Michigan Esthetician State Board
Theory Exam ACTUAL EXAM
2026/2027 | Michigan Esthetician State
Board | Verified Q&A | Pass
Guaranteed - A+ Graded
[Section 1: Infection Control & Safety]
Q1: According to Michigan Administrative Rules for Cosmetology, what is the minimum contact time for
an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant to be effective on non-porous surfaces?
A. 30 seconds
B. 1 minute
C. 10 minutes [CORRECT]
D. 30 minutes
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Per Michigan Administrative Rule R 339.5103(2), EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectants
require a minimum 10-minute contact time on pre-cleaned, non-porous surfaces to achieve proper
disinfection. This ensures pathogen destruction per EPA registration standards. Option A reflects quick-
sanitizer myths; Option B is insufficient for hospital-grade classification; Option D exceeds requirements
and suggests confusion with sterilization protocols.
Q2: A client is accidentally cut during a brow waxing service and bleeds on the treatment table. Under
Michigan OSHA and LARA requirements, the esthetician must:
A. Wipe the area with alcohol and continue the service
B. Apply Barbicide to the surface and proceed with the next client
C. Stop service, don gloves, clean with EPA-registered disinfectant effective against HIV/HBV, and
dispose of materials in biohazard container [CORRECT]
D. Cover the blood with a towel and complete the day’s appointments before deep cleaning
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Per Michigan OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (MIOSHA Part 554) and R 339.5101,
blood spills require immediate cessation of service, use of PPE, application of EPA-registered
tuberculocidal disinfectant effective against HIV/HBV, and proper biohazard waste disposal. Option A
violates bloodborne pathogen protocols; Option B uses incorrect disinfectant type; Option D creates
cross-contamination risk and violates immediate remediation requirements.
Q3: Which of the following implements must be sterilized (not merely disinfected) before use on a client
in Michigan?
A. Metal tweezers used for brow shaping
B. Stainless steel comedone extractor that contacted blood [CORRECT]
C. Reusable glass mixing bowl for masks
D. Wooden spatulas used for product application
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Per Michigan R 339.5103(3), implements that contact blood or bodily fluids must undergo
sterilization (autoclave or dry heat sterilizer); mere disinfection is insufficient for blood-exposed tools.
Option A requires disinfection but not sterilization unless blood contact occurs; Option C requires only
disinfection as it contacts product not skin; Option D must be single-use per R 339.5104 and cannot be
reused.
Q4: Under Michigan law, single-use items such as wooden spatulas, cotton balls, and disposable wax
strips must be:
A. Disinfected and reused if they appear clean
B. Discarded after each client use [CORRECT]
C. Stored for reuse on the same client only
D. Rinsed and saved for the next business day
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Per R 339.5104, single-use items are defined as non-reusable and must be discarded after
each client service to prevent cross-contamination. Option A violates single-use definition; Option C
misinterprets "single-use" as client-specific rather than service-specific; Option D creates bacterial
growth risks and storage contamination.
Q5: An esthetician in Michigan notices the disinfectant solution in the immersion jar appears cloudy.
According to LARA rules, the esthetician should:
,A. Add more concentrate to strengthen the solution
B. Continue using it until the scheduled change time
C. Immediately replace the solution regardless of schedule [CORRECT]
D. Filter the solution through a clean cloth
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Per R 339.5103(4), disinfectant solutions must be changed immediately when visibly
contaminated or cloudy, regardless of time schedule—visual contamination indicates solution
exhaustion. Option A dilutes rather than replaces; Option B ignores contamination indicators; Option D
does not restore disinfectant efficacy.
Q6: Michigan requires that an esthetician wash their hands:
A. Only at the beginning of the workday
B. Before and after each client service, after using the restroom, and after handling contaminated
materials [CORRECT]
C. Only when visibly dirty
D. Once per hour regardless of activity
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Per R 339.5102 and CDC/MIOSHA guidelines, hand hygiene is required at multiple
touchpoints: pre-service (prevent client contamination), post-service (remove product/pathogens), post-
restroom (fecal/oral prevention), and post-contamination (bloodborne pathogen protection). Option A
misses critical intervention points; Option C ignores microscopic contamination; Option D lacks clinical
relevance to actual exposure events.
