With every new school year comes a new list of necessities you need. New folders and notebooks, a new pair of sneakers, and most importantly, new essentials. These essentials could be anything that you need to get yourself through the year, but here the top three.

Chapstick

With the seasons changing and stress crawling back into your life, a good chapstick can save the day for you. Chapstick is one of the most amazing beauty products you can ask for because it is both good for hydrating your lips, but it also adds a cute shine to them. Even if you’re not a big makeup person, applying chapstick throughout the day can add a little shine to your lips, and it can brighten your look. My favorite drugstore chapstick of all time is the Yes to Coconut Lip Balm. It is clear but adds a sheen to your lips without drying them out as a lipgloss would. For a more high-end, intense option, I always recommend the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. This product hydrates and softens the lips, and adds a little pink tint to them. Although it says that it is a sleeping mask, I apply this product to my lips all day to add extra hydration to them.

Under Eye Cream

With back to school comes a dreaded receding bedtime. Although a quick fix to your under-eye bags can be a good concealer (I recommend the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer), the best way to help your bags long term is to invest in an excellent under-eye cream. The eye cream isn’t just for anti-aging, but it is mainly to allow your skin to retain hydration and help any impurities that are under the eye. Applying an under-eye cream both morning and night can help your bags reduce significantly, and help make your skin look younger and plumper. My favorite under-eye cream is the Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment from Sephora. A fantastic drugstore alternative for it is the Burt’s Bees Sensitive Eye Cream.  

Facial Sunscreen

Although summer is sadly over, your days of applying sunscreen are not. While you are now spending a majority of your day inside, you can never forget to wear sunscreen. Applying a facial sunscreen every morning will help protect your skin when you go outside for gym, when you are walking to the bus ,when you are playing sports, or any other time you are outdoors. Sunscreen will prevent you from skin cancer and wrinkles. I recommend the Glossier Sunscreen because it is light on the skin and moderately priced.

“After being in high school for four years, I can attest to the importance of the Clean and Clear Oil Blotting Sheets. They help keep the shine off of your face throughout the day which can help prevent breakouts too,” said Anna Glowniak, senior.

No matter what your essentials are for back to school this year, always have confidence in yourself because that is what fashion is all about.