Arkansas Board of Cosmetology: Esthetician License Requirements

The state of Arkansas is no stranger to beauty. It is the birthplace of many actresses and artists as well as the home of the only diamond mine in the United States. Residents in this southern state like to look and feel their best, in part, with help from estheticians and other beauty professionals. There are several venues that need licensed estheticians in Arkansas such as:

Dermatology offices
Spas
Salons
Resorts and hotels
Medical spas
Film and fashion industries
Beauty pageants

If you like to help people look and feel good, you may want to become an esthetician. Keep reading to find out exactly what you need to do to become a licensed esthetician in the state of Arkansas

Esthetician License Requirements and Training Schools in Arkansas

In order to become a practicing esthetician in the state of Arkansas, you must first be licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health. This can be done by following the steps outlined below.

Step 1: Complete a State Approved Esthetics Program

To become eligible to take the written and practical esthetics licensing exams, you must be at least 16 years of age, have completed at least the 10th grade or its equivalent, and successfully complete a 600-hour course of instruction in an approved school of cosmetology. Your school will also need to complete a Certificate of Training Form. By law, your esthetics education and training will need to include:

Chemistry (40 hours)
Physiology (35 hours)
Bacteriology and sanitation (35 hours)
Introduction to skin care (45 hours)
Skincare (150 hours)
Makeup and corrective makeup (50 hours)
Eyebrow and lashes (40 hours)
Hair removal (40 hours)
Safety precautions (20 hours)
Professional and personality development (20 hours)
Management (20 hours)
Salesmanship (15 hours)
State laws and rules and regulations (10 hours)
Testing evaluation (15 hours)
Instructor’s discretion (65 hours)

Your esthetics education should include a mix of theory and hands-on training.

Let Esthetician Schooling Connect You With a High Quality Esthetician School in Your Area!

Are you ready to take the next step and begin your career as a well-paid esthetician? Esthetician Schooling has partnered with some of the best esthetician schools in the nation. Our huge network of nationally recognized esthetician schools will make it easy for you to find the right school and get started training immediately!

The beauty schools in our network contain one or more of the following high quality standards:

State Board Recognition
NACCAS Accreditation
Student Financial Aid
Job Placement Assistance for Those Who Qualify

To get started, simply fill out the quick 1-minute application below.

Step 2: Complete and Submit the Esthetician Application for Examination

Your application for the esthetics examination must be submitted with a $65 fee and submitted to the Arkansas Department of Health Cometology Section. Your written examination fee is $60 and payable directly to PSI.

Step 3: Take and Pass the Written and Practical Esthetician Examinations

The Arkansas Department of Health Cosmetology Section is oversees licensing and regulation of all cosmetology professions in the state, including estheticians. PSI Services LLC (PSI) has been contracted by the state to deliver all of its exams. The National Esthetics Theory Exam has been developed by the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC).

Preparing for the Written and Practical Exams

The National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) recommends the following reference materials to help you prepare for and pass the written (theory) and practical esthetics exams, which can be purchased at discounted prices on Amazon:

Milady Standard Esthetics: Fundamentals (2013, 11th Edition)
Salon Fundamentals: Esthetics Textbook (2007, 11th printing, 2nd Edition, August 2013)

We also recommend that you purchase and study the following books in preparation for your exams:

Salon Fundamentals Esthetics Licensure Exam Prep Book (Spiral-bound – 2007)
Modern Esthetics: A Scientific Source for Estheticians (Milady)

The Written Esthetics Exam

You must score a 70 or better to pass the written exam.

Skin care and services make up 45 percent of the exam questions while scientific concepts make up the other 55 percent. The esthetics written exam will include topics such as:

Microbiology
Infection control
Hair growth and composition
Skin functions
Factors that impact the skin
Contraindications for services
Body and product chemistry

Once you have been approved to take the written exam, you will need to log on to the PSI website and create an account to schedule your written exam. The types of identification you will need to bring for admittance are found on page 24 of the Candidate Information Bulletin.

