As the school year progresses, school work becomes more intense and under eyes become darker. Don’t fret; these tips will keep your eyes looking fresh and rested.

Sleep enough: Yes, you’ll hear this everywhere, but sleep is extremely important, not only for beauty purposes, but also for basic cognitive skills, and mental and physical health. For best results, sleep on your back with your head slightly elevated by a pillow. This position will help improve blood flow and decrease the appearance of dark circles.

Eat your veggies: Though salad might not be as appetizing as a slice of pizza, a hefty serving of seasonal vegetables and fruits leaves good results. Some vitamins that you may be missing in your daily meals that could lead to bags and under eye circles include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, iron, or folic acid.

De-stress: As a student, this might be a bit of a tall order, but excessive amounts of stress not only hurt you emotionally, but also raise your blood pressure and lead to dark circles.

Ice, Ice Baby: Apply a bit of ice to your under eye area right after you wake up. Make sure not to apply the ice directly to the skin because this could be highly dangerous. Instead, make sure to wrap it in a towel and lift the ice every few seconds. The ice touching the semi-transparent skin of your under eyes assists  blood flow in the capillaries. This removes any extra blood or fluid.

Drink plenty of water: Water is magic, and dehydration can cause the blood vessels under your eyes to dilate and thus lead to dark circles. Try and drink at least eight cups of water a day- your body will thank you for it.

Remove your makeup: Every night, before sleeping, make sure to remove your makeup. Leaving makeup on your skin leads to clogged pores that not only cause dark circles and puffiness, but also lead to breakouts. The best way to avoid this is to wash your face with a gentle facial cleanser at night.

If you need a quick fix to your dark circle problem, makeup can be a life saver. In a few simple steps, your dark circles will be no more. Please use caution when applying new cosmetic products as they could cause skin irritation or allergic reactions.

Apply primer: Applying a thin layer of primer keeps the concealer from smudging throughout the day. Pick a primer close to your skin tone, or simply use one that is clear.

Concealer: Use a concealer a shade than your natural skin tone. Apply three small dots on your dark circles and pat the concealer until it is evenly spread. Do not smudge the concealer; instead, dab it carefully with your finger or a concealer brush.

Powder: Powder is not a necessary step, but the application of powder helps keep the concealer used from creasing over the course of the day.