How to Hide a Hickey Instantly 15 Tips to Hide the Naughty Secret

A hickey is only fun during the process of getting it, you don't necessarily want to show the world. So, it is important to know how to hide a hickey.

Hickeys are distinctive and impossible to be excused as a simple rash. If you're not interested in answering uncomfortable questions from others, it's time you learned how to hide a hickey. In situations where waiting for a hickey to fade is not an option, try these simple tips in hiding a tell-tale hickey from prying eyes to save you from the awkwardness that will follow.

Hickeys, love bites, or love marks, are noticeable bruise-like blemishes caused by kissing or sucking on the skin during foreplay. And like normal bruises, they usually take a while to disappear on their own.

How long do hickeys last anyway?

If left to fade on their own, hickeys usually stick around for a few days to a couple of weeks before disappearing entirely. It depends on how “aggressive” the person who gave the hickey was.

Dark-colored hickeys usually fade last, while the reddish light ones fade in a few days.

How to hide a hickey with clothing

Hickeys in commonly exposed areas such as the neck can be annoying. The quickest remedy is hanging in your closet. Items like turtlenecks and scarves can keep it hidden.

#1 Avoid wearing revealing clothing for the meantime. Remember that clothing items with the least amount of fabric in it will be ineffective in hiding a hickey. Adapt your outfit of the day when you have a hickey to hide.

#2 Wear clothes with a high collar. Shirts with starched collars are not only sharp-looking, but will also help shield a hickey carelessly left on your neck.

#3 Hickey-proof turtlenecks. They are way more effective than collared shirts which have an exposed front. Turtlenecks cover up the whole circumference of your neck making them a great option to cover up hickeys placed anywhere on the neck.

#4 Scarves. Want to cover up a hickey, but you still want to wear that comfortable v-neck shirt? If that is the case then a scarf will be your best friend. Wear it in moments you need to hide the hickey and just simply take it off your neck if you're safe and alone.

#5 Hooded jackets or sweaters. Hooded clothing items are also an effective method in hiding hickeys since they cover most of the head when worn. It may appear a bit weird wearing it indoors though, but you can simply make the excuse that you're feeling cold.

#6 Wear your hair down if you have long hair. If you have long hair, use it to cover up a hickey by wearing it down. Long hair easily hides hickeys placed on the sides and nape of the neck. It doesn't draw attention like extra articles of clothing like scarves.

#7 Hide it with a plastic bandage. If you want to know how to hide a hickey, but you're not into wearing additional clothing just to hide one, there's another solution for your love bite problem: get a piece of plastic bandage from your medicine cupboard, stick it over a hickey, and tell those nosy people that you accidentally got a scrape or cut on that part. Problem solved.

How to hide a hickey with makeup

Makeup is another effective method to hide a hickey. It requires some materials and the skills in applying them. This can be pretty convenient for ladies who usually have the supply and know-how in using makeup. As for guys, you might have to solicit the skills and the makeup kit of your partner or another lady friend. Nevertheless, here are a few tips to use makeup for that hickey.

#8 Use a concealer. Concealers are specifically designed to hide blemishes and discolorations to make an even skin tone. Choose one that matches your skin tone and apply a small amount over the hickey. You may need to reapply it after a while so you may want to bring an extra batch for the next application or apply a setting powder or spray to make it last longer.

#9 Foundation. Foundation works in a similar way to concealer by evening out your skin color. Apply a layer over the hickey with a brush or makeup sponge and watch your hickey get concealed in no time.

#10 Color correcting makeup. If you want to be technical about the makeup option, you may color-correct the skin blemish by a combination of different-colored makeups that will balance the natural color of the skin.

First, determine the color of the hickey. Hickeys usually range from pale red to dark purple like a normal bruise. After that, you need to choose a makeup color that complements the color of the blemish.

For dark-colored hickeys, you may choose to apply yellow tones to neutralize the skin discoloration. Apply a layer over the area until the hickey pales down to your original skin tone. As a final touch, you may apply foundation or setting powder to further balance out the remaining discoloration.

How to hide a hickey by healing it ASAP

#11 Apply a cold compress. A hickey is essentially a bruise, and we know that the first aid to bruises is a cold compress. Applying an ice or cold gel pack over the hickey will reduce the swelling and help bring your original skin color faster.

#12 Use a cold spoon. You know those knife-like tools that corner men use to treat boxers' injuries during a fight? A cold spoon works the same way by serving as an instant cold compress for your hickey. Leave a simple kitchen spoon inside the freezer for a few minutes and then apply the curved end over the hickey to allow the cold temperature to dissipate the swelling.

#13 Apply a warm compress. You might be surprised how a warm compress will help hide a hickey when you've just read that a cold compress would do the same. It turns out that a warm compress works by speeding up circulation on the area of the hickey.

Faster circulation means that blood vessels in the area will dilate and flush out the blood clots causing the discoloration. An ice bag filled with hot water over the area for a few minutes is sufficient to help remove the hickey on your skin.

#14 The toothbrush method. For this tip, get a new toothbrush and gently brush the area of the hickey in a circular motion a few times. Let it rest and apply a cold compress before repeating the process. Brushing the area stimulates blood flow which will remove the small blood clots causing the discoloration. Be careful though, aggressive brushing will irritate your skin and make the hickey worse.

#15 Massage the area. Just like the toothbrush and warm compress method, a light massage over the area will help dissipate the blood clots under the skin which will accelerate the removal of the hickey.

First, apply a little petroleum jelly, Aloe Vera gel, or massage oil over the area and massage it lightly with your fingers using a circular motion. Start from the middle working your way outwards and apply a little pressure every now and then.

When you don't want your desk mate to know your naughty activities from the night before, learn how to hide a hickey using these tips that'll work like a charm.