FLORIDA COSMETOLOGY STATE BOARD
CLINICAL EXAM: (LATEST 2026–2027
UPDATE), WITH CORRECT/ACCURATE
ANSWERS
FLORIDA COSMETOLOGY STATE BOARD
CLINICAL
QUESTIONS 1–25
Question 1
Compound hair dyes are a combination of metallic salt dyes and which other type of dye?
A. Aniline dyes
B. Vegetable dyes
C. Temporary dyes
D. Synthetic dyes
Correct Answer: B
Rationale 1:
Compound dyes combine metallic salts with vegetable dyes. While they can produce long-lasting color,
they are unpredictable and incompatible with many chemical services, which is why their use is discouraged
in modern cosmetology.
Question 2
The direction in which hair grows is primarily determined by which structure?
A. Hair shaft
B. Sebaceous gland
C. Arrector pili muscle
D. Hair follicle
Correct Answer: D
,Rationale 2:
The hair follicle angle and shape beneath the skin determine the natural direction of hair growth.
Understanding growth patterns is essential for precision cutting and styling.
Question 3
During a lightening process, which type of hair will lighten the fastest?
A. Coarse, dark hair
B. Fine, light hair
C. Coarse, light hair
D. Medium, dark hair
Correct Answer: B
Rationale 3:
Fine hair has fewer cuticle layers and less pigment, allowing lightener to penetrate more quickly, causing it
to lift faster than coarse hair.
Question 4
Which of the following is an example of a progressive hair color?
A. Temporary rinse
B. Demi-permanent color
C. Metallic tints
D. Vegetable dyes
Correct Answer: C
Rationale 4:
Metallic tints gradually darken the hair with repeated applications, making them progressive. They are
difficult to remove and incompatible with many chemical services.
Question 5
Which comb is best suited for closed tapering at the nape using the scissors-over-comb technique?
A. Wide-tooth comb
B. Styling comb
C. Barber comb
D. Detangling comb
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale 5:
A barber comb is thin, flexible, and has fine teeth, making it ideal for precision tapering and blending
during scissors-over-comb techniques.
Question 6
Which statement about guanidine relaxers is NOT true?
A. They are advertised as no-lye relaxers
B. They contain no sodium hydroxide
C. They have a lower pH than thio relaxers
D. They cause less scalp irritation than sodium hydroxide relaxers
Correct Answer: D
Rationale 6:
Although guanidine relaxers contain no lye, they can be more irritating to the scalp than sodium hydroxide
relaxers due to calcium hydroxide residue buildup.
Question 7
Which type of relaxer is commonly advertised as a “no-lye” relaxer?
A. Ammonium thioglycolate
B. Sodium hydroxide
C. Guanidine hydroxide
D. Potassium hydroxide
Correct Answer: C
Rationale 7:
Guanidine hydroxide relaxers are marketed as no-lye because they do not contain sodium hydroxide,
although they are still highly alkaline.
Question 8
For a client with an inverted triangle (heart-shaped) face, which hairstyle is most flattering?
A. Full volume at the forehead
B. Close at the jawline
, C. Fullness at the crown only
D. Close at the forehead and fullness at the jaw
Correct Answer: D
Rationale 8:
Balancing a heart-shaped face requires minimizing width at the forehead and adding fullness around the jaw
to create symmetry.
Question 9
From the lightest blonde to black, how many natural hair color levels exist?
A. 8
B. 9
C. 10
D. 12
Correct Answer: C
Rationale 9:
The standard hair color level system ranges from Level 1 (black) to Level 10 (lightest blonde).
Question 10
To better understand how curly hair will naturally fall, it is best to cut it:
A. Wet
B. With tension
C. After straightening
D. Dry
Correct Answer: D
Rationale 10:
Curly hair shrinks when dry. Cutting it dry allows the cosmetologist to see the true curl pattern and final
length.
Question 11
A greenish cast in the hair can be neutralized by using which tone?
