Alabama State Board Cosmetology
Exam Questions And ANSWER>.>s
(2026 Edition)
Question 1
Which agency regulates workplace safety?
A) FDA
B) OSHA
C) EPA
D) CDC
Correct ANSWER>.>: B
Rationale: A) Regulates food/drugs. B) Enforces workplace safety. C) Regulates environment. D) Controls
diseases.
Question 2
What is the correct contact time for EPA-registered hospital disinfectants?
A) 1 minute
B) 5 minutes
C) 10 minutes or as specified
D) 30 seconds
Correct ANSWER>.>: C
Rationale: A) Insufficient. B) Often too short. C) Ensures full disinfection per label. D) Only for surface
cleaning.
,Question 3
How many training hours are required for an AL Cosmetology license?
A) 1000
B) 1500
C) 2000
D) 2100
Correct ANSWER>.>: B
Rationale: A) Often for Estheticians. B) AL requirement. C) Required in other states. D) Incorrect.
Question 4
Which is a physical change?
A) Bleaching
B) Ice melting
C) Relaxing
D) Oxidation
Correct ANSWER>.>: B
Rationale: A) Chemical. B) Physical state change. C) Chemical bond breaking. D) Chemical reaction.
Question 5
Primary active ingredient in lightener powder?
A) Hydrogen peroxide
B) Ammonia
C) Persulfate salts
D) Sodium hydroxide
Correct ANSWER>.>: C
Rationale: A) Developer. B) Alkaline swelling agent. C) Boosts lifting. D) Relaxer alkali.
Question 6
Standard pH of hair and skin?
A) 2.5 to 3.5
B) 4.5 to 5.5
C) 7.0 to 8.0
,D) 9.0 to 10.5
Correct ANSWER>.>: B
Rationale: A) Too acidic. B) Natural slightly acidic. C) Neutral. D) Highly alkaline.
Question 7
Bacteria causing strep throat?
A) Staphylococci
B) Streptococci
C) Bacilli
D) Spirilla
Correct ANSWER>.>: B
Rationale: A) Causes abscesses. B) Causes strep/blood poisoning. C) Causes tetanus. D) Causes Lyme
disease.
Question 8
Outermost layer of skin?
A) Dermis
B) Subcutaneous
C) Epidermis
D) Stratum germinativum
Correct ANSWER>.>: C
Rationale: A) Inner layer. B) Fat tissue. C) Outermost protective layer. D) Epidermis sub-layer.
Question 9
Example of a parasitic disease?
A) Tinea
B) Scabies
C) Pediculosis capitis
D) All of the above
Correct ANSWER>.>: D
Rationale: A) Fungal/parasitic. B) Mite parasite. C) Lice parasite. D) All are parasitic.
Question 10
, Most effective method for sterilizing implements?
A) Boiling water
B) Alcohol
C) Autoclave
D) Quats
Correct ANSWER>.>: C
Rationale: A) Disinfectant only. B) Antiseptic/disinfectant. C) True sterilization via steam. D) Disinfectant
only.
Question 11
Purpose of an SDS?
A) Marketing
B) Ingredient and safety info
C) Employee tracking
D) Client preferences
Correct ANSWER>.>: B
Rationale: A) Not for marketing. B) Provides critical safety data. C) Not for HR. D) No client info.
Question 12
What does tuberculocidal mean?
A) Kills viruses
B) Kills fungi
C) Kills tuberculosis bacteria
D) Kills all spores
Correct ANSWER>.>: C
Rationale: A) Virucidal. B) Fungicidal. C) Destroys TB bacteria. D) Sporicidal.
Question 13
Which disinfectant is a form of formaldehyde?
A) Quats
B) Phenolics
C) Tuberculocidal
Exam Questions And ANSWER>.>s
(2026 Edition)
Question 1
Which agency regulates workplace safety?
A) FDA
B) OSHA
C) EPA
D) CDC
Correct ANSWER>.>: B
Rationale: A) Regulates food/drugs. B) Enforces workplace safety. C) Regulates environment. D) Controls
diseases.
Question 2
What is the correct contact time for EPA-registered hospital disinfectants?
A) 1 minute
B) 5 minutes
C) 10 minutes or as specified
D) 30 seconds
Correct ANSWER>.>: C
Rationale: A) Insufficient. B) Often too short. C) Ensures full disinfection per label. D) Only for surface
cleaning.
,Question 3
How many training hours are required for an AL Cosmetology license?
A) 1000
B) 1500
C) 2000
D) 2100
Correct ANSWER>.>: B
Rationale: A) Often for Estheticians. B) AL requirement. C) Required in other states. D) Incorrect.
Question 4
Which is a physical change?
A) Bleaching
B) Ice melting
C) Relaxing
D) Oxidation
Correct ANSWER>.>: B
Rationale: A) Chemical. B) Physical state change. C) Chemical bond breaking. D) Chemical reaction.
Question 5
Primary active ingredient in lightener powder?
A) Hydrogen peroxide
B) Ammonia
C) Persulfate salts
D) Sodium hydroxide
Correct ANSWER>.>: C
Rationale: A) Developer. B) Alkaline swelling agent. C) Boosts lifting. D) Relaxer alkali.
Question 6
Standard pH of hair and skin?
A) 2.5 to 3.5
B) 4.5 to 5.5
C) 7.0 to 8.0
,D) 9.0 to 10.5
Correct ANSWER>.>: B
Rationale: A) Too acidic. B) Natural slightly acidic. C) Neutral. D) Highly alkaline.
Question 7
Bacteria causing strep throat?
A) Staphylococci
B) Streptococci
C) Bacilli
D) Spirilla
Correct ANSWER>.>: B
Rationale: A) Causes abscesses. B) Causes strep/blood poisoning. C) Causes tetanus. D) Causes Lyme
disease.
Question 8
Outermost layer of skin?
A) Dermis
B) Subcutaneous
C) Epidermis
D) Stratum germinativum
Correct ANSWER>.>: C
Rationale: A) Inner layer. B) Fat tissue. C) Outermost protective layer. D) Epidermis sub-layer.
Question 9
Example of a parasitic disease?
A) Tinea
B) Scabies
C) Pediculosis capitis
D) All of the above
Correct ANSWER>.>: D
Rationale: A) Fungal/parasitic. B) Mite parasite. C) Lice parasite. D) All are parasitic.
Question 10
, Most effective method for sterilizing implements?
A) Boiling water
B) Alcohol
C) Autoclave
D) Quats
Correct ANSWER>.>: C
Rationale: A) Disinfectant only. B) Antiseptic/disinfectant. C) True sterilization via steam. D) Disinfectant
only.
Question 11
Purpose of an SDS?
A) Marketing
B) Ingredient and safety info
C) Employee tracking
D) Client preferences
Correct ANSWER>.>: B
Rationale: A) Not for marketing. B) Provides critical safety data. C) Not for HR. D) No client info.
Question 12
What does tuberculocidal mean?
A) Kills viruses
B) Kills fungi
C) Kills tuberculosis bacteria
D) Kills all spores
Correct ANSWER>.>: C
Rationale: A) Virucidal. B) Fungicidal. C) Destroys TB bacteria. D) Sporicidal.
Question 13
Which disinfectant is a form of formaldehyde?
A) Quats
B) Phenolics
C) Tuberculocidal
