NIC Cosmetology Audio Crash Course

a u d i oc r a s hc o u r s e tm

F o l l o wA l o n gM a n u a l

Cosmetology

www.AudioLearn.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction: Chapter One .......................................................................... 1 Course Conventions and Content .................................................................................... 2 Chapter Two: The NIC Cosmetology Exam .................................................. 7 The Beginning of a Great Career ..................................................................................... 7 Overview of the NIC Cosmetology Exam......................................................................... 9 Eligibility Criteria, Registration, and Scheduling .......................................................... 11 How to Prepare for the Exam ........................................................................................ 13 Test Center Regulations ................................................................................................. 18 Exam Results and Retake Policy.................................................................................... 21 Chapter One: Quiz.......................................................................................................... 22 Answers to Chapter One Quiz ........................................................................................ 23 The Keyaways ................................................................................................................. 24 Chapter Three: Preparing for the Practical Exam ...................................... 26 Overview of the Practical Exam ..................................................................................... 27 Work Area and Client Preparation And Set Up of Supplies .......................................... 28 Thermal Curling ............................................................................................................. 28 Haircutting ..................................................................................................................... 29 Work Area and New Client Preparation And Set Up of Supplies ................................. 30 Chemical Waving ........................................................................................................... 30 Predisposition Test and Strand Test with Simulated Product ...................................... 31 Highlighting with Foil. Virgin Application with Colored Simulated Product. ............. 32

Hair Color Retouch with Colored Simulated Product. .................................................. 32 Virgin Hair Relaxer Application with Colored Simulated Product. .............................. 33 Blood Exposure Product. ............................................................................................... 33 What You Need to Bring for the Practical Exam ........................................................... 34 Chapter Three: Quiz ....................................................................................................... 37 Answers to Chapter Three Quiz ..................................................................................... 38 The Keytakeaways .......................................................................................................... 39 Chapter Four: Scientific Concepts - Infection Control and First Aid .......... 41 Infection Control ............................................................................................................ 42 Microbiology .................................................................................................................. 43 Methods of Infection Control ........................................................................................ 44 Federal Regulations ....................................................................................................... 46 First Aid .......................................................................................................................... 48 Chapter Four: Quiz ........................................................................................................ 50 Answers to Chapter Twelve Quiz ................................................................................... 51 They Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 52 Chapter Five: Scientific Concepts - Anatomy and Physiology and Basics of Chemistry and Electricity ........................................................... 53 Cells, Tissues, and Organs ............................................................................................. 53 Skeletal System .............................................................................................................. 55 Muscular System ............................................................................................................ 56 Circulatory System ......................................................................................................... 59 The Endocrine, Respiratory, and Integumentary Systems ........................................... 61 The Nervous System ...................................................................................................... 62 The Excretory System .................................................................................................... 62

Ergonomics .................................................................................................................... 63 Basic Principles of Chemistry ........................................................................................ 63 Basic Principles of Electricity ........................................................................................ 65 Chapter Five: Quiz ......................................................................................................... 68 Answers to Chapter Five Quiz........................................................................................ 69 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 70 Chapter Six: Hair Care and Services Part 1 - Trichology .............................71 Properties and Structure of the Hair and Scalp .............................................................71 Hair Analysis and Hair Quality...................................................................................... 73 Stages of Hair Growth .................................................................................................... 74 Hair Loss ........................................................................................................................ 75 Conditions of the Scalp and Hair ................................................................................... 76 Chapter Six: Quiz ........................................................................................................... 79 Answers to Chapter Six Quiz .........................................................................................80 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 81 Chapter Seven: Hair Care and Services Part Two - Draping and Washing Procedures ................................................................................. 82 Draping Services ............................................................................................................ 83 Shampoo Draping....................................................................................................... 83 Haircut Draping ......................................................................................................... 84 Chemical Services Draping......................................................................................... 85 Thermal Services and Thermal Draping ....................................................................... 85 Shampooing, Conditioning, Massaging, and Brushing Procedures ............................. 85 Hair Analysis .............................................................................................................. 85 Scalp Analysis ............................................................................................................. 86

