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Arizona Aesthetics Licensing Exams
Hate tests? Well, me too. It’s so intimidating and scary. I’ve always had a bit of test anxiety, so taking a test to get licensed for anything you love sounds tough! Still, the keyword there is “love,” so again, if you really want to do well, you will.
Be Prepared for Your Test
Don’t forget the most important parts of being prepared beyond the hundreds of hours you’ve spent in class at an accredited school. Those things include eating well on the days before your testing as well as getting plenty of sleep.
Other things that will let you get the sleep you need are arranging your travel to the testing site, making sure you have a backup plan, and those silly things like taking your picture ID, bringing your phone (just in case, and having some cash – think lunch later, Uber, or some other unknown!
As for those hours of training you put in, the Arizona State Board of Cosmetology expects those testing to have completed 1600 hours of Cosmetology training. Those wishing to get other specific licenses will need 750 hours for Hairstyling, 600 hours for Aesthetics, 600 hours for Nail Technology, and 350 hours for all Instructor training licenses.
The Arizona Cosmetics Aesthetics Testing Process
The Aesthetics testing consists of two parts, a written test with approximately 100 questions and a practical test to show off your skills. The written portion takes about an hour. As for the practical, time depends on how many students take the test with you. This can vary depending on how many students take the test with you. Plan for three hours.
The practical part takes longer because you are using your skills in front of the testing group. You’ll need to bring your State Board kit with everything needed. This can change from time to time, so check at the official Arizona State site to ensure you have what’s necessary.
The written part will test your overall knowledge of Aesthetics. No notes or books are allowed – and it is administered on a computer. Don’t worry; it goes fast if you know the subject fairly well.
Being prepared is essential, so keep in mind that schools like IMAj Institute offer Examination Preparation courses. At IMAj, their course is 32-hours of hands-on training for students who may have trained in another state, at another school, or who need to refresh before taking the state tests.
Of course, if you attend IMAj Institute they will spend the last two weeks before graduation helping you prepare for the state boards and you’ll be so ready!
What Arizona Requires to Test
Step one: You must apply for your examinations, so go to Virtual Inc. (PCS) and register (no fee). Then choose Arizona and continue your application. There is a $177 fee for both the written and practical portions. If your application is in order, you’ll receive authorization to test. The official admission notice for the practical part will be emailed to you about two weeks before your exam date.
Step two: Go to the Arizona State Board of Cosmetology website and submit your application. You’ll need a 2×2 Passport photo, a certificate of graduation on your school’s letterhead, proof of lawful presence in the US, proof of age (16 years with HS diploma or 18 and older).
Once those are uploaded and accepted, you get to pay the non-refundable $60 fee. Afterward, the Board will notify Virtual Inc. (PCS), who will schedule your exams with you.
Notes:
- Use your full legal name as it appears on your state/government ID
- Make sure you do both steps one and two, or you won’t get an exam date
- You’ll get your admission to test (written) 2 business days after Board approval
- You’ll get your admission time for the practical portion 2-5 days after approval
- Practicals can’t be rescheduled. You’ll have to pay a new fee if you can’t attend
You’ll get your final scores and your license in about two weeks if everything goes well. When that happens, the world’s your oyster. Go be a success!
Chemical Peels for that Added Glow
A chemical peel works by applying a chemical solution to the skin under treatment and then removing the top dead layers. The regenerated/new skin is cleaner and more even toned. You’ll probably have to repeat the process with a light or medium peel to achieve desired effects.
Chemical peels are offered at Medical Esthetics programs and rejuvenation spas to remove wrinkles, discoloration, and marks from the skin as well as helping to enhance the texture of the skin. A chemical solvent is added to the skin, causing it to “blister” and gradually peel off. In most cases, the new skin is cleaner and less wrinkled than the old skin.
Treatments can also reduce the appearance of dark spots. Chemical peels lighten black spots by removing the skin pigment melanin.
