Have you ever wanted to become a licensed cosmetologist? The Cosmetology exam offered by the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology is one of the main things standing between you and your license!
Keep reading to learn more about the Cosmetology licensure exam or take our Cosmetology state board exam practice test linked above!
Cosmetology Outline
For the written portion, test takers will have 90 minutes to complete 110 multiple-choice questions.
The Cosmetology state board test is broken down as follows:
- Scientific Concepts (35%)
- Hair Care and Services (45%)
- Skin Care and Services (10%)
- Nail Care and Services (10%)
With these subjects in mind, begin your study and preparation for the test now to get a head start!
Top 3 Most Challenging Cosmetology Questions
Now that you know more about the exam, try your hand at some targeted practice!
Over the last year, we’ve compiled the data from about 25,000 test-takers who tried their hand at the practice test at the top of this page. According to the data, around 60% of people answered these three questions incorrectly.
Answer each question and read through the answer explanation, whether you got the answer right or wrong. This will help you ensure you’ve got the topic mastered.
Whether you struggled with these questions or aced them on your first try, be sure to take the full practice test to get a better idea of how prepared you really are!
1. A service provider is combing a client's hair in preparation for a haircut. She maintains a tight grasp on the comb while keeping her wrist in a neutral position. When combing through severe mats of hair, she uses her other hand to support movement. She plans to stretch her wrists and hands when she is done.
Which of the following changes should she make to maintain her hand and wrist health?
Using the nondominant hand to support movement takes some pressure off the joints and muscles of the dominant hand, making this a healthy practice. Stretching before and after appointments is also a healthy habit in maintaining muscle and joint health. Failing to do so can lead to muscle pain and tension.
2. Following makeup application on a client, which of the following should NOT be done by the service provider?
Used cotton swabs and rounds should also be discarded. Keep unused cosmetics in clean, closed containers, and dispense products without contaminating the remaining supply.
Work surfaces are easily contaminated during makeup application, as many products and tools are used and then laid on the surface. Clean the work surface, then use an EPA-registered disinfectant labeled for the intended surface and use. Follow the label’s dilution instructions and keep the surface visibly wet for the required contact time.
3. At the end of a hair lightening session, a provider notices the client’s skin has become darker in the areas to which the lightener was applied. Which of the following does this most likely indicate?
In this scenario, the darkened skin is indicative of tissue damage caused by a chemical burn. Hair lighteners are corrosive, and failure to adhere to manufacturer instructions when applying them can cause damage to the hair and skin.
Because a lightener is being used in this scenario and not a darkening color, the change of skin color does not indicate a failure to wash away all the product. Allowing the lightener to process longer would have caused more damage to the scalp. An incorrect color formula would have been indicated by an undesired resulting hair color, not the color of the scalp.

Cosmetology Online Prep Course
If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online Cosmetology prep course designed to give you everything you need to succeed!
Here's what you'll find in the Cosmetology course:
- 50+ Review Lessons Covering Every Topic
- Over 650 Cosmetology Practice Questions
- 500+ Digital Flashcards
- Money-back Guarantee
- Mobile Access
Everyone learns differently, so we've tailored the Cosmetology online prep course to ensure every learner has what they need to prepare for the Cosmetology exam.
Click below to check it out!
Check Out Mometrix's Cosmetology Flashcards!
Get complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
Exam Scores
The scoring of the written portion of the exam is scaled. When scaled scoring is used, raw performance is converted to a reporting scale.
Equating can account for differences in difficulty between test forms; this doesn't mean the reported passing scaled score changes between forms of the same examination.
Cosmetology Exam Study Guide
Mometrix Academy is a completely free Cosmetology practice exam resource provided by Mometrix Test Preparation. If you find benefit from our efforts here, check out our premium quality Cosmetology study guide to take your studying to the next level. Just click the Cosmetology study guide link below. Your purchase also helps us make even more great, free content for test-takers.
Check Out Mometrix's Cosmetology Printed Study Guide!
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