Shampooing ................................................................................................................ 86 Conditioning ............................................................................................................... 87 Scalp Treatments ........................................................................................................88 Scalp Massage .............................................................................................................88 Brushing Procedures ..................................................................................................88 Chapter Seven: Quiz....................................................................................................... 91 Answers to Chapter Seven Quiz ..................................................................................... 92 The Key Takeaways ........................................................................................................ 93 Chapter Eight: Hair Care and Services Part Three – Hair Design and Cutting ...................................................................................................... 95 Principles of Hair Design ........................................................................................... 95 Elements of Hair Design ............................................................................................ 96 Principles of Balance and Design ............................................................................... 97 Facial Shapes .............................................................................................................. 98 Hair Cutting Procedures ............................................................................................ 99 Client Consultation ..................................................................................................... 99 Principles of Haircutting .......................................................................................... 100 Tools and Safety ........................................................................................................101 Basic Haircuts ........................................................................................................... 103 Chapter Eight: Quiz ..................................................................................................... 107 Answers to Chapter Eight ............................................................................................ 108 The Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 109 Chapter Nine: Hair Care and Services Part Four – Wigs, Chemical Services, and Color .................................................................................. 111 Wigs, Hair Enhancements, and Extensions ................................................................. 111

Chemical Services Consultation ................................................................................... 112 Chemical Services ......................................................................................................... 113 Chemical Waxing ....................................................................................................... 114 Chemical Hair Relaxers ............................................................................................. 115 Hair Coloring Procedures ............................................................................................. 115 Law of Color ............................................................................................................... 116 Types of Hair Color ................................................................................................... 117 Hair Color Applications ............................................................................................. 119 Chapter Nine: Quiz ...................................................................................................... 120 Answers to Chapter Nine .............................................................................................. 121 The Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 122 Chapter Ten: Skin Care and Services Part One – Histology, Consultation, Draping, and Hair Removal .............................................. 124 Skin Histology .............................................................................................................. 125 Composition of the Skin ........................................................................................... 125 Conditions of the Skin ...............................................................................................127 Functions of the Skin................................................................................................ 128 Skincare Services Consultation.................................................................................... 129 Draping Procedures for Facial Services ....................................................................... 130 Temporary Hair Removal ............................................................................................. 131 Shaving ..................................................................................................................... 132 Tweezing ................................................................................................................... 132 Waxing ...................................................................................................................... 132 Depilatories .............................................................................................................. 133 Threading ................................................................................................................. 133

Sugaring .................................................................................................................... 133 Chapter Ten: Quiz ........................................................................................................ 134 Answers to Chapter Ten ............................................................................................... 135 The Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 136 Chapter Eleven: Skin Care and Services Part Two – Facial Treatment Procedures and Makeup ......................................................................... 138 Facial Treatment Procedures ....................................................................................... 138 Skincare Tools .......................................................................................................... 140 Facial Makeup Application ........................................................................................... 141 Makeup Color Theory ................................................................................................ 141 Cosmetic Application ............................................................................................... 143 Artificial Eyelashes ................................................................................................... 144 Eyelash and Eyebrow Coloring ................................................................................ 144 Chapter Eleven: Quiz ................................................................................................... 145 Answers to Chapter Eleven Quiz ................................................................................. 146 The Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 147 Chapter Twelve: Nail Care and Services .................................................. 149 Nail Care Service Consultation .................................................................................... 149 Nail Structure ................................................................................................................ 151 Nail Composition ...................................................................................................... 152 Nail Growth .............................................................................................................. 152 Nail Conditions ......................................................................................................... 153 Manicure and Pedicure Procedures ............................................................................. 154 Advanced Nail Care ...................................................................................................... 156 Pre and Post Service Procedures ...............................................................................157

Nail Tips.................................................................................................................... 158 Nail Wraps and Overlays .......................................................................................... 158 Nail Art ..................................................................................................................... 159 Chapter Twelve: Quiz ................................................................................................... 160 Answers to Chapter Twelve Quiz .................................................................................. 161 The Key Takeaways ...................................................................................................... 162 Chapter Thirteen: Congratulations, You Passed! What Comes Next?....... 164 Final Exam ................................................................................................................... 166 Chapter Thirteen: Final Exam ..................................................................................... 167 Answers to the Chapter Thirteen Final Exam ............................................................. 168 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 169 AudioLearn Follow Along Manual ............................................................ 179

INTRODUCTION: CHAPTER ONE Welcome to this audio course on preparing for the National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology or NIC exam! I will guide you through the course material. If you are listening to this course, you are likely preparing for the written and practical cosmetology exams. Maybe you are just contemplating becoming a certified cosmetologist and want to get some information about the industry and the hiring process. Whatever the case, I want to congratulate you on choosing such a potentially rewarding career path. After listening to this course, you will be prepared for both the written and practical NIC cosmetology exams; additionally, you will have a solid understanding of the steps you need to take as you search for and secure a job in the cosmetology industry.