Best Effects of a Chemical Peel
- Acme scars and blemishes
- Wrinkles and fine line
- Discoloration and uneven skin tone
- Improve skin elasticity
- Reduce dark spot and eye bags
- Helps with cells/skin regeneration
- Improve skin texture and adds a healthy glow
Types of Chemical Peels
- Light: Light chemicals remove the outermost layer of the skin. To exfoliate softly, they use mild acids like alpha-hydroxy. It penetrates only the skin’s top layer and helps fight acne scars, wrinkles, fine lines, and discoloration.
- Medium: A medium chemical peel separates skin cells from the epidermis as well as the middle layer of skin. It is used in the treatment of wrinkles, acne marks, and poor skin tone. This is often done with trichloroacetic or glycolic acid to remove the middle and outer layers, increasing effectiveness in removing dead skin cells.
- Deep: A deep chemical peel destroys even more skin cells. These peels also use phenol or trichloroacetic acid to thoroughly penetrate the middle layer of the skin and remove dead skin cells.
Risk and Side Effects of Chemical Peels
A chemical peel can cause redness and inflammation that lasts several days. The recuperation time is longer after a medium or deep chemical peel. A chemical peel may induce a bacterial, fungal, or viral infection, such as a cold sore outbreak caused by the herpes virus, although this is rare.
Chemical peels treat acne by lowering the pH of the skin, which aids in the removal of dead skin cells, resulting in a clearer appearance and fewer clogged pores. Peels can help other ingredients to penetrate better since they strip the top layer of skin.
Your skin condition determines the durability of a chemical peel. Light to medium peels can last one to two months. Consult a professional if you want to see more visible and lasting effects. You may have to take a few days off work to heal. It takes 5 to 7 days for the skin to recover to the point that you can conceal the redness caused by the peel.
Laser Body Sculpting
Laser Body Contouring: How Does it Work?
Sometimes no matter how hard we stick to our good eating habits and stay active, it seems like it’s all for nothing. But if you’ve got the inclination – and the money – laser body sculpting treats those problem areas where it’s tough to lose fat with diet or exercise. Without the need for surgery, this non-invasive fat reduction procedure will reduce fat cells in problem areas. Laser body contouring is also known as nonsurgical fat reduction. These techniques contour and sculpt various parts of the body by reducing or removing stubborn fat from problematic areas. The effects of laser body contouring treatments will last for a long time.
How Does it Work?
Laser body contouring uses a non-invasive laser procedure to improve your body structure. It’s a huge step forward from previous surgical procedures that required numerous deep skin incisions. Treatments target high-wavelength light-based energy lasers optimized for weight reduction in areas like the belly and waistline. The applicators target and treat fat cells with light energy, allowing the body to automatically lose these cells in the weeks after your contouring procedure. Laser fat reduction delivers heat below the surface of the skin and destroys fat cells.
Laser body sculpting treatments are fast, lasting less than 30 minutes, and can treat several areas at once. Many people have results as early as six weeks after fat reduction therapy, but the most significant results are seen after several weeks. Certain patients may experience a mild tingling feeling during treatment, but this is a normal behavior seen in many people. The most common side effects of body contouring procedures are moderate swelling, tenderness, and redness. Without any downtime, most patients can resume their daily schedule soon after surgery.
Benefits of Laser Body Contouring
- Excess fat is reduced when the laser efficiently breaks down and destroys fatty tissue. You’ll have immediate, noticeable results that will continue to improve over time.
- Laser has a lower risk of inflammation while effectively reducing fat cells.
- Traditional liposuction is much more painful than laser body sculpting. While conventional liposuction involves plunging hollow metal tubes into the body to vacuum out fat, body contouring uses a laser to liquefy fat cells. These characteristics make laser an excellent minimally invasive treatment for body sculpting.
- You’ll start your daily life sooner rather than waiting for the pain and bruising to go down.
