North Carolina SB 656: Cosmetic Art Deregulation.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 656

Short Title: Cosmetic Art Deregulation. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Moffitt, Grafstein, and Bradley (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 26, 2025
*S656-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO EXEMPT NATURAL HAIR CARE SERVICES, BLOW-DRY STYLING, AND 2
MAKEUP ARTISTRY FROM LICENSING REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE NORTH 3
CAROLINA BOARD OF COSMETIC ART EXAMINERS; TO CONVERT THE 4
MANDATORY NATURAL HAIR CARE SPECIALIST LICENSE TO A VOLUNTARY 5
CERTIFICATE; AND TO EXPAND AUTHORIZED SETTINGS FOR CERTAIN 6
COSMETIC ART SERVICES. 7
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 8
9
PART I. EXEMPTIONS FROM COSMETIC ART LICENSING REQUIREMENTS AND 10
CONVERSION TO VOLUNTARY CERTIFICATION FOR NATURAL HAIR CARE 11
SPECIALISTS 12
SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 88B-2 reads as rewritten: 13
"§ 88B-2. Definitions. 14
The following definitions apply in this Chapter: 15
(1) Apprentice. – A person who is not a manager or operator and who is engaged 16
in learning the practice of cosmetic art under the direction and supervision of 17
a cosmetologist. 18
(1a) Blow-dry styling. – The act of shampooing, conditioning, drying, arranging, 19
curling, straightening, or styling hair using only mechanical devices, hair 20
sprays, and topical agents, such as balms, oils, serums, and providing no other 21
services requiring a license under this Chapter. This term includes the use and 22
styling of wigs, hair pieces, and extensions. This term does not include the use 23
of chemicals to alter the structure of the hair and haircutting. 24
(2) Board. – The North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. 25
(3) Booth. – A workstation located within a licensed cosmetic art shop that is 26
operated primarily by one individual in performing cosmetic art services for 27
consumers. 28
(4) Booth renter. – A person who rents a booth in a cosmetic art shop. 29
(4a) Certified natural hair care specialist. – An individual certified by the Board to 30
practice only the part of cosmetic art that constitutes natural hair care, as 31
defined in this section. Certification shall not be required by the Board to 32
practice natural hair care, but an individual who meets the credentials for the 33
certificate may apply to the Board for certification. 34
(5) Cosmetic art. – All or any part or combination of cosmetology, esthetics, 35
natural hair care, or manicuring, including the systematic manipulation with 36

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 656-First Edition
the hands or mechanical apparatus of the scalp, face, neck, shoulders, hands, 1
and feet. Practices included within this subdivision shall not include the 2
practice of massage or bodywork therapy as set forth in Article 36 of Chapter 3
90 of the General Statutes. 4
(6) Cosmetic art school. – Any building or part thereof where cosmetic art is 5
taught. 6
(7) Cosmetic art shop. – Any building or part thereof where cosmetic art is 7
practiced for pay or reward, whether direct or indirect. 8
(8) Cosmetologist. – Any individual who is licensed to practice all parts of 9
cosmetic art. 10
(8a) Cosmetology. – The act of arranging, dressing, curling, waving, cleansing, 11
cutting, singeing, bleaching, coloring, or similar work upon the hair of a 12
person by any means, including the use of hands, mechanical or electrical 13
apparatus, or appliances or by use of cosmetic or chemical preparations or 14
antiseptics. 15
(9) Cosmetology teacher. – An individual licensed by the Board to teach all parts 16
of cosmetic art. 17
(10) Esthetician. – An individual licensed by the Board to practice only that part of 18
cosmetic art that constitutes skin care. 19
(11) Esthetician teacher. – An individual licensed by the Board to teach only that 20
part of cosmetic art that constitutes skin care. 21
(11a) Esthetics. – Refers to any of the following practices: giving facials; applying 22
makeup; performing skin care; removing superfluous hair from the body of a 23
person by use of creams, tweezers, or waxing; applying eyelashes to a person, 24
including the application of eyelash extensions, brow or lash color; 25
beautifying the face, neck, arms, or upper part of the human body by use of 26
cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, tonics, lotions, or creams; surface 27
manipulation in relation to skin care; or cleaning or stimulating the face, neck, 28
ears, arms, hands, bust, torso, legs, or feet of a person by means of hands, 29
devices, apparatus, or appliances along with the use of cosmetic preparations, 30
antiseptics, tonics, lotions, or creams. 31
(12) Manicuring. – The care and treatment of the fingernails, toenails, cuticles on 32
fingernails and toenails, and the hands and feet, including the decoration of 33
the fingernails and the application of nail extensions and artificial nails. The 34
term "manicuring" shall not include the treatment of pathologic conditions. 35
(13) Manicurist. – An individual li