So, let us start by briefly exploring the career of a cosmetologist. Cosmetology incorporates the subjects of hairstyling, skincare, nail care, and makeup. For the purposes of taking the NIC cosmetology exam, you will need to be knowledgeable in all these areas. Upon passing the exam, you will be licensed to specialize in and pursue a career in any number of areas: from a nail technician to a salon owner.

The NIC cosmetology exam consists of a practical test and a written test. For the written exam, you will have ninety minutes to complete a test of one hundred ten multiple choice questions. Be aware, though, that ten of those questions are experimental and will not count towards your score. For the practical exam, you will need to be able to demonstrate your competence in many areas: hair shaping, chemical waving, chemical relaxing, hair lightening, hair coloring, and thermal coloring.

Depending on the state where you plan to become licensed, you may need to demonstrate your abilities in other areas. I will explain this in more detail later, but it is important that you check the requirements of your state regarding the practical exam.

Passing the NIC cosmetology exam affords you the opportunity to apply for a license in any state where NIC licensure is accepted. In some states such as Ohio, Washington,

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and South Carolina, passing both the written and practical exams is required for licensing. Other states accept either the written or the practical exam. These states include Illinois and Alaska. It is important to check the licensing requirements for your state. You can find more information on the official NIC testing website. Be sure to check this information well before you take the exam.

In a little bit, I will give you a brief overview of this course. Before I do, though, I want to tell you about what you can expect as we go through the material together. Thank you, again, for your interest in this course and for your desire to help people with their beauty and styling needs. If you are ready, let's begin.

COURSE CONVENTIONS AND CONTENT Welcome to the section on the course conventions and content! When I say course conventions, I mean the concepts and methods I will use to present material to you. The course is divided up into thirteen chapters; many of the chapters are split up into smaller sections. Each time I start a new section or chapter, I will give you its name.

Throughout the course, I will present small quizzes to you. You will find the quiz material in the Follow Along PDF Manual I will discuss that a bit later. Take a quiz and consult the answer key to see how well you are retaining the course material.

Alternatively, I will discuss the correct answers in the lectures, so you can pause the audio, take the quiz, and then listen for the correct answers. Quizzes are typically found near the end of a chapter and consist of ten questions.

To help you summarize and retain as much information as possible, I will finish every chapter with a list of takeaways the most important points to remember from the chapter. There will typically be ten of these important points; at the end of short chapters, though, I may limit it to five.

I mentioned a Follow Along PDF Manual a bit earlier. Each AudioLearn course comes with a companion study guide a Follow Along PDF Manual. You can print out the material or read the manual in its digital format: the choice is yours. These PDF manuals contain summaries of important material as well as links to supplemental information. They contain the quizzes as well as your final exam. Should you decide to 2

print out the manual, you can use it to write additional comments and notes as you see fit.

For many learners, repetition is invaluable to effective learning. Soon you will discover that I will repeat many terms and concepts. This is not because I am running out of things to say. When you hear ideas that have been repeated, even multiple times, take note of them. We consider them to be very important concepts.

Speaking of repetition, I whole heartedly recommend you listen to every lecture in this course at least twice, even more. You are about to be given a great deal of information: facts, terminology, techniques, and suggestions for supplemental study. It will be extremely difficult for you to fully grasp everything in just one listen. Depending on where you are listening, you can take notes as well. Many chapters are best absorbed if you can sit and follow along in the PDF manual as I present the material. If, however, you are only able to listen while commuting to work, for example, forget the manual for now. Consult it when the time is more appropriate. You can still get valuable information just by hearing what I have to say.

Now, I want to give you an outline of the material I will present to you. This is just an overview so you know what to expect. I hope that much of what you hear motivates you and excites you about the prospects of a career in cosmetology.

My lectures will begin with the basic profile of a cosmetologist. That will include not only the skills you'll need, but also the key duties and responsibilities you can expect upon being hired.

From there, I will go through the process of applying for and taking the NIC cosmetology exam: the eligibility criteria, how to register, how to prepare, what are the test center regulations, and the policies related to results and retakes.

Once your application to take the written exam and/or the practical exam is accepted, what comes next? Passing one or both of these exams is the first step towards obtaining a position in cosmetology. You must pass if you want to practice as a licensed cosmetologist. So, I will provide you with a basic summary of the written and practical tests.

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Next, we will explore the exam and its contents in more depth. Here is where you can expect to get most of the quizzes in the course. After providing an introductory overview of the test structure, I will cover material about general test taking. How do you successfully navigate through a written multiple choice test? What are some effective study habits? What should you do during the time leading up to your test date?

