Free CA Barber Exam Flashcards

The state agency, under the Department of Consumer Affairs, that licenses barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, manicurists, and electrologists in California and enforces the Barbering and Cosmetology Act and Title 16 CCR regulations.

Effective January 1, 2022, SB 803 reduced required barber training hours from 1,500 to 1,000 and eliminated the hands-on practical exam. CA barber applicants now only need to pass the PSI written exam to become licensed.

The required 1,000-hour barber curriculum includes at least 100 hours health & safety, 100 hours disinfection/sanitation, 200 hours chemical hair services, 200 hours hairstyling, and 200 hours shaving/beard trimming, with the remainder in general theory and practice.

Administered by PSI: 95 questions (85 scored + 10 unscored pretest), 120 minutes, criterion-referenced passing score of 64/85 correct (75%). Offered in English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, and Simplified Chinese.

Barber licenses must be renewed every 2 years for a $50 fee, payable online through the Board's BreEZe system. California does NOT require continuing education (CE) credits to renew a barber license.

Applicants must be at least 17 years old, have completed the 10th grade (or equivalent), and complete 1,000 hours at a Board-approved school — or an approved apprenticeship under the Shelley-Maloney Apprentice Labor Standards Act of 1939.

California law (16 CCR §979) requires barbershops to use an EPA-registered disinfectant with demonstrated bactericidal, fungicidal, and virucidal activity on all non-electrical tools that touch a client.

Remove visible debris, wash with soap/detergent and water, dry, then totally immerse the tool in an EPA-registered disinfectant per label instructions. Use gloves or tongs to remove tools from the solution — never bare hands.

Unlike other non-electrical tools, shears are NOT fully immersed. After removing debris and washing, they are sprayed or wiped with an EPA-registered disinfectant according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Items that cannot be disinfected — buffers, pumice stones, wax sticks, cotton pads, sponges, emery boards, neck strips, gloves — must be thrown away immediately after use on one client and never reused.

California requires separate, clearly labeled containers: disinfected tools go in a covered container labeled 'Clean' or 'Disinfected'; used tools go in a container labeled 'Dirty,' 'Soiled,' or 'Contaminated.'

Stop the service immediately, put on clean gloves, clean the wound with an antiseptic, and bandage it. Any tool or surface that contacted blood must be disinfected or discarded before the service resumes.

Single-use blades and any implement contaminated with blood must go into a labeled, puncture-resistant sharps container — never placed in regular trash or reused on another client.

A manufacturer document listing a chemical product's hazards, safe handling, storage, and first-aid measures. OSHA requires barbershops to keep SDS sheets accessible for every chemical product in use.

A condition — such as an open sore, scalp infection, or contagious disorder — that means a service should not be performed. The barber must refuse service and, if appropriate, refer the client to a physician.

Cuticle: the tough, protective outer layer of overlapping scales. Cortex: the middle layer containing pigment and most of the hair's strength and elasticity. Medulla: the innermost layer, sometimes absent in fine hair.

Alopecia: hair loss. Tinea capitis: a contagious fungal (ringworm) infection of the scalp — refuse service. Pediculosis capitis: head lice infestation, also contagious — refuse service.

Dermatitis: general inflammatory skin reaction. Psoriasis: red patches covered with silvery-white scales, often on the scalp or elbows. Eczema: itchy, inflamed, scaly skin. Both are non-contagious and generally safe to serve.

Anagen: the active growth phase, lasting years. Catagen: a brief transition phase where growth stops. Telogen: the resting phase before the hair sheds and a new cycle begins.

Texture describes the diameter of an individual hair strand (fine, medium, coarse). Porosity describes how easily hair absorbs moisture or chemicals, based on how raised or tight the cuticle layer is.

Always test a heated iron or hot comb on a heat-safe strip or tissue before use, use the lowest effective temperature for the hair type, and protect the scalp and skin from direct contact to prevent burns.

Round and paddle brushes shape the hair and add tension while directing airflow. A diffuser attachment spreads airflow over a wider area to reduce frizz and preserve the hair's natural curl pattern.

Razors give the closest, most tapered cut but carry the highest nick risk. Clippers with guards cut quickly and safely at set lengths. Shears (scissors) allow precise cutting for blending and shaping.

