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Free NY Cosmetology Written Exam Practice Questions

The New York cosmetology written exam allows two and a half hours and reports pass or fail. These ten questions cover ten curriculum subjects, from hair styling and chemical restructuring to safety and professional requirements.

Take these as an interactive quiz The full NY Cosmetology exams

Question 1 · Cosmetology

In a fingerwave, what is the raised line where two curves meet called?
  1. A. The ridge
  2. B. The base
  3. C. The stem of the curl
  4. D. The circle
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The answer is A. A fingerwave has alternating curves with a raised ridge where each pair of curves meets.

  • B is wrong: The base is the panel of hair a curl sits on.
  • C is wrong: The stem belongs to a pin curl, not a fingerwave.
  • D is wrong: The circle is the curled part of a pin curl.

Question 2 · Cosmetology

An alkaline permanent waving lotion softens the hair mainly by acting on which bonds?
  1. A. Hydrogen bonds only
  2. B. Disulfide bonds
  3. C. Salt bonds only
  4. D. Peptide bonds along the length of each protein chain
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The answer is B. Thioglycolate waving lotions break disulfide bonds so the hair can take the shape of the rod.

  • A is wrong: Hydrogen bonds break with water and heat, not perm lotion.
  • C is wrong: Salt bonds break with pH change; the perm works on disulfide bonds.
  • D is wrong: Breaking peptide bonds would destroy the hair.

Question 3 · Cosmetology

What are the three primary colors used in hair color theory?
  1. A. Red, green and blue
  2. B. Red, yellow and blue
  3. C. Orange, green and violet
  4. D. Black, brown and blonde
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The answer is B. In pigment color theory the primary colors are red, yellow and blue.

  • A is wrong: Red, green and blue are the primaries of light, not pigment.
  • C is wrong: Orange, green and violet are secondary colors.
  • D is wrong: These are hair shades, not primary colors.

Question 4 · Cosmetology

In haircutting, what elevation produces a one-length, solid form with all the hair falling to a single line?
  1. A. 0 degrees
  2. B. 45 degrees
  3. C. 90 degrees from the head form
  4. D. 180 degrees
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The answer is A. A blunt or one-length cut is made with no elevation, so all the hair falls to one weight line.

  • B is wrong: Forty-five degrees builds a graduated weight line.
  • C is wrong: Ninety degrees from the head form creates uniform layers.
  • D is wrong: One hundred eighty degrees creates long, increase layers.

Question 5 · Cosmetology

What is the outermost layer of the skin?
  1. A. The dermis
  2. B. The subcutaneous layer
  3. C. The epidermis
  4. D. The reticular layer
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The answer is C. The epidermis is the thin, outer protective layer of the skin.

  • A is wrong: The dermis lies beneath the epidermis.
  • B is wrong: The subcutaneous layer is the deepest, fatty layer.
  • D is wrong: The reticular layer is part of the dermis.

Question 6 · Cosmetology

What is the whitish half-moon at the base of the nail called?
  1. A. The cuticle
  2. B. The free edge
  3. C. The lunula
  4. D. The nail bed that lies under the visible plate
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The answer is C. The lunula is the visible part of the matrix, seen as a white half-moon.

  • A is wrong: The cuticle is the dead tissue on the nail plate.
  • B is wrong: The free edge extends past the fingertip.
  • D is wrong: The nail bed lies under the plate, not at the base.

Question 7 · Cosmetology

After a haircut, combs and brushes have been cleaned of hair, rinsed and dried. What does the rule require next?
  1. A. A quick spray of disinfectant, then storage in an open drawer
  2. B. Complete immersion in an EPA hospital grade disinfectant for 10 minutes or more
  3. C. A wipe with a damp towel, followed by storage in a covered drawer until the next client sits down
  4. D. Immersion in plain soapy water overnight before reuse on the next client
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The answer is B. 19 NYCRR 160.17(c)(1): implements used on the hair are cleaned, rinsed, dried, completely immersed in an EPA hospital grade disinfectant for 10 minutes or more, then rinsed, dried and stored in a drawer, cabinet or covered container.

  • A is wrong: A spray and an open drawer meet neither the immersion nor the covered-storage rule.
  • C is wrong: A damp towel removes nothing and disinfects nothing at all.
  • D is wrong: Soapy water cleans but is not an EPA registered hospital grade disinfectant.

Question 8 · Cosmetology

A client uses heavy styling products every day and her hair feels coated. Which shampoo is the best choice?
  1. A. A conditioning shampoo with extra oils
  2. B. A dry shampoo powder
  3. C. A color-enhancing shampoo for blondes
  4. D. A clarifying shampoo
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The answer is D. Clarifying shampoos contain an acidic ingredient and are made to cut through product buildup.

  • A is wrong: Added oils increase the coating instead of removing it.
  • B is wrong: Dry shampoo adds powder and does not remove buildup.
  • C is wrong: A color-enhancing shampoo deposits tone rather than removing buildup.

Question 9 · Cosmetology

Which muscle raises the eyebrows and draws the scalp forward?
  1. A. Occipitalis
  2. B. Masseter
  3. C. Orbicularis oris
  4. D. Frontalis
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The answer is D. The frontalis is the front portion of the epicranius. It lifts the eyebrows and draws the scalp forward, producing forehead wrinkles.

  • A is wrong: The occipitalis draws the scalp backward from the back.
  • B is wrong: The masseter is a chewing muscle that closes the jaw.
  • C is wrong: The orbicularis oris surrounds and closes the mouth.

Question 10 · Cosmetology

A cosmetologist's New York license was issued today. Unless it is suspended or revoked, when does it expire?
  1. A. Two years from the date of issuance
  2. B. Four years from the date of issuance
  3. C. At the end of the current calendar year, regardless of the issue date
  4. D. It does not expire once the exam has been passed
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The answer is B. GBL 408(1) says all licenses expire four years from the date of issuance, and 408(6) allows renewal for further four-year periods without another exam.

  • A is wrong: Two years is shorter than the term the statute sets for every license.
  • C is wrong: Licenses run from the date of issuance, not by calendar year.
  • D is wrong: Every license under Article 27 carries a fixed term and must be renewed.
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