- You will have smoother skin, and the laser aids in collagen and tissue formation, resulting in a more sculpted and more pleasing look.
How Much Does It Cost per Session?
The cost of laser body contouring varies significantly based on the area to be treated, as well as the clinic’s experience. An average eight-session series will easily cost over $1,000.
Brighten Up With Flowers
I spend a lot of time in my garden. It always takes some work, but the rewards are worth it. In the Springtime, there are new buds on the trees and an abundance of greenery. If everything goes to plan, the grass is doing well after a long winter of brown patches, and the fragrances are unique.
If I’m lucky, there are enough new flowers to cut a few of the buds and bring them into the house and my patio for show. Before spring, and when I’ve already done the bulk of my pruning, I like to have flowers delivered next day so there are new colors inside to brighten up each room.
Colorful arrangements bring a warm glow to the house and always leave me smiling. I’ve got plenty of holiday touches that I bring from my storage room to show the seasons’ passing, but having the extra flowers is lovely.
The splash of colors and the upbeat smell of flowers are always welcome. Although I do love decorating, there’s nothing wrong with a casual bouquet of your favorite flowers. Keep in mind that if you are trying to set-off a holiday theme, you may want to go a bit fancier, but overall, the arrangement itself and the vase you put them in will make or break your theme.
The Color is the Key
Your flower arrangement can be simple, and so can the vessel you use, but the key to harmonizing your display and theme is how the colors burst from the table or shelf. Flowers are natural, but making them pop on display takes a little effort and energy.
This is your chance to be creative, so think of new and exciting ways to show off your beautiful arrangement. How about a carved pumpkin at harvest time? You’ll get the pungent smell of the gourd as well as the fragrance of the flowers.
Any old bucket or water pail makes a perfect vase if you are going for a rustic theme. In my mind, even an arrangement of grasses and daisies look extra special in a grey pail. If it’s not quite what you had in mind, add a ribbon around the container for a contrasting color.
You’ll probably find that mixing colors and flowers can give any room in the house that special flair you were looking for. And, you’ll also note that with aromatic, beautiful flowers, you almost can’t go wrong.
When you bring your flowers in from the garden, make sure you get them into the water quickly, they are in shock and won’t last more than a few minutes in the outdoor heat before wilting. If you are taking advantage of an overnight flower delivery order, they have been well prepared for delivery and may last longer than those you’ve cut yourself.
However, even with delivery arrangements, take gentle care of them and do two things as soon as they arrive. First, imagine just how you want them to look in the vase or your chosen vessel, and even if they come in water, change it for clean tap water.
Next, clip the bottom of each flower stem so it can continue to draw moisture up to the petals. Then, add the nutrient packet supplied (it’s often rubber-banded to a branch) or a tablespoon of sugar and half that much vinegar to preserve your beautiful display as long as possible.
Another tip for keeping your flowers looking fabulous and lasting longer is to keep them off window sills where the rays of the sun can get concentrated through the glass!
Five Tips for Fuller Lips
A woman’s lips can be are the most desirable part of her body. Lips are an integral part of facial symmetry and aesthetics, and studies have shown that broader and fuller lips add to the concept of feminine beauty. Our lips are among the sexiest parts of our body and play a vital role in physical intimacy. So, who doesn’t want beautiful lips?
We all want to stay young and sexy, and there are a few basic makeup strategies if you want your lips to look fuller and healthier. Smooth, full-looking lips look stunning, but keeping your lips moisturized and hydrated is the most useful starting point. It might take a little extra care, but what follows are tips to make your lips look fuller and more naturally beautiful.
- Keep your lips Hydrated
We’re busy, rushing around, and sometimes we forget about drinking enough water. Unfortunately, that is one of the most common causes of dry skin. You should drink your way through eight glasses of water each day. Believe it or not, that alone will benefit your lips in a variety of ways. The hydration offers a fuller look to your lips. Particularly during the winter, when the cold air steals the moisture from your lips, you’re going to want to rehydrate.
