Barber Shaving & Facial Hair Design Practice Questions
Shaving & Facial Hair Design makes up 4 of every 50 questions on a Tigertest Barber practice test. Here are 10 of the 16 questions on it, each with the answer and the reason.
Updated by the Tigertest team. Based on the NIC National Barber Theory Examination outline (bulletin effective June 1, 2025: 60 items, 50 scored, 90 minutes). Original questions. Some states use their own exam; check your board.
1. Why is a steam towel applied before a facial shave?
- A.To tighten the skin
- B.To soften the beard
- C.To close the pores
- D.To remove the lather
Answer: B. Heat and moisture soften the beard hair and relax the skin so the razor glides with less pulling.
2. When is a hot towel not used before a shave?
- A.On a regular client
- B.In cold weather
- C.On a heavy beard
- D.On chapped skin
Answer: D. Heat irritates skin that is chapped, blistered, sunburned or inflamed, so the steam towel is skipped there.
3. For the first time over in a shave, the razor follows:
- A.The grain
- B.Any direction
- C.Against the grain
- D.Across the grain only
Answer: A. Shaving with the grain first removes most of the beard with less irritation. Going against the grain cuts closer but raises the risk of ingrown hairs.
4. What does lather do in a shave service?
- A.Closes the open pores
- B.Lightens the beard
- C.Softens and lubricates
- D.Disinfects the skin
Answer: C. Lather softens the beard and lets the razor glide. It is worked in with the fingertips in a rotary motion.
5. While shaving, the skin should be held:
- A.Pinched
- B.Folded
- C.Taut
- D.Loose
Answer: C. Stretching the skin taut with the free hand gives the razor a firm, flat surface and prevents nicks.
6. After a shave, a cool towel is applied to:
- A.Close the pores
- B.Remove the hair
- C.Warm the skin
- D.Soften the beard
Answer: A. A cool towel refreshes the skin and contracts the pores. An astringent or aftershave usually follows.
7. Shaving a client prone to razor bumps, the barber should:
- A.Go over it three times
- B.Shave against the grain
- C.Stretch the skin hard
- D.Shave with the grain
Answer: D. Pseudofolliculitis barbae worsens when hairs are cut below the skin. Shaving with the grain and not too close reduces bumps.
8. Before a shave, the barber studies the beard mainly to find:
- A.The number of hairs
- B.The direction of growth
- C.The natural hair color
- D.The hair's porosity
Answer: B. Knowing which way the beard grows in each area tells the barber which strokes to use so the first time over follows the grain.
9. The best tool for removing lather and loose hairs at the end of a shave is:
- A.A dry styling comb
- B.A clean warm towel
- C.A shared neck duster
- D.A paper neck strip
Answer: B. A clean warm towel wipes away lather and stray hairs. Neck dusters are a common cause of cross-contamination and many states ban them.
10. When designing a beard, the neckline is usually set at about:
- A.At the collarbone
- B.Below the Adam's apple
- C.Along the jawbone
- D.Above the Adam's apple
Answer: D. A natural neckline sits about one to two finger-widths above the Adam's apple. Cutting it on the jawline makes the beard look thin.
Practice all 16 shaving & facial hair design questions, and the rest of the 200-question bank, in the free Barber training sets. Questions you miss come back until you have mastered them.
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