Justice gets real with PEOPLE about aging and forming her skincare routine, now including Belif’s new eye gel innovation.

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Victoria Justice has a solid skincare routine now, but there once was a time when her beauty arsenal was pretty much non-existent.

“All throughout my teenage years, I had amazing skin. I would come home from being on set and I didn’t even have a skincare routine. I would truly use Softsoap to wash off my makeup,” the singer and actress, 31, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I kind of took that for granted.”

“I have Hashimoto’s [an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid glands and hormones],” Justice explains, “and so I was put on this thyroid medication, but it was too high of a dose and I developed cystic acne. Anyone who has dealt with cystic acne knows how much it sucks and affects their confidence.”

From then on, Justice began to re-evaluate the relationship she had with her skin and became more “mindful” of the products she used on her face. While on this journey, she found Belif.

The actress, who became a Belif brand ambassador after years of being a fan of the company’s science-driven ethos, recently helped launch its new Aqua Bomb Eye Gel — a depuffing and brightening under-eye gel formulated with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, collagen and caffeine. The $32 launch is available on sephora.com.

“A good eye gel is so important, especially for me because there are so many times where I [have a] late night in the studio or I’m on set late and I have to be on camera the next day,” says Justice.

She had the opportunity to test the gel before it even hit the market and now she’s genuinely obsessed with its benefits, from the ingredients that help her skin look “more alive” to the “cooling refreshing sensation” to the super convenient pen-like applicator.

Justice also can’t get enough of Belif’s True Cream Moisturizing Bomb, a hydrating cream that strengthens and restores the skin’s barrier. “I always use it when I’m going on a red carpet because I don’t like to use a lot of foundation and makeup. I really want the natural glow of my skin to shine through,” she says.

She actually also prefers little to no glam when she’s at home too. She admits that she’s the “happiest” when she’s rocking a bare face, her skincare’s applied and her hair’s thrown up in a bun.

Justice has put in the work to get her skin to where it’s at now (she also exfoliates and makes conscious lifestyle choices). So, when fans comment on her social media posts about her looks — specifically compliments on how she hasn’t aged — she finds it “very flattering.”

“I really appreciate it, especially because I feel like I do things to try to take care of myself the best way that I can. I wear a baseball cap when I can, I wear sunscreen every day, I try to not drink too much, I work out. I definitely put effort towards my wellness, so it feels nice to hear those comments.”

But here’s her real take on aging. “At the end of the day, we are all aging. I’m not going to look young forever, but I feel very grateful for my Puerto Rican roots. My mom’s 100% Puerto Rican, she has great skin. My 97-year-old great grandma had great skin, so I’m hoping that I can look as good as they do.”