To supply your lips with the moisture they deserve, you might also consider using a humidifier in your house. Try a home cure, such as applying your lips with honey to soothe and moisturize them. Don’t pick on your lips. Your saliva will evaporate alongside the lasting moisture in your lips.
- Exfoliate your Lips
Proper exfoliation clears the skin-clogging surface of dead skin cells and reveals new cells underneath. This opens the door to reach more directly into the skin for moisturizing. An exfoliating regimen will leave your lips feeling smooth and clean. Exfoliating your lips with a mixture of sugar and honey will help to remove some of the rough, flaking skin and restores brightness, texture, and softness to the lips. Exfoliate twice a week. It is essential to not overdo it.
- Stop licking your Lips
Licking your lips damages the defensive layer that can cause your lips to dry out. You coat them with saliva as you lick your lips. The enzymes in your saliva will sit on the lips and cause harm and dryness as well as leaving your lips drier than before you licked them.
- Use natural products
Exposure to sun can make your lips appear darker and dryer. Be sure that you use a lip balm with an SPF ingredient. Aloe Vera and vitamin E are other good natural therapies. You can break open a stalk of live Aloe Vera or even a capsule of vitamin E and add the product right to your lips. Vitamin E improves circulation and can help to create new skin cells while softening the lips.
- Take your makeup off
It is so essential that you don’t have any lipstick on your lips at night. Leaving lipstick on for too long can also damage your skin. Make sure that you exfoliate your lips regularly and apply a good lip balm at night.
Natural makeup
For your overall health and the health of our planet, natural makeup is a choice we should all consider. Parabens and SLS have known additives that should be avoided, while natural herbs, oils, and extracts produced without synthetic materials used in organic skincare products are usually safer.
When selecting natural and organic products, the ultimate advantage is that they efficiently provide our skin with long-lasting health. The levels of natural nutrients found in essential vitamins and minerals are typically much higher and organic products are healthier for the climate. Natural makeup is also environmentally friendly. Organic and natural products are keys to healthy and youthful skin. Clean beauty products are usually free of toxic additives including parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrance and are the best choice for sensitive or acne-prone skin.
Cost
Yes, it’s true that natural makeup is more costly than traditional makeup, usually because organic cosmetic products are produced with high-quality natural ingredients. And the rich nutrients make natural makeup more expensive. That and the fact that they are typically manufactured in smaller quantities.
Benefits of Natural Makeup
Chemicals found in traditional makeup is very rough on the skin. They promote inflammation and allergic reactions and for people with sensitive skin, it can be difficult to work with non-organic makeup which is toxic for our overall health. Two common examples of compounds used widely in cosmetics are parabens and phthalates; substances that have been associated with diabetes and cancer.
Instead, choose brands that are synthetic and fragrance-free cosmetics. Choose according to your skin type and make sure that the products are paraben free.
- No irritation and gentle on the skin
Our skin ages with time and becomes more sensitive. Non-organic products with harsh chemicals are more likely to produce rashes, redness, and irritation. Natural makeup without the petrolatum and parabens won’t irritate your skin like chemical-laden cosmetics. Plus, natural makeup can help soothe irritation, making our skin look younger and healthier.
- Sun protection and nutrient-rich products
Our faces are regularly exposed and sensitive to ultraviolet rays and thus need protection. Fortunately, organic products contain antioxidants that can help minimize the effects of sun damage, such as vitamin C. Nutrient-rich organic cosmetic products also help provide extra protection for UV rays without harming your skin. They can help to encourage healthy, youthful-looking skin.
- Cruelty-free products
Cruelty-free makeup products are not tested on animals. Natural organic makeup is not only eco-friendly, it’s rich in nutrients. These cruelty-free products are safe for your skin. With natural products, there is less risk of skin problems, infections, and irritation.
Some spa treatments such as dermaplaning can also be considered natural and healthy. Avoiding unnatural and harmful treatments and overexposure to any chemicals and compounds that can block pores and damage your skin’s elasticity is also a good idea.