Guards attach over the clipper blade to control cutting length. Lower numbers (Guard 0-1) leave hair very short or skin-close; higher numbers (Guard 3-4 and up) leave hair progressively longer.

A fade blends hair from skin-close at the bottom to longer hair above with no visible line. A taper is a more gradual, less extreme blend from short to longer hair.

The angle at which a subsection of hair is held away from the head while cutting. Higher elevation removes more weight and builds graduation or layers; 0° elevation creates a blunt, one-length cut.

Trimmers (edgers) have shorter, finer blades for precise outlining of hairlines, sideburns, and necklines. Clippers with guards handle bulk cutting over larger areas of the head.

The pH scale runs 0-14: below 7 is acidic, exactly 7 is neutral, above 7 is alkaline. Healthy hair and skin sit in the acidic range, about pH 4.5 to 5.5.

A high-pH (strongly alkaline, roughly 10-14) chemical relaxer that permanently straightens curly hair by breaking disulfide bonds. Fast-acting, and requires careful scalp and base protection.

A relaxer with a lower pH than hydroxide relaxers (roughly 9-10). Works more gently on the hair but requires a separate neutralizing step to re-harden the hair in its new straightened shape.

A protective cream applied to the scalp and hairline before a relaxer service to shield the skin from chemical irritation or burns during processing.

Alkaline waves (higher pH) process faster at room temperature and produce a firmer curl. Acid waves (lower pH) process more slowly, often need added heat, and give a gentler, looser curl with less hair damage.

Hydrogen peroxide developer strength controls the degree of lift in color and lightening services. Lower volumes (10-20) deposit color with minimal lift; higher volumes (30-40) lighten hair more.

A small amount of chemical product, such as color, is applied to skin behind the ear or on the inner elbow 24-48 hours before a chemical service to check for an allergic reaction.

Applying a chemical product (relaxer, color, or wave) to a small strand of hair before the full service to check processing time, color result, or curl development before committing to the whole head.

Hair previously treated with metallic or compound dyes can react unpredictably — discoloration, breakage, or excessive heat buildup — with other chemical services. Always ask about prior color history and strand-test first.

A product applied after a chemical relaxer or permanent wave to stop the chemical action and re-harden (re-bond) the hair in its new straightened or curled shape.

A standard shave is broken into 7 numbered positions to systematically cover the whole face and neck: right side, right neck, under chin, left neck, left side, mustache/upper lip, and chin/front neck.

The 4 razor strokes tested on the CA exam. Freehand and backhand cover most of the face; reverse freehand and reverse backhand angle the razor oppositely and are used mainly on the sides of the neck.

The first pass generally follows the direction of hair growth (with the grain) to reduce irritation. Going against the grain gives a closer shave but raises the risk of ingrown hairs and razor bumps.

A hot, moist towel is applied to the face before shaving to soften the beard hair and open the pores, making the hair easier to cut and reducing irritation during the shave.

After shaving, the face is typically treated with a cool towel to close pores, followed by an antiseptic astringent or aftershave to soothe the skin and help prevent irritation or infection.

The straight razor gives the closest shave and sharpest outlines but requires the most skill and carries the highest nick risk. Clippers and trimmers cut facial hair faster and more safely at set lengths.

The process of sharpening a dull straight razor blade by grinding it against a hone (whetstone) to restore a sharp cutting edge.

The process of aligning and polishing — not sharpening — a razor's edge by drawing it across a leather strop before each use. Done after honing, and typically repeated before every client.

The optimal cutting angle for a straight razor against the skin is about 30 degrees, with the point of the blade leading the stroke for control and a close, even shave.

An inflammatory condition where curly facial hair curves back into the skin after shaving, causing ingrown-hair bumps. Shaving with the grain and avoiding overly close shaves helps reduce it.

Facial hair design should balance and complement the client's face shape — for example, adding width with beard fullness on a narrow jaw, or using vertical lines to lengthen a round face.

Traditional fixed-blade straight razors require honing and stropping to maintain a sharp edge. Replaceable-blade (shaper/shavette) razors use disposable blades, giving a fresh, single-use edge for each client.

Extraction manually removes debris from clogged pores (comedones) using gentle pressure or a comedone extractor. An astringent is then applied afterward to tighten pores and remove excess oil.