BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - Skincare can be hard to navigate when it comes to knowing your skin type and what products to use. Beauty expert and Finetta Beauty & Barber Academy founder Etta Whitely joined BVTM Friday to share some basic tips anyone can use.

A skin type can normally be found about 30 minutes after cleansing your skin, according to Whitley. A person is considered to have oily skin if it’s shiny after cleansing and is considered a “combination” if it’s both dry and oily in different parts of your face. No matter the skin type, the expert suggests using products with salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide.

When removing cleaner, Whitley advises using cool water and patting dry the face versus wiping it. Afterward, Whitley recommends using a moisturizer and toner. A rosewater toner, she said, is great for reducing inflammation around the eyes.

“I always tell our students think about ‘C.M.T.’” Whitley said. “Cleanse, moisturize and tone.”

The expert believes a skincare routine should start in middle school. Inexpensive products like face brushes, face steamers and nose strips can also be helpful to use when doing the routine.

For those wanting to add makeup after that skin routine, Whitley believes it doesn’t take much to enhance natural beauty. She said this can be done with lip gloss that’s clear or flesh toned. Foundation and lashes can be added if you want to take things up a notch. It can be tricky to find the right foundation, but Whitley said it’s important to find something that’s close to your natural skin color.

“You do not want to change your complexion, you want to enhance,” Whitley said. “That’s what makeup is really about, enhancing what you already have.”

A simple hairstyle can also add an extra flair. Whitley recommends using a wand or flat iron to curl the hair and hairspray to maintain it, which can be seen in the video below.

“Before you start with this, your foundation has to be solid,” Whitley said. “You want a good moisturizing shampoo, you want a great conditioner and, if the hair is color treated, you want to get shampoos and conditioners that are geared towards color-treated hair.”

For more information about Whitley and the Finetta Barber & Beauty Academy, click here.

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