WA Cosmetology study guide
WA Cosmetology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
Washington State licenses cosmetology practitioners through the Department of Licensing (DOL), and the umbrella covers several distinct credentials: cosmetologists, barbers, beauticians, manicurists, estheticians, master estheticians, and hair designers. Each type has its own application path and renewal process, but all candidates must pass a licensing exam before working on the public. The WA Cosmetology study guide has 5 sections and about 1,590 words.
01Hair Care and Haircutting
Hair has three layers: the cuticle (protective outer scales), the cortex (the bulk, holding pigment and strength), and the medulla (a central core that may be absent in fine hair). The growth cycle runs anagen (active growth, roughly 2–7 years), catagen (transitional, about two weeks), and telogen (resting, about three months).
330 words, about 2 min02Chemical Services (Color, Texture, Relaxing)
Learn the level system (1 black to 10 lightest blonde), tone (warm, cool, neutral), and the law of color: red, yellow, and blue are primary; mixing two primaries makes a secondary (orange, green, violet), and opposites neutralize each other. Account for underlying pigment - darker levels conceal warmth, while light levels reveal yellow through pale yellow.
335 words, about 2 min03Skin Care and Esthetics
Know the epidermis (avascular, with five layers: corneum, lucidum, granulosum, spinosum, basale), the dermis (blood vessels, nerves, glands, collagen, elastin), and the subcutaneous layer (fat). Functions include protection, sensation, heat regulation, excretion, secretion, and absorption.
291 words, about 1 min04Nail Care and Manicuring
Master the nail plate, nail bed, matrix, lunula, cuticle, eponychium, hyponychium, free edge, sidewalls, nail folds, and mantle. The matrix produces the plate, so injury there permanently deforms the nail.
312 words, about 2 min05Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety
Bacteria are cocci (round), bacilli (rod), and spirilla (spiral); most are nonpathogenic, but pathogens cause disease. Also know viruses (hepatitis B, HIV), fungi (tinea), and parasites (lice).
322 words, about 2 min