Five Top Reasons to Get Enough Sleep
A little reminder from our Guest about sleep:
True silence is the rest of the mind and is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment. William Penn
Remember when your mother harped on you to get more sleep? It turns out she was right. There are many good reasons to get plenty of sleep and to avoid shorting yourself in the hours you need. Don’t believe me? Well, take a look at what the CDC (Center for Disease Control) says is recommended for optimal health.
Newborns up to three months: 14–17 hours
Infants four to 12 months: 12–16 hours
Toddlers one to three years: 11–14 hours
Preschoolers three to five years: 10–13 hours
School-age children six to 12 years: 9–12 hours
Teens 13 to 18 years: 8–10 hours
Adults 18 to 60 years: 7-plus hours
Adults 61 to 64 years: 7–9 hours
Adults 65 and older: 7–8 hours
Now I’m not telling you to set the alarm, because everyone’s biological clock is slightly different. But if you are coming in short of the advised hours, you should try and stay in bed and get some quality sleep as long as you can. Good sleep can be improved by sleeping in a dark room. Use blackout shades if you must, or even consider a sleep mask if your room is too bright.
Having a comfortable bed is another big factor in getting enough sleep. The more you toss and turn, the less time your body will have to get into REM sleep, which you need to relax and calm your body.
Reason One – Lower The Possibility of Weight Gain
Strangely enough, working more, or at least sleeping less, tends to lead to weight gain. Poor sleep patterns and stress have been shown to have a profound effect on the body. In a recent study at the University of Colorado, participants restricted to a five-hour nightly sleep pattern gained an average of two pounds in just one week.
Part of that can be attributed to hormonal changes, including the regulation of leptin, which sleep deprivation reduces. And the hormone ghrelin, which sleep-deprivation activates. Ghrelin triggers the feeling of being hungry. See where I’m going with this?
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body can’t regulate your food intake correctly. It’s not that you’re that hungry; it’s just that your body is confused.
Reason Two – Improve Concentration and Performance
Study’s show that a child’s sleep patterns impact their academic performance and behavior. The less sleep they get, the more likely they are to fall behind in school. Studies on adults point to similar effects on work performance.
If you need more convincing, according to surveys in 2018 and 2019, a lack of sleep had a direct effect on sexual desire in both men and women. Twenty percent of women said they were too tired at night for sex, and medical studies show that a man’s testosterone level can fall by up to 20 percent at night after a lack of sleep during the prior week.
Sleeplessness has an impact on the brain’s frontal lobe, which maintains complex judgment calls. Study’s have found that after even a single sleepless night, men overestimated women’s interest in sex. You’ve been warned.
Reason Three – Improved Immune System
Research shows that there is a direct correlation between good sleep and the body’s ability to repair itself. The immune system fights off colds and viruses and is stronger when it has a chance to rejuvenate itself.
Getting adequate sleep helps reduce inflammation in the body and protects us all from its effects. Unfortunately, studies have now shown that sleep deprivation contributes to diseases, and in turn, many of those diseases contribute to sleep deprivation. It’s a vicious circle. Beat the bugs by getting enough sleep!
Reason Four – Greater Emotional Intelligence
Ever stay up late for nights on end trying to get ready for a test or business presentation? Did it help? Often, the lack of sleep hurts your test scores. And, it can put a crimp in your work performance too.
When you don’t get enough sleep, you may feel cranky and be less able to understand other people and empathize with them. Which impacts how you view people, and also how you interpret their reaction to whatever you might be presenting to them at work.
When you are tired, you miss the emotional signs that help you make good decisions. How might that impact a personal relationship? Yes, not well.
Reason Five – Preventing Depression
Our sleep patterns greatly impact our overall mental health. Studies in the US and New Zealand show that there is a likely link between a lack of sleep and depression. Unfortunately, studies also show that a lack of sleep is also a contributing factor in a significant number of deaths by suicide.
