Every now and then I have to work really late on a project and end up sleeping pretty poorly or not at all and then I'm afraid I look like one of the living dead the next day. When people comment that I look tired, I feel self-conscious about the bags and dark circles under my eyes and everything else about my appearance. Is there something I can do to not look like crap after a bad night of sleep? Lack of sleep really pulls a number on us, doesn't it? Missing out on your beauty rest can result in the puffy eyes and dark under-eye circles you mentioned and in dull, tired-looking skin, but don't worry. It isn't hard to look office-presentable or cover up these signs of sleep deprivation, bypassing rude comments about how tired you look (one of the common, awkward phrases people should probably avoid using). I speak from experience, unfortunately, as someone who burns the midnight candle more often than I'd like to admit and who has a young child who tends to wake me up several times in the middle of the night.

Somehow I manage on most days to fool people into thinking I actually sleep at night. Here's how you can too:No, I'm not kidding. Taking a shower is dead obvious, but when you feel utterly exhausted and like hell after getting no sleep, you may be tempted to skip the basic shower. Drag yourself in there so the warm shower can wake you up, and if you have one of those exfoliating scrubbing brushes or energizing shower gels to use, all the better.While you're in there, use an exfoliating scrub for your face (such as the St. Ives Apricot Scrub or a homemade scrub) to brighten dull, pale-looking skin caused by lack of sleep. When you get out, slather on a lot of moisturizer. Sleep loss causes skin to be dehydrated and even look more wrinkled over time. So combat that sleeplessness-induced dryness with moisturizer. Now that you've got clean, nice-smelling hair and softened skin, brush your teeth and shave (if you're a guy). You might even feel almost like normal now—well, except maybe for those puffy eyes...

Many of the tell-tale signs of a rough night are in the eyes, but you don't have to wear shades indoors as a solution.A cold compress is the tried-and-true remedy for puffy eyes. Cool one of these items in your fridge and apply to your eyes for about 10 minutes. A lack of sleep doesn't really cause under-eye circles, according to The Mayo Clinic; it just makes under-eye circles and shadows you already have more obvious because lack of sleep makes you paler and more hollow-eyed. That's not really much of a consolation, nor does their suggestion to get extra sleep help much in our case. However, they do offer some other solutions, besides wearing sunglasses: Massaging your under-eye area with a wet washcloth or frozen cotton swab or altering your salt intake might also help get rid of dark under-eye circles and puffiness. Whole industries have been built around manufacturing and selling dark circles remedies, by the way, but I've yet to find a miracle cure for chronic dark circles.

Otherwise, try the tricks above for short-term relief.When you get to work or later in the day, get 5 to 10 minutes of exercise in—a brisk walk or some stair climbing—to get some youthful glow back into your skin.best carpet cleaner in sacramento Bonus tip: If you're a lady, put on lipstick, whatever color brightens you up. pool cleaner castle hill(I'm not normally a makeup person, but when you're faking wakeful put-togetheredness, a distracting, colorful lip really works.)wave pool cleanerFor next time, keep in mind some additional tips that may help you look fresher in the morning if you have a short night:Finally, consider what's keeping you awake. Whether you have sleep problems like insomnia that need to be worked on or work-life balance issues, the need for beauty sleep isn't a myth.

At least one study found that sleep deprivation really does make people appear less healthy and less attractive compared to when they get a normal eight hour's of rest. You don't need to feel too self-conscious about it, though—most people will understand if you just say "had a rough night." Sleep isn't all about good looks, of course, but rather important fuel for everything we do. So we hope you get some soon—and feel better inside and out. P.S. Got a "look good on no sleep" tip for us? Let's hear them in the comments.Home / Recipes / Desserts / Cookies Since 1992, when Hillary Clinton and Barbara Bush bumped spatulas, our First Lady cookie contest has been a terrific traditionand political pacesetter. All but one winner went on to live in the White House. In our 2012 Presidential Cookie Bake-Off, we said it was your patriotic duty to bake, taste and vote. Did you ever—more than 9,000 readers weighed in. And the winner is...Victory was sweet for our current First Lady and her White and Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies, but just 287 votes separated the two women, our smallest margin ever.

(In other words, Ann Romney's M&M's Cookies were no flash in the pan.) Makes: 5 dozen cookiesPrep: 15 minutesBake: at 375 degrees F for 12 minutes per batch Get the winning recipe Get a FULL YEAR of Family Circle® for just $5.99! Makes: 3 dozen cookiesPrep: 15 minutesBake: at 325 degrees F for 18 minutes Laura Bush's Oatmeal Chocolate Chunks Teresa Heinz Kerry's Pumpkin Spice Cookies Laura Bush's Texas Cowboy Cookies Elizabeth Dole's Pecan Rolls Hillary Clinton's Oatmeal Chocolate Chips Barbara Bush's Classic Chocolate Chips Originally published in the June 2012 issue of Family Circle magazine. 2012 WINNER: Michelle Obama's White and Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies Slide belongs to Presidential Cookie Recipes @ page 2 2012: Ann Romney's M&M's Cookies Slide belongs to Presidential Cookie Recipes @ page 4 2008: Bill Clinton's Oatmeal Cookies 2008: Cindy McCain's Oatmeal-Butterscotch Cookies 2008: Michelle Obama's Shortbread Cookies