Madison Pettis Says She ‘Felt More Comfortable’ with Her Acne on Camera as a Teen (Exclusive)

The former Disney Channel star, who’s the latest to partner with skincare brand Noxzema, opens up to PEOPLE about dealing with breakouts

Madison Pettis knows what it feels like to struggle with breakouts.

“Dealing with acne, no matter what, is hard. I remember being mostly insecure in middle and high school because of it,” the 24-year-old actress tells PEOPLE exclusively.

It was during those mid-teen years when the former Life with Boys star decided to take her skincare regimen to the next level, and down the road she came to understand what worked best for her acne-prone complexion and combination skin.

On her search for pimple treatments, Pettis gave Noxzema a try at the recommendation of her mom — and she hasn’t turned back since.

Last month, Pettis announced her partnership with the heritage beauty company, which has been her go-to for years, particularly when it comes to the brand’s Anti-Blemish Pads, which retail for $5.

“That’s one of the very first things I remember working for me. It’s something I’ve always gone back to over the years,” she says of the pads doused in salicylic acid and eucalyptus oil to treat and prevent breakouts.

Pettis not only had to deal with acne in front of her peers, she also did so in front of an audience watching her grow up on on screen. (Pettis kickstarted her career with a role in Disney’s Cory in the House, the spin-off series to come out of That’s So Raven, and later starred in The Game Plan alongside Dwayne Johnson at 9.)

Related: 16 Celebrities Open Up About Their Skin Conditions in Hopes of Helping Others

Contrary to what others may believe, Pettis says that being in front of the cameras actually boosted her confidence.

“I felt more comfortable on camera because I was working with hair and makeup artists on sets,” she says. “I felt lucky that I had professionals guiding me on what was best for my skin, how to take care of it after wearing a lot of heavy makeup on set and [teaching me] the best ways to cover up my acne.”

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Even now, she’s picked up a few tips from the experts she’s worked with. “I’ve taken notes and done my due diligence,” she says.

For example, she likes to use a hot towel to open up her pores, so that when she follows up with Noxzema’s eucalyptus-infused Deep Cleansing Cream, which removes makeup and impurities without drying, her skin is cleansed and refreshed.

The combination has been a “savior” for the star, who first and foremost believes in removing your makeup at the end of each day, especially when she’s had a long schedule of filming (Pettis says her forthcoming film Deltopia was jam-packed into a speedy eight-day shooting schedule).

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Basically, there’s a reason Pettis sticks to what her skin knows best. “It doesn’t love when I try a bunch of new things. I’ve learned that less is more — if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” she says, describing herself as a ”pretty simple two-or-three-steps kind of girl.”

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