Mannequins Now Required For State Board Exam

There’s another change coming to the State Board exam that you need to know about!

According to a circular letter, the use of live models has been eliminated for candidates taking the Cosmetologist, Esthetician or Manicurist licensing exam. Starting on March 1, students will have to bring a mannequin head with at least 6 inches of hair all the way around the head to the exam.

The state of California converted to the National State Board exam in October 2011. Most of the other states that use the national exam have been using mannequin heads in the place of live models for some time now. In these states, the mannequin heads are checked before the start of the exam to make sure it meets the proper requirements and isn’t pre-marked to indicate sections.

For those taking the Manicurist licensing exam, you must bring a mannequin hand to the practical exam. Before the exam, you must apply a set of nails to the mannequin hand that covers the entire nail bed of each finger. The use of mannequin hands with digital fingers is also not permitted.

It’s believed that the transition to the use of mannequins for the exam is meant to eliminate problems with live models. Many applicants have been disqualified over the years due to various model problems.

Comprehensive State Board preparation is part of every program at Salon Success Academies. For the students who are taking their mock State Board exam on February 13, you are must bring a mannequin head and tripod with you to class.

For more great tips on how to pass your State Board exam, check back with the Beauty Buzz Blog next week!