We’ve all experienced a night’s sleep that wasn’t exactly “heavenly peace”. Perhaps the stress of your new job kept you tossing and turning all night. Maybe your allergies finally got the best of you, leaving you restless despite the nine hours you spent in bed. Either way you’re left with the same result: tired, puffy eyes and deep, dark under eye circles that seem impossible to mask.

Any old concealer won’t be enough to disguise those pesky eye problems. You need a simple but effective way to cover those dark circles and better yet, get rid of them once and for all. Lucky for you, we’ve got your three-step plan to brighter, younger-looking eyes: prep, conceal, and treat.

Prep

Prepping your eye area with an eye mask or a soothing eye gel can reduce swelling, instantly making your eyes appear brighter. Opt for products with ingredients like cucumber and aloe vera, like Estee Lauder Stress Relief Eye Masks, for an extra surge of healing power. Apply these pre-moistened, hydrating pads under each eye after washing your face, go about your normal morning routine, and remove the pads before you apply your makeup. Now your concealer will only have to do half the work.

Conceal

While an eye mask can work wonders, chances are your dark circles are still noticeable. Tilt your head down slightly and find the exact locations of your dark circles. Do you have dark spots that extend down your face? Are the inner corners of your eyes especially dark? Using your ring finger or a small brush, apply a yellow-based concealer where you need it. Try a concealer like the Philosophy ‘Miracle Worker’ if your eyes look particularly tired. This corrector-concealer duo comes with a correcting color that will brighten and disguise lines and dark marks and a concealer that will blur any discoloration.

Need a drugstore option that won’t break the bank? Give the Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Dark-Circle Roller a try. The caffeine gel formula stimulates the eye area while providing a sheer tint of color to reduce the appearance of dark circles. Keep this baby in your purse for those days when you don’t have time to apply a full face of makeup but need an eye-brightening boost.

Treat

Taking care of the delicate skin around your eyes is an important part of your daily skincare routine. Try applying cult favorite Lancome ‘Genifique Yeux’ Youth Activating Eye Cream morning and night. Its gel-like formula is easy-to-apply and makes your eyes look more youthful by brightening the eye area and fighting wrinkles.

Have sensitive skin that breaks out when you apply a potent product? Give Roc Retinol Correxion Sensitive Eye Cream a try. This cream contains retinol, a powerful wrinkle-fighter, but the formula is mild enough for people who are sensitive to retinol or have never used an eye cream. Use this product under your makeup and with sunscreen.

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