Sleep is a vital part of life. It can make us happier, more energetic and athletic, and give us sharper focus for mental tasks. It can even make us look better.
When we are tired, we look a bit off. When rested, we look and feel better. And there’s proof! Sleep deprivation can interfere with collagen production, which we all need to maintain healthy skin and look better. A lack of collagen production can weaken our skin, making it taught and rigid. You can help keep it supple and youthful with adequate sleep. Your read it here first!
IPL Treatment for Hyperpigmentation
Going to a spa can be a relaxing and enjoyable experience – a celebration package for Mother’s Day or a birthday. If you get such a gift from someone you like, your bestie or your sister perhaps, then you should have a gentle facial so you’ll still like them afterward.
Don’t do what I did and get what amounts to aversion therapy from whoever gave you the gift by trying an IPL treatment for a sensitive part of your body. By the way, keep in mind that with IPL, all parts of our bodies are sensitive.
IPL is Intense Pulsed Light therapy used by doctors and aestheticians for hair removal, acne, skin pigmentation, and sun damage. They call it photo rejuvenation, so innocent people, women mostly, will fall for their torture. Don’t believe me? Check your closet for high heels.
So, there I was, ready to get treatment for some hyperpigmentation on the back of my hands. The treatments aren’t cheap. My spa charges $150 for a single treatment, $650 for a package of six, which they tried to sell me on right away. I was strong, wanting to try the actual procedure before signing up for more.
The aesthetician was great. Very sweet and complimentary. She did a double cleanse of the back of my hands to clean and degrease the skin using alcohol. It was cooling and nice. She was chatting away, and it was like we were friends when she put a huge glob of applicator gel on my left hand.
The gel is used as a conduit for the IPL machine, which is a high-powered, hand-help light thing that’s computer-controlled. It looks like a little white gun and it delivers an intense (really!) pulse of light that in my case, was targeting hyperpigmentation.
The light is so bright you can’t look at it, even with special glasses worn by everyone in the room. To make sure we weren’t blinded, the therapist counted down, three – two – one, and we all closed our eyes. She pulled the trigger on the gun, and that’s what it felt like, a gunshot. They say it’s just a snap on your skin. On my skin, it hurt like hell. Ever get snapped very hard across the back of your hand with a thick, hot rubber band?
No, me neither, but this was worse, I’m sure. The flashgun has a row of nine lights that explode across the gel and is wonderfully conducted into your skin. There’s a cooling plate that gets smeared with gel since it touches your skin.
You can see from the picture that the gun only covers a small portion of the back of my skin, so the whole treatment took about ten minutes. Then, in a dazed state of mind, I let the aesthetician do my other hand. It wasn’t quite as bad since I knew what was coming.
I left the spa, but not before tipping my therapist for the beating (told you women were silly), and my hands felt fat and hot. I was told no gym, sauna, hot tub, or anything that causes heat. Oh, and no sun. I live in Arizona, so I stayed inside.
The light promotes collagen growth, so a week later, my skin was softer, and the dark spots were much darker as the hyperpigmentation (the melanin) rose to the top layer of my skin, where it sat like coffee grounds. It eventually disappeared, lost around my house and the bedsheets.
It will take at least three more treatments for them to disappear completely. Yes, I’m thinking about it.
Starting Fresh
At Arizona Beauty World we want to bring readers everything under the sun, but we are starting with beauty Industry news, trends, and information you might like to have about schools that teach cosmetology and aesthetics.
We’ll also be talking about home beauty ideas and how you can have the very look that makes you happy, healthy, and ready for each day, even if you aren’t going any further than your living room or porch today!
If you’ve got questions or ideas about what could be featured in our pages, drop me a line by clicking on our contact page and we’ll see what we can do about getting the information you need to our site and your email!
Just call me Clair and we’ll do fine.
Arizona Beauty World 