilds them in the new shape.

Relaxer application: protect the scalp with base, apply product to new growth only, process per manufacturer, rinse, then neutralize until the pH is restored.

Applying relaxer over previously relaxed hair (overlapping) causes overprocessing, breakage, and scalp burns.

A strand test predicts processing time and outcome before color, wave, or relaxer chemicals are applied to the full head.

Sanitizing reduces germs to a safe level, disinfecting kills most disease-causing organisms on surfaces, and sterilizing destroys all microorganisms including spores.

Implement procedure: remove hair, wash with soap and water, dry, then completely immerse in an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant for the label contact time, commonly 10 minutes.

Porous items such as towels, neck strips, cotton, and wooden sticks are single-use and must be discarded after one client.

Blood or body fluid exposure: stop the service, put on gloves, clean the area, and disinfect contaminated implements and surfaces with an EPA-registered tuberculocidal disinfectant.

Wash hands with soap and warm water before and after every client and after any contact with blood or body fluids.

Wet disinfectant containers are kept covered, labeled, and changed according to the manufacturer's directions.

Eating, drinking, and smoking are not permitted in the service areas of a barber shop.

Electrical clippers are cleaned by brushing off hair and wiping with disinfectant per the manufacturer; they are never immersed in liquid.

Barbering in Texas is administered by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) under Occupations Code Chapter 1601 and 16 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 82.

Class A barber licensure requires 1,000 clock hours of instruction, a minimum age of 17, a high school diploma or GED, and passing written and practical examinations.

Barber licenses are renewed on a two-year cycle; renewing after the expiration date requires payment of a late fee.

Each barber shop location requires its own shop license, and the license must be available for inspection at the shop.

TDLR representatives may inspect a licensed shop during business hours without advance notice.

Practicing barbering without a license, or allowing an unlicensed person to practice in a shop, is prohibited and subject to administrative penalties.

A booth renter must hold a valid individual barber license and follow the same sanitation rules as the shop; the shop owner holds the shop license.

Only a licensed barber may perform barbering services for compensation; unlicensed services are a violation of state law.