PSI Services administers the written examination at the following locations in Arkansas:

Bentonville
Fayetteville
Harrison
Jonesboro
North Little Rock

You should arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the written exam. Those who arrive late will not be admitted and will be required to pay a new exam fee. A time frame of 90 minutes is allowed for taking the written exam.

The Practical Esthetics Exam

Once the Arkansas board of cosmetology has approved your application, you will be assigned a scheduled examination day. No late admissions are granted to the practical exam room.

The practical exam is administered at the following address:

Arkansas Department of Health
101 East Capitol
Suite 106
Little Rock, AR 72201

It is a good idea to travel to the site the day before so that you know where you are going and about how long it will take you to get there.

The Esthetics Practical Examination is made up of nine core domain services (marked with an asterisk) and one content domain service:

Work Area and Client Preparation, and Set Up of Universal Supplies* (1st client, 15 minutes)
Cleansing of the Face with Product* (10 minutes)
Exfoliating the Face with Product, Using Facial Brush, Including Towel Steaming* (10 minutes)
Massaging the Face with Product* (10 minutes)
Work Area and New Client Preparation, and Set Up of Supplies* (2nd client, 15 minutes)
Hair Removal of the Eyebrows by Tweezing and Using Simulated Soft Wax* (Not timed)
Facial Mask and Conclusion of Facial Service* (10 minutes)
Facial Makeup* (20 minutes)
Eyelash Enhancement (10 minutes)
Blood Exposure Procedure* (Not timed)

You will be given approximately 100 minutes to complete the practical exam. You must score a 75 or better to pass the exam.

Once you have passed both the written and practical exams, the state will mail your esthetician license within two weeks.

What to Bring to the Practical Exam

In order to be admitted to the practical exam, you will need to bring your Admission Notice and one form of a United States government issued identification that includes a photo and a signature. This could be a passport, driver’s license, or a resident card. The identification must be current and recognizable for admission.

You will also need to bring your own mannequin and a clamp to secure the mannequin head to a table for the exam. Each candidate must supply their own kit with appropriately labeling for the practical exam. A suggested kit list can be found beginning on page 14 of the Candidate Information Bulletin.

The dress code requires closed toed shoes and any color or print scrub tops or bottoms. Candidates not in compliance with this dress code will not be allowed into the exam room.

Step 4: Renew Your AR Esthetician License Every Two Years

Estheticians in the state of Arkansas are required to renew their license every two years. This is done in odd years by the licensee’s birthday. The fee for renewal is $50. You can complete the renewal process using the Cosmetology Section’s Online License Renewal System.

Esthetician License Reciprocity in Arkansas

If you hold a current esthetician license in another state, Arkansas does allow license reciprocity as long as you are at least 18 years of age.

You must have successfully completed both a written and practical exam. If you have not done this, you will need to take and pass both of these exams in Arkansas in order to obtain your license. You will need to complete this form. A $150 fee is required and does not cover any examination costs.

You also must contact the state office where you are currently licensed and request that a certification of your license record be mailed directly to the Arkansas Board of Cosmetology.

Arkansas Department of Health Contact Information

Arkansas Department of Health
Cosmetology Section
4815 W. Markham Street
Slot 8
Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: 501-682-2168
Fax: 501-682-5640

Arkansas Written and Practical Exam Locations

Below is a map showing the locations of the written exams administered by PSI Services LLC as well as the practical exam administered by the Arkansas Department of Health’s Cosmetology Division.

Before you arrive at a PSI test center, please be sure to call PSI Services toll-free at (800) 733-9267 to confirm the test center’s current address and inquire about their hours of operation.

To confirm the address and testing hours of the esthetician practical exam, call the Arkansas Department of Health’s Cosmetology Division at (501) 682-2168.

Map of Written and Practical Exam Locations in Arkansas

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