CLINICAL EXAM: (LATEST 2026–2027
UPDATE), WITH CORRECT/ACCURATE
ANSWERS
FLORIDA COSMETOLOGY STATE BOARD
CLINICAL
QUESTIONS 1–25
Question 1
Compound hair dyes are a combination of metallic salt dyes and which other type of dye?
A. Aniline dyes
B. Vegetable dyes
C. Temporary dyes
D. Synthetic dyes
Correct Answer: B
Rationale 1:
Compound dyes combine metallic salts with vegetable dyes. While they can produce long-lasting color,
they are unpredictable and incompatible with many chemical services, which is why their use is discouraged
in modern cosmetology.
Question 2
The direction in which hair grows is primarily determined by which structure?
A. Hair shaft
B. Sebaceous gland
C. Arrector pili muscle
D. Hair follicle
Correct Answer: D
,Rationale 2:
The hair follicle angle and shape beneath the skin determine the natural direction of hair growth.
Understanding growth patterns is essential for precision cutting and styling.
Question 3
During a lightening process, which type of hair will lighten the fastest?
A. Coarse, dark hair
B. Fine, light hair
C. Coarse, light hair
D. Medium, dark hair
Correct Answer: B
Rationale 3:
Fine hair has fewer cuticle layers and less pigment, allowing lightener to penetrate more quickly, causing it
to lift faster than coarse hair.
Question 4
Which of the following is an example of a progressive hair color?
A. Temporary rinse
B. Demi-permanent color
C. Metallic tints
D. Vegetable dyes
Correct Answer: C
Rationale 4:
Metallic tints gradually darken the hair with repeated applications, making them progressive. They are
difficult to remove and incompatible with many chemical services.
Question 5
Which comb is best suited for closed tapering at the nape using the scissors-over-comb technique?
A. Wide-tooth comb
B. Styling comb
C. Barber comb
D. Detangling comb
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale 5:
A barber comb is thin, flexible, and has fine teeth, making it ideal for precision tapering and blending
during scissors-over-comb techniques.
Question 6
Which statement about guanidine relaxers is NOT true?
A. They are advertised as no-lye relaxers
B. They contain no sodium hydroxide
C. They have a lower pH than thio relaxers
D. They cause less scalp irritation than sodium hydroxide relaxers
Correct Answer: D
Rationale 6:
Although guanidine relaxers contain no lye, they can be more irritating to the scalp than sodium hydroxide
relaxers due to calcium hydroxide residue buildup.
Question 7
Which type of relaxer is commonly advertised as a “no-lye” relaxer?
A. Ammonium thioglycolate
B. Sodium hydroxide
C. Guanidine hydroxide
D. Potassium hydroxide
Correct Answer: C
Rationale 7:
Guanidine hydroxide relaxers are marketed as no-lye because they do not contain sodium hydroxide,
although they are still highly alkaline.
Question 8
For a client with an inverted triangle (heart-shaped) face, which hairstyle is most flattering?
A. Full volume at the forehead
B. Close at the jawline
, C. Fullness at the crown only
D. Close at the forehead and fullness at the jaw
Correct Answer: D
Rationale 8:
Balancing a heart-shaped face requires minimizing width at the forehead and adding fullness around the jaw
to create symmetry.
Question 9
From the lightest blonde to black, how many natural hair color levels exist?
A. 8
B. 9
C. 10
D. 12
Correct Answer: C
Rationale 9:
The standard hair color level system ranges from Level 1 (black) to Level 10 (lightest blonde).
Question 10
To better understand how curly hair will naturally fall, it is best to cut it:
A. Wet
B. With tension
C. After straightening
D. Dry
Correct Answer: D
Rationale 10:
Curly hair shrinks when dry. Cutting it dry allows the cosmetologist to see the true curl pattern and final
length.
Question 11
A greenish cast in the hair can be neutralized by using which tone?