After that, you will hear about how to prepare for the practical exam. As I mentioned at the start of this chapter, you'll need to demonstrate competence in one or more of: hair shaping, chemical waving, chemical relaxing, hair lightening, hair coloring, and thermal coloring. Depending on your state, proof of competence in other areas might come into play; this could include skills such as blow drying, styling, roller placement, facials, and manicuring . In this section, you will also hear about the supplies needed for the NIC cosmetology practical exam and how to best prepare for it. The supplies you'll need will likely differ from state to state.

I will address the specific subject areas you can expect to get on the written exam. I'll start with Infection Control and First Aid. I'll discuss different methods of infection control and federal regulations in the cosmetology practice for both infection control and first aid. These are essential practices for any licensed cosmetologist. You'll need to understand them inside and out.

Following that, I will cover Anatomy and Physiology. In this chapter, you will gain a basic understanding of human anatomy; you'll hear in more detail about how cells, tissues, and organs function. Then you'll get information on physiology, including the skeletal and muscular systems, types of joints, circulatory system, the endocrine system, and more. I will also cover ergonomics– the principle of best practices in body positioning to ensure client safety.

I will go over some basic principles of chemistry and electricity. These areas may seem a bit daunting, but developing an understanding of the concepts is vital to best practices as a cosmetologist.

I will then present the subject of Hair Care and Services which will be split into four key areas. Part one covers Trichology. Trichology is the science of the function and structure

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of hair, as well as the diseases that can affect hair. This will include hair analysis and quality, stages of hair growth, hair loss, and the conditions of the scalp and hair.

Part two is about draping and washing procedures including shampooing, conditioning, massaging, and brushing procedures. This section will also include hair and scalp analysis and treatments.

Part three takes on hair design and cutting. This includes principles of hair design, facial shapes, haircutting procedures, client consultation, tools and safety, and an overview of basic haircuts.

Part four is about wigs, chemical services, and color. In this section we'll explore best practices for working with wigs, hair enhancements, and extensions. Part four also includes chemical service consultations, chemical waxing, and chemical hair relaxers.

Finally, we'll explore hair coloring procedures including the law of color, types of hair color, and hair color application techniques.

After that I will cover skin care and services in two separate parts. In part one, we will explore skin histology including the composition, conditions, and functions of the skin.

We will also explore skincare service consultations, draping procedures for facial services, and different techniques for temporary hair removal. For example, waxing, threading, depilatories, and sugaring.

In part two, you will learn about facial procedures including skincare tools and facial treatments. I will also cover facial makeup applications. This includes makeup color theory, cosmetic application procedures, artificial eyelashes, and eyelash and eyebrow coloring.

Finally, you will hear about nail care and services. I will address nail care service consultations and nail structure including nail composition, growth and conditions. I will also cover manicure and pedicure procedures and advanced nail care. This includes pre and post service procedures, nail tips, nail wraps and overlays, and, finally, nail art.

The course will close out with a summary of the steps you'll need to follow once you pass the NIC cosmetology exam. And, of course, you'll have your practice final exam.

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You have heard, I hope, that we have quite a bit to cover. Work at a pace that is comfortable to you. Listen as often as you can. Retake written portions of the quizzes I present, especially if you get any questions wrong. Remember the purpose of your taking this course: you want to put yourself in the best position to successfully take the NIC cosmetology exam. The more you know the material, the more prepared you will be. In addition, the more you know about the other necessary requirements, the more prepared and confident you will be.

I know what I have just discussed has been introductory. That does not mean there are no takeaways you can derive from the introduction. So, here they are: One: A licensed Cosmetologist must have a sound understanding of best practices in hairstyling, skincare, nail care, and make up.

Two: The NIC cosmetology exam consists of a practical exam and a written exam.

Three: In some states, you will only need to complete either the practical or written exam, but not both.

Four: The written exam consists of a ninety minute test with one hundred ten multiple choice questions, ten of which don't count.

Five: For the practical exam, you will need to bring your own supplies. Supply requirements depend on the state where you want to become licensed.

Six: In this course, expect quizzes near the end of each chapter.

Seven: Make use of the Follow Along PDF Manual.

Eight: Items repeated during the lectures are important: remember them.

Nine: In states that accept the NIC license, you will need to pass the exam or exams required by your state to practice as a licensed cosmetologist.

Ten: Listen to this entire course at least a couple of times.

Well, I hope that I have gotten you motivated to get started. If you are ready to proceed, be sure to have your Follow Along PDF Manual close at hand. Have some pencils or pens available. Get comfortable, and let’s begin!

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To download the audio version of this course, please visit our website WWW.AudioLearn.com

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