Licensing + Regulation
20%of exam
TDLR rulesFeesRenewalCE hoursScope of practice
Infection Control
25%of exam
DisinfectSanitation levelsPathogensDisordersPatch test
Skin Care Science
16%of exam
HistologySkin typesAnalysisConditionsFitzpatrick
Facial Treatments
28%of exam
CleanseExfoliationMasksMachinesMassage
Hair Removal
11%of exam
DepilatoryEpilationWaxingContraindicationsMethods
Quick Facts
- Exam
- TX Esthetician Written
- Regulator
- TDLR
- Vendor
- PSI
- Scored items
- 75
- Time
- 105 min
- Pass
- 70%
- Format
- Closed book MCQ
- Training
- 750 hours
Texas Renewal
2 years, 4 CE hours, $53
Renew: 2 yrsCE: 4 hoursSanitation: 1 hrFee: $53
Esthetician vs Cosmetology
Esthetician
- Skin only
- 750 hours
- Facials, waxing
Cosmetology
- Hair + nails
- 1000 hours
- Broader scope
Skin vs full
Texas Licensing Facts
- Regulator
- TDLR Barbering/Cosmetology
- Training
- 750 hoursRequired
- Vendor
- PSI exams
- Written exam
- 75 scored items
- Pass
- 70% correct
- Renewal
- Every 2 years
- Title
- Skin care specialist
Texas Fees + CE
- Written fee
- $55 to PSI
- Practical fee
- $76 to PSI
- Application fee
- $50 non-refundable
- Renewal fee
- $53
- CE hours
- 4 per cycle
- CE sanitation
- 1 hour required
- Trafficking CE
- Required since 2025
Texas Scope of Practice
- Allowed
- Facials, cleansing
- Allowed
- Body hair removal
- Allowed
- Lash extensions
- Allowed
- Face/neck massage
- Prohibited
- Hair cutting/coloring
- Prohibited
- Nails, manicures
- Prohibited
- Facial shaving
Decontamination Order
Sanitize, Disinfect, Sterilize
Sanitize: lowestDisinfect: salonsSterilize: highest
Disinfect vs Sterilize
Disinfect
- Most pathogens
- EPA chemical
- Reusable tools
Sterilize
- All microbes
- Autoclave heat
- Highest level
Most vs all
Decontamination Picker
- Touched skin→Disinfect(EPA-registered)
- Drew blood→Discard or sterilize(Bloodborne)
- Porous item→Single-use(Cannot disinfect)
- Metal implements→Immersion disinfect(Full contact time)
- Hands→Wash + sanitizer(Before each client)
- Work surface→Wipe disinfectant(Between clients)
Decontamination Levels
- Sanitation
- Lowest, soap/water
- Disinfection
- Kills most pathogens
- Sterilization
- Kills all, autoclave
- EPA-registered
- Required disinfectant
- Hospital-grade
- Bactericidal label
- Immersion
- Full contact time
- Single-use
- Discard after one client
Pathogens + Safety
- Bacteria
- One-celled microorganisms
- Virus
- Needs host cell
- Fungi
- Molds, yeasts
- Bloodborne
- HBV, HCV, HIV
- OSHA
- Workplace safety rules
- SDS
- Product hazard sheet
- Universal precautions
- Treat all as infectious
Epidermis Layers
Corneum, Lucidum, Granulosum, Spinosum, Germinativum
Corneum: top deadLucidum: palms/solesGranulosum: granularGerminativum: basal
Consultation Flow
- New client→Intake form(Health history)
- Before service→Skin analysis(Wood's lamp)
- On meds/Accutane→Refer out(Contraindication)
- First wax→Patch test(Check reaction)
- Open lesion→Do not treat(Refer physician)
- After service→Home care advice(SPF daily)
Skin Histology
- Epidermis
- Outermost layer
- Stratum corneum
- Top, dead cells
- Stratum germinativum
- Basal, cell division
