How to Hide a Hickey

Co-authored by Ivy Boyd

Last Updated: November 29, 2024 Fact Checked

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Hickeys, or love bites, can be both a rite of passage and an annoyance. You might have enjoyed getting your hickey at the time, but it's likely you regretted it the next day — or even the next minute. If you're looking for a way to hide your hickey from your friends, colleagues, parents, or anyone who might pass you on the street, you've come to the right place.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Covering Up the Hickey

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1
Hide the hickey with the right shirt. Wearing a shirt or sweater to hide your hickey may be the easiest way to protect your love bite from the world. Whether you're a male or female, here are a few things you can try:
- A turtleneck sweater.
- A turtleneck long-sleeved shirt.
- A jacket or a sweater with a collar that covers your neck. Just make sure you normally wear this type of thing, or your friends will be more likely to notice your hickey because they will be laughing at your popped collar.
- Don't wear a turtleneck in the middle of the summer. That will just draw more attention to your neck. Girls can still try wearing tank tops with a high collar while they're still trendy.
- Wear a top that draws attention away from your neck. Try wearing a shirt that has a funny logo on it, stripes, or an unusual zipper. The busier your top, the less likely people will be to look at your neck.
2
Hide the hickey with the right accessory. The right accessory can also help hide your hickey if your shirt just isn't doing the trick. Here are some accessories to try:
- A scarf is the most common accessory to use to hide your hickey. Just make sure you're wearing it during the right season and that if you're indoors, you don't look weird when you keep your scarf on. And you may want to avoid wearing a scarf if you never wear a scarf.
- If you're really preppy, drape a sweater across your shoulders, but only do it if you've tried this look before.
- If you're desperate, you can stick a bandage over the hickey and make up a story. If you're a guy, you can use a bug bite as an excuse, and if you're a girl, you can say you burned yourself with a curling iron. If you have a cat, you can say he scratched you. But remember that making up a story is more likely to draw attention to you.
- If you're a girl or a long-haired man, then obviously covering your hickey with your hair is the way to go. Just make sure you check to see that your hair is in place.
- Avoid wearing jewelry that draws attention to your neck. Ladies, instead of wearing a necklace or earrings, wear cool rings or bracelets. Men, put away your dog tags or chains, and wear a watch instead.
- Wondering how to make a hickey go away quickly? Check out what users have to say on wikiHow's “How can I make a hickey go away fast?” forum.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Hiding the Hickey with Make-up

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1
Gather materials. Whether you're a girl with a lot of makeup, or a guy who has to ask a girl for help or to do the walk of shame to the drugstore, it's important to have all of the right materials before you start covering your hickey up with makeup. Here's what you need to get the job done:
- Yellow corrector. Don't have yellow corrector? You can purchase it here.
- Green corrector. You can find green corrector here.
- Purple corrector. You can find purple corrector here.
- Concealer. You can find good concealer options here.
- A make-up brush. You can find makeup brushes here.
- Foundation (optional). If you'd like to purchase foundation, you can find it here.
2
Apply yellow corrector to the inside of the hickey. The trick is to apply the color opposite on the color wheel to balance out and neutralize the color of the hickey. The inside of your hickey will be purple while the outside will be more red, so you'll need to use yellow to color the inside of the hickey.^{[1]
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Research source}
- Apply the yellow corrector gently to the inside of the hickey, using a thin brush.
^{[2]
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Expert Source

Ivy Boyd
Makeup Artist

Expert Interview. 4 August 2021} Clean your brush and use it to apply the green corrector to the remaining red part of the hickey.
4
Apply concealer over the hickey. Find a concealer that matches your skin tone and apply it over the hickey with your make-up brush.^{[3]
X
Expert Source

Ivy Boyd
Makeup Artist

Expert Interview. 4 August 2021} If you're not sure about which shade is best, first try using it on the other side of your neck to see if it blends in.
- Once you've applied it with the brush, you can dab it with your fingers to set it into your skin.
- Bring the make-up with you wherever you go so you can reapply it in case it smudges during the day.
- To ensure that the makeup lasts as long as possible, apply a translucent powder on top of the concealer to lock it in place (if it looks too powdery, spray some setting spray on top).^{[4]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Ivy Boyd
  Makeup Artist
  
  Expert Interview. 4 August 2021}
5
Apply foundation. If you want extra coverage for your hickey, you can apply a layer of foundation to keep the hickey hidden.
- Apply the foundation with a foundation brush and use a sponge to blend it in further.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Hiding the Hickey with a Toothbrush

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1
Brush the hickey and surrounding area with a stiff-bristled toothbrush. Do this gently and lightly to increase the circulation around the area. If you press too hard, you could make the hickey worse.
- Use a brand-new toothbrush.
The redness and swelling will spread, but it will tone down if you wait.
Leave it there for another 15-20 minutes.
If you see that your hickey is less noticeable, try the method again. If you see that you've made it worse by brushing too hard, then keep icing it and wait for it to go away.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Hiding the Hickey with Ice

