Kentucky PSI National Esthetician Theory Exam Study Guide [90 Minute Read]

A First-Principles Approach to Professional Esthetics

Welcome. This guide doesn't just tell you what to memorize — it explains why the rules exist so you can reason through unfamiliar questions on exam day. Every regulation, every contraindication, every procedure has a logic behind it. Once you understand that logic, the exam becomes far more manageable.

Official Exam Objectives: PSI Kentucky Esthetician Test Taker Guide (V1.0, Effective 3/19/2026)

The theory exam is entirely multiple-choice and tests your ability to make safe, informed decisions about client care. Scenario questions ask what you should do — not just what a term means. The exam emphasizes public health and safety above all else.

Exam Details:

• Questions: 75 scored + 10 experimental (unscored)
• Time: 90 minutes
• Passing Score: 70% (53 of 75 scored questions)
• Fee: $85 (valid 90 days, non-refundable)
• Prerequisite: Verified graduation status from KBC-approved school
• Note: Theory must be passed before scheduling the Practical exam

Exam Domain Weights

Safety and Infection Control is nearly half the entire exam — 30 of 75 questions. Every other domain combined equals what Safety alone covers. This is not an accident: estheticians work directly on clients' skin and face, and the public health risk of poor infection control is serious. Study Safety as its own major subject, not as background knowledge.

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