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Hair Care & Services: NIC National Cosmetology Theory Examination (written theory component only) topic guide

Hair Care & Services carries 45% of the NIC National Cosmetology Theory Examination (written theory component only) blueprint used in this course, the largest of its 4 weighted areas. It spans 14 concepts. The course teaches it in 3 study units: Hair Structure & Care, Hair Cutting & Styling and Chemical Texture & Color.

What Hair Care & Services covers

  • The cuticle must be opened for chemical services to work. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • The disulfide bond links two cysteine amino acids; breaking it forms cystine/cysteine. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • Average scalp hair grows about 1/2 inch per month. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • A guide is the first cut section every other section is measured against. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • A cutting line can be blunt, graduated, layered, or long-layered. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • Permanent waving has two steps: a reducing/waving lotion then a neutralizer. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • Thio waves use ammonium thioglycolate at high pH; acid waves use glyceryl monothioglycolate near neutral. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • A chemical relaxer permanently straightens curl by breaking disulfide bonds, the opposite goal of a perm. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • Lye relaxers use sodium hydroxide; no-lye relaxers use calcium hydroxide + guanidine carbonate. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • Hair color has two parts: LEVEL and TONE. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • The color wheel: complementary colors neutralize each other. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • Developer volume sets how much it lifts: 10 / 20 / 30 / 40. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • A patch test and a strand test are done before color. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • A toner neutralizes unwanted tone AFTER lightening; it does NOT lighten the hair. — [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology

Official references for Hair Care & Services

  • [S4] Milady Standard Cosmetology
  • [S11] Hair thermal-styling damage + decontamination-level corroboration

In the app this area comes with 40 memory cards and 57 module-quiz questions and is part of the free starting modules.

Start the free NIC National Cosmetology Theory Examination (written theory component only) modules →