California Barber — All Questions

The main purpose of a shampoo is to:

• a.Cleanse the hair and scalp of dirt, oil, and product buildup✓
• b.Permanently color the hair
• c.Relax the hair
• d.Add permanent curl

Shampoo cleanses by lifting away sebum, dirt, and residue so the hair and scalp are clean for the next service. It is a temporary cleansing product, not a chemical treatment that alters hair structure.

On the pH scale, a reading of 7 is:

• a.Neutral✓
• b.Strongly acidic
• c.Strongly alkaline
• d.Undefined

A pH of 7 is neutral, neither acidic nor alkaline. Values below 7 are acidic and values above 7 are alkaline; hair and skin are naturally slightly acidic.

The natural pH of healthy hair and skin is approximately:

• a.9.0 to 10.0 (alkaline)
• b.7.0 (neutral)
• c.4.5 to 5.5 (slightly acidic)✓
• d.1.0 to 2.0 (strongly acidic)

Hair and skin sit in a mildly acidic range of about 4.5 to 5.5, sometimes called the acid mantle. Acid-balanced products help keep the cuticle closed and the hair healthy.

A conditioner or acid-balanced rinse generally helps to:

• a.Lighten the hair color
• b.Close the cuticle and smooth and detangle the hair✓
• c.Raise the pH strongly
• d.Remove all oil

Conditioners, often slightly acidic, help close the cuticle, add moisture, and reduce tangling after cleansing. This restores smoothness and shine, especially after an alkaline service.

Chemical hair relaxers work by:

• a.Only coating the surface temporarily
• b.Cleansing the scalp
• c.Breaking disulfide bonds to straighten curly or coiled hair✓
• d.Adding curl to straight hair

Relaxers use strong chemicals to break the hair's disulfide bonds, allowing the coil pattern to be smoothed straight before the hair is neutralized. Because they are highly alkaline, they must be applied carefully to avoid scalp burns.

A permanent wave (perm) changes the hair by:

• a.Removing pigment
• b.Breaking and then reforming the disulfide bonds around a rod to create curl✓
• c.Only wetting the hair
• d.Coating the cuticle with wax

A perm uses a waving lotion to break disulfide bonds while the hair is wrapped on rods, then a neutralizer reforms the bonds in the new curled shape. The size of the rod determines the tightness of the curl.

In permanent waving, the neutralizer (fixative) is applied to:

• a.Break the bonds
• b.Reform the broken disulfide bonds and lock in the new curl✓
• c.Add permanent color
• d.Cleanse the scalp

After the waving lotion softens and breaks the bonds, the neutralizer re-bonds the hair in its new curled configuration and stops the chemical action. Skipping or rushing neutralization leaves weak, unstable curls.

A patch (predisposition) test is performed before certain color services to:

• a.Determine curl pattern
• b.Detect a possible allergic reaction to the product✓
• c.Check the hair's length
• d.Measure the pH of the scalp

A patch test applies a small amount of product, often behind the ear or on the inner arm, 24 to 48 hours ahead to see whether the client reacts. It is especially important for aniline-derivative (oxidation) tints that can cause allergic reactions.

Which type of haircolor lasts the longest and involves a chemical change within the hair?

• a.A color-enhancing shampoo
• b.Temporary color
• c.A leave-in conditioner
• d.Permanent (oxidation) color✓

Permanent color uses an oxidizing developer to deposit color within the cortex, producing a lasting change that grows out rather than washing out. Temporary and semi-permanent colors coat or lightly penetrate and fade with shampooing.

Hydrogen peroxide in haircolor acts as the:

• a.Neutralizer for perms
• b.Conditioner
• c.Shampoo
• d.Developer (oxidizing agent) that helps lift and develop color✓

Hydrogen peroxide is the developer that oxidizes the color molecules and lifts natural pigment so the new color can form in the cortex. Its strength (volume) controls how much lift occurs.

A strand test is used during a chemical service to:

• a.Test the disinfectant
• b.Measure scalp temperature
• c.Check how the hair will react and the expected result before treating the whole head✓
• d.Sharpen the razor

A strand test treats a small section first to preview color result, processing time, or perm curl before committing to the full head. It helps prevent over-processing and unexpected outcomes.

Highly alkaline chemical services can damage hair because raising the pH:

• a.Adds pigment
• b.Swells and opens the cuticle, which can weaken the strand if overdone✓
• c.Lowers porosity
• d.Closes the cuticle tightly

Alkaline products lift the cuticle so chemicals can penetrate, but excessive or repeated alkalinity leaves the cuticle raised and the hair porous and weak. Acid-balanced rinses afterward help reclose the cuticle.

Before a relaxer, a protective base or barrier cream is applied to the scalp to:

• a.Speed up processing
• b.Cleanse the hair
• c.Protect the skin and scalp from the caustic chemical✓
• d.Add curl

A protective base cream shields the scalp and hairline from the strong alkaline relaxer, reducing the risk of chemical burns and irritation. It is especially important with stronger, lye-based relaxers.

Hair porosity refers to the hair's ability to:

• a.Resist heat
• b.Stretch and return
• c.Absorb moisture or chemicals✓
• d.Hold a static charge

Porosity is how readily the hair absorbs liquids, which depends on the condition of the cuticle. Highly porous hair takes up chemicals and color quickly, affecting timing and results.

If a client reports itching, redness, or swelling after a patch test, the barber should:

• a.Proceed with a stronger formula
• b.Not perform the color service and advise the client to see a physician if needed✓
• c.Perform the service more quickly
• d.Ignore it and continue

A positive patch-test reaction indicates the client may be allergic, so the service must not be performed with that product. Proceeding could cause a serious allergic reaction, so the client is advised accordingly.