Illinois Cosmetology License Exam — All Questions
4 questions
Which layer of the hair shaft contains the melanin (pigment) and makes up most of the hair's strength and elasticity?
- a.The cuticle
- b.The cortex✓
- c.The medulla
- d.The follicle
The hair shaft has three layers. The cuticle is the tough outer layer of overlapping scales that protects the strand. The cortex is the thick middle layer that contains melanin (natural pigment) and the bonds responsible for most of the hair's strength, elasticity, and its response to chemical services like color and perms. The medulla is the soft, often absent core. The follicle is the skin structure that surrounds the root, not a layer of the shaft.
During a haircut, the term 'elevation' refers to:
- a.The direction in which the hair naturally grows
- b.The amount of tension applied while combing
- c.The angle at which the hair is lifted or held from the head before cutting✓
- d.The height of the styling chair
Elevation (also called projection) is the angle at which a subsection of hair is lifted away from the head before it is cut. Zero elevation (held at 0 degrees, straight down) produces a blunt, one-length or heavier line; 90-degree elevation builds layers; and 180 degrees creates long, graduated layering. Controlling elevation, along with the cutting line/angle, is how a stylist creates weight, graduation, and layers.
The three phases of the hair growth cycle, in order, are:
- a.Anagen (growth), catagen (transition), telogen (rest)✓
- b.Telogen (growth), anagen (rest), catagen (transition)
- c.Catagen (growth), telogen (transition), anagen (rest)
- d.Anagen (rest), telogen (growth), catagen (shedding)
Hair grows in a repeating cycle of three phases. Anagen is the active growth phase, during which the hair is actively produced and can last several years. Catagen is the brief transition phase, when growth stops and the follicle begins to shrink. Telogen is the resting phase, at the end of which the hair sheds and a new anagen phase begins. Most scalp hair is in the anagen phase at any given time.
A client with very fine, thin hair wants more apparent volume. Which cutting approach generally helps create the illusion of fullness?
- a.Removing weight aggressively with heavy thinning throughout
- b.Using layering and blunt lines to build volume and a strong perimeter rather than over-thinning✓
- c.Cutting all hair at zero elevation only, keeping maximum length
- d.Slide-cutting every section to remove as much density as possible
Fine or thin hair already lacks density, so aggressively thinning or removing weight makes it look even sparser. A blunt perimeter keeps the appearance of density at the ends, while controlled layering can build height and volume. The goal is to preserve and shape existing density, not strip it away. Matching the cutting technique to the client's hair type is a core styling fundamental.