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1
Apply ice to the area. Applying ice or cold to your hickey in any form will help reduce the swelling. Here are some things to try:
- A cold compress.
- Ice in a zip-lock bag.
- A cloth dipped in icy water.
- A cold spoon. Moisten a spoon with water and put it in the fridge for five minutes.
- In a pinch, grab a frozen item out of your freezer and hold it against your hickey.
2
Apply the ice to your hickey for twenty minutes. Leave it on for a while, then take a break, and apply the ice again. If you're feeling too much pain, put the ice away for a while.
- Do not apply ice directly to the hickey. Make sure it is covered by a cloth, paper towel, or zip-lock bag.
- If you're using a spoon, you should place it in the freezer every five minutes to keep it cool, or keep a few cold spoons in the freezer to speed up the process.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Hiding the Hickey with a Massage

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1
Apply heat to the hickey. Apply a warm towel or heating pad to your hickey.^{[5]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

Go to source} Leave it there until the area is warm. Just be careful not to burn yourself. If you're heating up a pad in the microwave, make sure you follow direction and give it time to cool down.
- Apply heat until your neck is warm enough
- Do not apply heat to your hickey right away. You should only do this after 48 hours of getting your hickey. If you just got your hickey, apply ice and begin massaging the area.
2
Massage the area from the inside out. Once your neck is warm enough, use your fingers to rub the hickey in a circle, from the inside of the hickey outwards.
- This will help break up the blood clots and will improve circulation in the area.
3
Apply pressure to the center of the hickey. Drag your fingers from the center to the outer edges of the hickey.
- Remember to be gentle. If you apply too much pressure, you can make it worse.
Take a break and try the massage again a few hours later.

Join the Discussion...

How can I make a hickey go away fast?

65

WikiGiraffeWalker458

Okay you guys my bf gave me a hickey and I need to get rid of it asap so my parents don't find out so what's the best thing to do?... Read More

2

WikiGladeJumper104

Dip a washcloth in hot water to create a warm compress (but make sure it's not so hot that it will burn you), then press it to your hickey. Hold... Read More

1

WikiMistLeaper458

Try putting vitamin K or C cream or Arnica on it which can speed up healing for a bruise (which is what a hickey is).... Read More

See all 7 Replies and

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Expert Q&A

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Question

What color cancels out hickeys?

Ivy Boyd
Makeup Artist
Ivy Boyd is a Makeup Artist and the Creator of the beauty blog, Ivy Boyd Makeup. With nearly a decade of makeup experience, Ivy specializes in makeup services for weddings, special events, and editorial photoshoots. She holds a BA in Graphic Design from The University of Northern Iowa. Ivy was a finalist in the Allure Beauty Blogger Awards and has been featured in numerous media publications such as People Magazine and Brides Magazine.

Ivy Boyd

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

Cover up a red or purple hickey with a green or yellow color-correcting cream. If the hickey looks yellow, green, or blue, cover it up with a peachy color-corrector instead.

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Question

How do you cover hickeys fast?

Ivy Boyd
Makeup Artist
Ivy Boyd is a Makeup Artist and the Creator of the beauty blog, Ivy Boyd Makeup. With nearly a decade of makeup experience, Ivy specializes in makeup services for weddings, special events, and editorial photoshoots. She holds a BA in Graphic Design from The University of Northern Iowa. Ivy was a finalist in the Allure Beauty Blogger Awards and has been featured in numerous media publications such as People Magazine and Brides Magazine.

Ivy Boyd

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

Cover the hickey with color-correcting cream first. Then, top off the blemish with a concealer that matches or is 1 shade later than your skin tone. Set the skin with powder as a finishing touch.

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Question

I accidentally gave myself a hickey. Can I just cover it up with a Band-Aid?

Community Answer

Yes, or one of the methods above. It will eventually go away on its own.

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Tips

No matter what method you're using, applying ice to the area as soon as you notice your hickey will reduce swelling.^{[6]
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Research source}

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Don't wear something you would never normally wear to hide your hickey. This will only draw more attention to your love bite.

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IF you use makeup, be sure to add a layer of setting powder so it doesn’t rub off on something.

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Helpful 17 Not Helpful 8

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

You can always try to be honest. Going through all of this trouble to hide your hickey can be very stressful. Just tell people the truth, even if you're ashamed. So what if your friends laugh at you? A love bite is something to wear with pride, even if you're a little embarrassed!
Always, always, always be ready for a hickey even if it doesn't happen. Bring a little bag or something with makeup, bandages, or other supplies to help you hide the hickey, as suggested in the article, in case you get one.
Avoid having a visible hickey in the first place by making sure you get it on an easily hidden part of your body, like your collarbone or somewhere else. This will make it harder for people to notice it.
Thick chokers also work well for hiding hickeys. You could also wear a few thin chokers if you don't have a thick enough one.
If the hickey ends up looking shiny put matte pressed powder on it. It reduces shine and makes it look less like makeup.

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Warnings

Don't apply heat to the hickey until 48 hours have gone by.

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Don't apply ice directly to the hickey.

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