TX Cosmetology cheat sheet

Cleaning removes visible dirt, oil, and debris with soap and water; disinfection destroys most pathogenic organisms on nonporous surfaces; sterilization destroys all microbial life, including spores.

Implements that contact blood or could contact blood must be cleaned, then fully immersed in an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant labeled tuberculocidal, following the label's contact time.

Contact time is the number of minutes an item must remain submerged and wet in the disinfectant; it is set by the product label, not by salon preference.

Porous items such as nail files, buffers, wooden sticks, cotton, sponges, and porous foot files cannot be effectively disinfected and must be discarded after use or given to the client.

Blood or body-fluid spill procedure: stop the service, put on gloves, clean the area with soap and water, disinfect with an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant, and place contaminated materials in a covered container.

Hands are washed with soap and water before and after every client; hand sanitizer is not a substitute when hands are visibly soiled.

Whirlpool foot spas are drained, cleaned, and disinfected after each client according to the manufacturer's instructions, and the cleaning record must be available for inspection.

Chemicals are kept in labeled containers, and a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each product used in the salon must be accessible.

Electrical tools must be UL-listed and inspected for frayed cords; appliances are unplugged before cleaning and kept away from water sources.

Hair has three layers: the cuticle (outer protective scales), the cortex (middle layer holding melanin and most of the hair's strength and elasticity), and the medulla (central core, sometimes absent).

Hair and scalp pH is approximately 4.5 to 5.5; alkaline products swell the hair and raise the cuticle, while acidic products contract the hair and smooth the cuticle.

Growth cycle phases: anagen (active growth, lasts years), catagen (transition, a few weeks), telogen (resting and shedding, about three months).

Elevation angle determines the cut: 0 degrees produces a one-length cut, 45 degrees a graduated cut, 90 degrees a uniformly layered cut, and 180 degrees a long-layered cut.

Wet hair stretches roughly 40 to 50 percent of its length before breaking, compared with about 20 percent when dry, so wet hair is more fragile under tension.

Shampoo is worked into the scalp with the pads of the fingers, not the nails; conditioner is applied mainly from mid-shaft to the ends.

Aniline-derivative (oxidative) hair color requires a patch test 24 to 48 hours before application, per the manufacturer's directions.

Point cutting, slide cutting, and notching remove bulk or blend weight without creating a blunt line and are performed on the ends or interior, not at the scalp line.

Blow-dryer airflow is directed from scalp toward ends, following the cuticle direction, to produce a smooth finish.

Nail structures include the nail plate, nail bed, matrix (which produces the plate), lunula (visible portion of the matrix), eponychium, hyponychium, free edge, sidewalls, and nail folds.

The nail plate grows from the matrix at about one-eighth inch (approximately 3 mm) per month; growth is faster in summer, on the dominant hand, and in younger clients.

The eponychium is living tissue and is not cut; it is softened and pushed back, and nippers are used only on hangnails or clearly dead tissue.

Conditions not treated in the salon include onychomycosis (fungal infection), paronychia (infection of the nail fold), and onycholysis (plate separation); the client is referred to a physician.

Metal implements are cleaned and fully immersed in disinfectant after each client; porous files and buffers are single-use or kept by the client.

Pedicure equipment: after every client, drain and clean the basin with soap and water, then disinfect with an EPA-registered disinfectant for the label's contact time, and record the cleaning.

Polish is applied in thin coats (base coat, two color coats, top coat); thick coats dry unevenly and trap solvent, causing bubbles and smudging.

In sculptured nails, the monomer-to-polymer ratio controls set time and strength; an overly wet bead shrinks and lifts, while an overly dry bead is brittle.

Excessive filing or drilling thins the nail plate and can cause sensitivity, lifting, and infection; the plate is not reduced below its natural thickness.

The epidermis is the avascular outer layer; the dermis contains blood vessels, nerves, glands, and collagen; the subcutaneous layer is fat and insulation.

The acid mantle of skin is about pH 4.5 to 5.5; alkaline cleansers strip it and increase dryness and irritation.

Skin types are normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive; the Fitzpatrick scale (I through VI) classifies sun reactivity and burning tendency.

Exfoliants are mechanical (scrubs, brushes) or chemical: AHA/glycolic acid works mainly at the surface, while BHA/salicylic acid penetrates oil-filled pores.

Contraindications for facial services include open lesions, sunburn, recent laser or waxing, active cold sores, and known product allergy.

Waxing technique: test wax temperature, apply in the direction of hair growth, hold the skin taut, and remove against the direction of growth.

Massage movements are effleurage (gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (tapping), friction, and vibration; facial movements generally travel upward and outward.

Extractions are performed only on softened, prepared skin with proper technique and are avoided on inflamed, cystic, or broken skin.

Sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, reapplied about every two hours outdoors, reduces photoaging and skin cancer risk.

Cosmetology in Texas is governed by Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1602 and administered through rules in 16 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 83.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) issues and renews cosmetology licenses for cosmetologists, estheticians, and manicurists, as well as establishment and school licenses.

A salon may not operate without a current establishment license, and that license must be posted where clients can see it.

A licensee must keep the individual license displayed at the workstation while providing services.

TDLR representatives may enter and inspect a licensed salon or school during business hours without prior notice to check compliance with licensing and sanitation rules.

Performing cosmetology services for compensation without a license, or allowing an unlicensed person to work in a salon, is a violation subject to administrative penalties and criminal charges.

Continuing education hours required for renewal are set by TDLR rule and must be completed and documented before the license expires.

A student in a licensed school may perform services only under instructor supervision and may not accept payment from the client for those services.

Working on an expired license is unlicensed practice; the license must be renewed before its expiration date to continue working.