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Free NY Esthetics Exam Practice Questions

Ten questions from our esthetics practice exams: facials and body procedures, makeup, hair removal, skin analysis and equipment, inside the license's scope of the face, neck, arms, legs and shoulders.

Take these as an interactive quiz The full NY Esthetics exams

Question 1 · Esthetics

Sensitive skin is best treated with which approach?
  1. A. Strong electrical stimulation
  2. B. Minimal heat and stimulation, with soothing products
  3. C. Long, hot steam and vigorous friction
  4. D. Several exfoliants in one session
Show the answer

The answer is B. Sensitive skin reacts to heat, friction and strong products, so a gentle, calming treatment is used.

  • A is wrong: Strong electrical stimulation provokes redness in sensitive skin.
  • C is wrong: Heat and friction both inflame sensitive skin.
  • D is wrong: Several exfoliants at once overload sensitive skin.

Question 2 · Esthetics

A client's eyes are close-set. Where should the deeper eyeshadow go?
  1. A. On the outer portion of the lid
  2. B. On the inner corners near the nose
  3. C. Evenly over the whole lid
  4. D. Only under the lower lashes, from the inner corner all the way out
Show the answer

The answer is A. Lighter color near the nose and deeper color toward the outer corners makes the eyes look farther apart.

  • B is wrong: Dark shadow on the inner corners pulls the eyes closer.
  • C is wrong: An even wash does nothing to widen the space.
  • D is wrong: Dark color at the inner corner narrows the gap.

Question 3 · Esthetics

Midway through a leg wax, the stick runs dry and the esthetician needs to reload it. What do the state rules require?
  1. A. Reuse it if it looks clean
  2. B. A new applicator each time it goes into the wax
  3. C. Wipe it on a towel and dip again
  4. D. Dip again, as long as it is the same client
Show the answer

The answer is B. 19 NYCRR 160.20(k) requires a new applicator each time the applicator is inserted into the wax, so the remaining wax is not contaminated.

  • A is wrong: Looking clean does not prevent contamination.
  • C is wrong: Wiping does not make a used applicator clean.
  • D is wrong: The rule allows no second dip, even on one client.

Question 4 · Esthetics

Which muscle encircles the eye and closes the eyelid?
  1. A. Orbicularis oris
  2. B. Frontalis
  3. C. Orbicularis oculi
  4. D. Masseter
Show the answer

The answer is C. The orbicularis oculi is the ring muscle of the eye socket that closes the eyelid.

  • A is wrong: Orbicularis oris is the ring muscle around the mouth.
  • B is wrong: The frontalis muscle raises the eyebrows instead.
  • D is wrong: Masseter closes the jaw for chewing.

Question 5 · Esthetics

Why does a spa keep an inventory record of retail and back-bar products?
  1. A. To satisfy the license exam
  2. B. To set employee schedules
  3. C. Because the state requires a daily count of every jar and bottle in the building
  4. D. To track what is used and sold so stock can be reordered and losses spotted
Show the answer

The answer is D. Inventory control shows what is used and sold, so products are reordered on time and shrinkage is caught.

  • A is wrong: Inventory is a business practice, not an exam step.
  • B is wrong: Staff scheduling is a separate task from inventory.
  • C is wrong: No such daily count appears in the rules.

Question 6 · Esthetics

A client reports itching and redness hours after a new serum. What most likely happened?
  1. A. The serum was too cold
  2. B. A sensitivity or allergic reaction to an ingredient
  3. C. The skin was too clean
  4. D. The serum is working as intended and the client should apply more of it
Show the answer

The answer is B. Itching and redness after a new product suggest a reaction; the product is stopped and a patch test guides future choices.

  • A is wrong: Temperature does not cause a delayed reaction.
  • C is wrong: Clean skin does not cause itching.
  • D is wrong: Itching and redness are warning signs, not results.

Question 7 · Esthetics

Which client should not receive galvanic or high-frequency treatment?
  1. A. A client with oily skin
  2. B. A client with large pores
  3. C. A client with a pacemaker
  4. D. A client who has never had a facial and is nervous about her first visit
Show the answer

The answer is C. Electrical currents can interfere with pacemakers; metal implants, pregnancy and epilepsy are also standard contraindications.

  • A is wrong: Oily skin is a common reason for these treatments.
  • B is wrong: Large pores are not a contraindication.
  • D is wrong: A first visit is not a medical contraindication.

Question 8 · Esthetics

Pus-forming cocci that cluster like bunches of grapes are known by what name?
  1. A. Streptococci
  2. B. Bacilli
  3. C. Staphylococci
  4. D. Spirilla
Show the answer

The answer is C. Staphylococci are pus-forming cocci in clusters, the cause of boils and many skin infections.

  • A is wrong: Streptococci grow in chains rather than clusters.
  • B is wrong: Bacilli are rod-shaped bacteria, not round ones.
  • D is wrong: Spirilla are spiral-shaped bacteria, not round ones.

Question 9 · Esthetics

Skin that lacks water but produces normal oil is best described how?
  1. A. Dehydrated
  2. B. Dry
  3. C. Oily
  4. D. Mature
Show the answer

The answer is A. Dehydration is a lack of water and can affect any skin type, even oily skin; dry skin lacks oil.

  • B is wrong: Dry skin is a lack of oil, not water.
  • C is wrong: Oily skin produces more oil than it needs.
  • D is wrong: Mature skin is defined by aging changes.

Question 10 · Esthetics

What is the outermost layer of the epidermis, made of flattened keratinized cells?
  1. A. The stratum germinativum
  2. B. The stratum corneum
  3. C. The reticular layer
  4. D. The subcutaneous layer
Show the answer

The answer is B. The stratum corneum, or horny layer, is the tough outer surface that is constantly shed.

  • A is wrong: The stratum germinativum is the deepest epidermal layer.
  • C is wrong: The reticular layer is in the dermis.
  • D is wrong: The subcutaneous layer lies below the dermis.
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