Q7: A Michigan salon stores clean linens in a cabinet under the sink where cleaning chemicals are kept.
This practice is:
A. Acceptable if the linens are in sealed plastic bags
B. Acceptable if the chemicals are EPA-registered
C. Prohibited due to cross-contamination risk [CORRECT]
D. Required for efficient inventory management
Correct Answer: C
, Rationale: Per R 339.5105, clean linens must be stored in a clean, dry, enclosed space away from
contaminants including chemicals, dust, and soil—under-sink chemical storage violates separation
requirements. Option A’s sealed bags are insufficient against vapor contamination; Option B misapplies
EPA registration; Option D prioritizes convenience over client safety.
Q8: The Michigan Public Health Code requires that establishments providing cosmetology services must
be licensed by:
A. The city or county health department only
B. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)
C. Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) [CORRECT]
D. No license is required for home-based esthetics services
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Per Michigan Public Health Code – Article 12 (Cosmetology) and R 339.5001 et seq., LARA’s
Bureau of Professional Licensing regulates all cosmetology establishments through licensure, inspection,
and enforcement. Option A describes local health permits, not professional licensure; Option B is
incorrect department; Option D violates establishment licensing requirements regardless of location.
Q9: Under Michigan infection control standards, an esthetician must use gloves when:
A. Only when performing extractions that might draw blood
B. When there is reasonable anticipation of contact with blood, body fluids, or broken skin, and when
handling chemicals [CORRECT]
C. Only during waxing services
D. Gloves are optional if hands are washed thoroughly
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Per MIOSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard and R 339.5101, gloves are required for
anticipated exposure to blood/body fluids, broken skin contact, and chemical handling (prevent
dermatitis). Option A is too narrow (misses chemical protection and other exposures); Option C
arbitrarily limits to waxing; Option D violates standard precautions—handwashing does not replace
barrier protection.
Q10: A Michigan esthetician is performing a facial and needs to answer the phone. The proper
procedure is:
A. Remove one glove, answer the phone, then continue the facial
Theory Exam ACTUAL EXAM
2026/2027 | Michigan Esthetician State
Board | Verified Q&A | Pass
Guaranteed - A+ Graded
[Section 1: Infection Control & Safety]
Q1: According to Michigan Administrative Rules for Cosmetology, what is the minimum contact time for
an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant to be effective on non-porous surfaces?
A. 30 seconds
B. 1 minute
C. 10 minutes [CORRECT]
D. 30 minutes
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Per Michigan Administrative Rule R 339.5103(2), EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectants
require a minimum 10-minute contact time on pre-cleaned, non-porous surfaces to achieve proper
disinfection. This ensures pathogen destruction per EPA registration standards. Option A reflects quick-
sanitizer myths; Option B is insufficient for hospital-grade classification; Option D exceeds requirements
and suggests confusion with sterilization protocols.
Q2: A client is accidentally cut during a brow waxing service and bleeds on the treatment table. Under
Michigan OSHA and LARA requirements, the esthetician must:
A. Wipe the area with alcohol and continue the service
B. Apply Barbicide to the surface and proceed with the next client
C. Stop service, don gloves, clean with EPA-registered disinfectant effective against HIV/HBV, and
dispose of materials in biohazard container [CORRECT]
D. Cover the blood with a towel and complete the day’s appointments before deep cleaning
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Per Michigan OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (MIOSHA Part 554) and R 339.5101,
blood spills require immediate cessation of service, use of PPE, application of EPA-registered
tuberculocidal disinfectant effective against HIV/HBV, and proper biohazard waste disposal. Option A
violates bloodborne pathogen protocols; Option B uses incorrect disinfectant type; Option D creates
cross-contamination risk and violates immediate remediation requirements.
Q3: Which of the following implements must be sterilized (not merely disinfected) before use on a client
in Michigan?
A. Metal tweezers used for brow shaping
B. Stainless steel comedone extractor that contacted blood [CORRECT]
C. Reusable glass mixing bowl for masks
D. Wooden spatulas used for product application
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Per Michigan R 339.5103(3), implements that contact blood or bodily fluids must undergo
sterilization (autoclave or dry heat sterilizer); mere disinfection is insufficient for blood-exposed tools.