- Dermis
- Collagen, elastin
- Subcutaneous
- Fat layer
- Melanocyte
- Makes melanin
- Sebaceous gland
- Secretes sebum
- Sudoriferous gland
- Sweat gland
Fitzpatrick Scale
Type I always burns to VI never
I-II: light, burnsIII-IV: mediumV-VI: dark, PIH risk
Skin Disorders
- Comedone
- Clogged follicle
- Milia
- Whitehead, keratin
- Rosacea
- Chronic facial redness
- Hyperpigmentation
- Excess melanin
- Melasma
- Hormonal dark patches
- Comedogenic
- Pore-clogging product
- Telangiectasia
- Dilated capillaries
- Fitzpatrick
- Skin type I-VI
AHA vs BHA
AHA
- Water-soluble
- Surface, dryness
- Glycolic acid
BHA
- Oil-soluble
- Into pores
- Salicylic acid
Surface vs pore
Exfoliation Picker
- Oily, acne skin→BHA / salicylic(Oil-soluble)
- Dry, dull skin→AHA / glycolic(Water-soluble)
- Sensitive skin→Enzyme peel(Gentle)
- Texture, scars→Microdermabrasion(Mechanical)
- Dark skin type→Lower strength(PIH risk)
- Active inflammation→Postpone(Contraindicated)
Facial Machines
- Steamer
- Soften, open pores
- Galvanic
- Direct current
- Desincrustation
- Galvanic, deep cleanse
- Iontophoresis
- Push in product
- High-frequency
- Germicidal, oxygenating
- Vacuum
- Suction debris
- Rotary brush
- Mechanical exfoliation
- Wood's lamp
- Analyze under UV
Galvanic vs High-Frequency
Galvanic
- Direct current
- Push product
- Desincrustation
High-frequency
- Alternating current
- Germicidal
- Oxygenating
Penetrate vs sanitize
Exfoliation + Products
- AHA
- Water-soluble acid
- Glycolic
- Smallest AHA molecule
- BHA
- Oil-soluble, salicylic
- Enzyme peel
- Dissolves dead keratin
- Microdermabrasion
- Mechanical resurfacing
- Mask
- Treat, draw, hydrate
- Toner
- Restore pH
- Emollient
- Softens, seals moisture
Depilatory vs Epilation
Depilatory
- Surface level
- Dissolves shaft
- Regrows fast
Epilation
- From root
- Waxing/tweezing
- Lasts longer
Surface vs root
Hair Removal Methods
- Depilatory
- Surface, dissolves hair
- Epilation
- Removes from root
- Hard wax
- No strip needed
- Soft wax
- Strip removal
- Threading
- Twisted cotton thread
- Tweezing
- Manual, brows
- Patch test
- Check sensitivity first
- Contraindication
- Reason to skip
Hard vs Soft Wax
Hard wax
- No strip
- Sensitive areas
- Grips hair
Soft wax
- Needs strip
- Large areas
- Grips skin
Stripless vs strip
Common Traps
Disinfect vs sterilize
Disinfect kills most ≠ Sterilize kills all
AHA vs BHA
AHA is water-soluble ≠ BHA is oil-soluble
Depilatory vs epilation
Depilatory dissolves surface ≠ Epilation pulls root
Galvanic vs high-freq
Galvanic penetrates product ≠ High-frequency germicidal
Esthetician vs cosmetology
Esthetician is skin ≠ Cosmetology adds hair
Sebaceous vs sudoriferous
Sebaceous makes oil ≠ Sudoriferous makes sweat
Last Minute
- 1.Weights: 20 / 25 / 16 / 28 / 11
- 2.75 scored items, 70% to pass
- 3.Pass written before practical exam
- 4.750 training hours, TDLR regulated
- 5.Renew license every 2 years
- 6.1 CE hour must be sanitation
- 7.AHA = water; BHA = oil
- 8.Disinfect = most; sterilize = all
- 9.Galvanic = current; Wood's lamp = analysis
- 10.Patch test before first wax
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