A hickey, or love bite, is a bruise on the skin caused by sucking or biting. While that sounds incredibly painful, some people actually enjoy giving or receiving hickeys.
Hickeys can be embarrassing, especially in the cold, dark light of day, and if they are visible. Luckily, there are ways to hide a hickey, and one of the most popular choices is with makeup. If you want to cover up your hickey, you can use several of your normal everyday cosmetics and get results in minutes!
6 Ways to Cover Up a Hickey with Makeup
Lip Hickey
Lipstick is a great way to conceal a lip hickey, provided you use one that matches your skin tone so that it blends in with the surrounding skin. For example, if you have a light complexion, use a light-colored lipstick; if you have a dark complexion, use a dark-colored lipstick.
If possible, find a color that is one or two shades lighter than your natural lip color. Just apply it over the affected area and blend it in with the surrounding skin.
Concealer
This is one of the most common and effective methods for covering up hickeys. Apply a little amount to the area and blend it to hide the hickey.
Choosing one that matches your skin tones as closely as possible is important. Otherwise, the hickey will be more noticeable. Another tip is to set the concealer with powder to help it stay in place throughout the day.
Foundation
You’ll want to choose one that matches your skin tones as closely as possible to be effective. Use a brush or sponge, adding a little at a time. Once the foundation is in place, use a setting powder to help it stay put.
Color Corrector
A color corrector can be effective to neutralize the appearance of a hickey. You'll need to purchase a product one shade darker than your skin tone to do this.
Apply it to the hickey and blend it outwards until it's no longer visible. Then, you can use concealer and your regular foundation over the top.
Liquid highlighter
If you don't have any color-corrector products on hand, you can also try a highlighter to cover up a hickey. This method works best if the hickey is relatively small. Dot some liquid highlighter on the area and blend it outwards until it's no longer visible. Correct it with a setting powder, and you're good to go!
What If You Can't Cover Up Your Hickey?
If you can't cover up your hickey with makeup, don't despair, try these:
Themed makeup
If you want to get creative, try using themed makeup to cover up your hickey. For example, if you're going to a Halloween party, you could use black eyeliner or face paint to create a fake bruise around your hickey.
Alternatively, you could use glitter or gemstones to turn your hickey into a decoration. Be creative and have fun with it!
These are just a few ways to cover up a hickey with makeup. So, if you're ever in a situation where you need to hide a hickey, don't panic! Just grab your makeup and get to work.
And if it’s nowhere near Halloween, you can hide a hickey with these suggestions:
- Wear a turtleneck or scarf: This is a great option if it's not too hot outside. Put on a turtleneck or scarf, and you're good to go.
- Try using a topical cream: There are several topical creams on the market that claim to help reduce the appearance of a hickey.
- Use a cold compress: Applying a cold compress to the area for 15-20 minutes can also help to reduce the appearance of a hickey.
- Hide it with a band-aid: If all else fails, you can always try hiding your hickey with a band-aid.
Conclusion
A hickey can be an embarrassing blemish, but luckily there are a few ways to cover it up with makeup in minutes. Depending on the size and severity of the hickey, you may need different techniques or products to camouflage it. While there are proprietary products on the market designed to cover up hickeys, your normal makeup is usually all you need.