Option A requires disinfection but not sterilization unless blood contact occurs; Option C requires only
disinfection as it contacts product not skin; Option D must be single-use per R 339.5104 and cannot be
reused.
Q4: Under Michigan law, single-use items such as wooden spatulas, cotton balls, and disposable wax
strips must be:
A. Disinfected and reused if they appear clean
B. Discarded after each client use [CORRECT]
C. Stored for reuse on the same client only
D. Rinsed and saved for the next business day
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Per R 339.5104, single-use items are defined as non-reusable and must be discarded after
each client service to prevent cross-contamination. Option A violates single-use definition; Option C
misinterprets "single-use" as client-specific rather than service-specific; Option D creates bacterial
growth risks and storage contamination.
Q5: An esthetician in Michigan notices the disinfectant solution in the immersion jar appears cloudy.
According to LARA rules, the esthetician should:
,A. Add more concentrate to strengthen the solution
B. Continue using it until the scheduled change time
C. Immediately replace the solution regardless of schedule [CORRECT]
D. Filter the solution through a clean cloth
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Per R 339.5103(4), disinfectant solutions must be changed immediately when visibly
contaminated or cloudy, regardless of time schedule—visual contamination indicates solution
exhaustion. Option A dilutes rather than replaces; Option B ignores contamination indicators; Option D
does not restore disinfectant efficacy.
Q6: Michigan requires that an esthetician wash their hands:
A. Only at the beginning of the workday
B. Before and after each client service, after using the restroom, and after handling contaminated
materials [CORRECT]
C. Only when visibly dirty
D. Once per hour regardless of activity
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Per R 339.5102 and CDC/MIOSHA guidelines, hand hygiene is required at multiple
touchpoints: pre-service (prevent client contamination), post-service (remove product/pathogens), post-
restroom (fecal/oral prevention), and post-contamination (bloodborne pathogen protection). Option A
misses critical intervention points; Option C ignores microscopic contamination; Option D lacks clinical
relevance to actual exposure events.
Q7: A Michigan salon stores clean linens in a cabinet under the sink where cleaning chemicals are kept.
This practice is:
A. Acceptable if the linens are in sealed plastic bags
B. Acceptable if the chemicals are EPA-registered
C. Prohibited due to cross-contamination risk [CORRECT]
D. Required for efficient inventory management
Correct Answer: C
, Rationale: Per R 339.5105, clean linens must be stored in a clean, dry, enclosed space away from
contaminants including chemicals, dust, and soil—under-sink chemical storage violates separation
requirements. Option A’s sealed bags are insufficient against vapor contamination; Option B misapplies
EPA registration; Option D prioritizes convenience over client safety.
Q8: The Michigan Public Health Code requires that establishments providing cosmetology services must
be licensed by:
A. The city or county health department only
B. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)
C. Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) [CORRECT]
D. No license is required for home-based esthetics services
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Per Michigan Public Health Code – Article 12 (Cosmetology) and R 339.5001 et seq., LARA’s
Bureau of Professional Licensing regulates all cosmetology establishments through licensure, inspection,
and enforcement. Option A describes local health permits, not professional licensure; Option B is
incorrect department; Option D violates establishment licensing requirements regardless of location.
Q9: Under Michigan infection control standards, an esthetician must use gloves when:
A. Only when performing extractions that might draw blood
B. When there is reasonable anticipation of contact with blood, body fluids, or broken skin, and when
handling chemicals [CORRECT]
C. Only during waxing services
D. Gloves are optional if hands are washed thoroughly
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Per MIOSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard and R 339.5101, gloves are required for
anticipated exposure to blood/body fluids, broken skin contact, and chemical handling (prevent
dermatitis). Option A is too narrow (misses chemical protection and other exposures); Option C
arbitrarily limits to waxing; Option D violates standard precautions—handwashing does not replace
barrier protection.
Q10: A Michigan esthetician is performing a facial and needs to answer the phone. The proper
procedure is:
A. Remove one glove, answer the phone, then continue the facial
