It was a wonderful, wild night! Unfortunately, the next morning you look in the mirror only to realize you’re covered with hickeys. You look like a hormonal teenager. Your boss and co-workers don’t need to see this. More importantly, neither do the kids or your friends. Hickeys can be a lot of fun, but they leave a mess that doesn’t make you look good. So what can you do about them?
Luckily, you don’t have to deal with disapproving stares or awkward questions. After all, you’re an adult, and you get to do what you want. The good news is that there’s a whole subset of the beauty industry that’s devoted to covering up imperfections. The bad news is that you could spend weeks just reading product packages if you don’t know what to look for. We’ve got you covered with tips, tricks and a review of the best concealers on the market.
Why Do Hickeys Feel So Good but Look So Bad
When you’re playing rough, you don’t even notice the marks at first. Something about getting into the moment and really enjoying yourself makes it a lot of fun. If you’re wondering why it doesn’t set off all the warning bells in your head, like a stubbed toe or other small injuries usually do, look no further. Your body works in some downright weird ways.
What is a Hickey
A hickey or love bite as they’re sometimes called is a bruise. They come from biting or sucking on the skin. Most people give and receive them on the neck and arms, but you can have them anywhere there’s skin. When you or your partner does this, the skin is traumatized and blood vessels are injured. It’s not usually dangerous. Still, it’s technically possible to seriously hurt someone with a hickey if it’s directly over the carotid artery.
A mark cause by sucking creates the discoloration. Your skin has small blood vessels under all of it. These tiny veins keep your largest organ (the skin or dermis) nourished and healthy. Because they’re so small, they are easier to damage. Suction can burst tiny vessels, hence, a bruise.
The suction like that of a human mouth or even a vacuum cleaner can cause the small blood vessels to burst. When you bleed underneath your skin, it causes that red, pink or purple color.
How Endorphins and Pleasure Centers Work in Your Brain
Endorphins are your pleasure chemicals. When you are enjoying yourself, they can release and conceal any lesser feelings, like pain from getting a hickey. Basically, your body can only process one intense sensation at a time. You can fly right past feeling bad and enjoy yourself when pleasure chemicals have you in their grasp. It’s the same effect that makes some people cigarette addicts or adrenaline junkies. The enjoyment overshadows fear, pain, and other feelings.
Reducing Hickeys
There’s no magic fix for a hickey. You can cover them, and you can treat them to reduce the time you have a visible mark. If you are especially prone to bruising, then it’s probably best if you ask your spouse or lover to lay off the rough play. Regardless, you can try these methods to help reduce a hickey now and in the future.
Topical
- Cold- The old wives tale about a cold spoon has some truth to it. Unfortunately, it becomes less effective the longer you wait. A fresh hickey will bruise less severely if you put the spoon on it right away. Additionally, ice or frozen vegetables will help. Wrap them up in a cloth to keep your skin from freezing and apply the cold to your bruise.
- Heat- When older Hickeys don’t want to heal, a bit of heat will help. You can use a hot washcloth, or even a rice sock to help bring circulation to the area. This will move the old blood away and speed up the healing.
- Stimulation- Use a soft-bristled toothbrush or a loofah sponge to rub the area. Much like heat, stimulation brings fresh blood flow to the damaged area and increases healing. The difference is that light stimulation helps whether the bruising is fresh or not.
- Banana Peel- The inside of a banana peel can help to soothe skin. Any swelling or irritation will respond to being gently rubbed with the peel.
- Aloe- Aloe is a salve for skin. It helps with swelling and healing in addition to the sunburn salve we all know and love.
Internal
- Foods High in Vitamin K- Topical vitamin K rubs have been proven to reduce bruising quickly. There are plenty of products that use it, so you won’t have any trouble getting some to keep around for hickey treatment.
- Arnica- Arnica is one of the many natural ingredients that help reduce swelling and bruising. It’s also helpful for sore muscles.
- Tumeric- This strange yellow root has been used for centuries to help treat swelling and skin troubles. The list of uses for tumeric is astounding, but most importantly, it will help reduce your hickeys.
- Lysene Supplement- Lysene, the same stuff the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park needed to survive, can also help you to bruise less easily. Naturally, it won’t assist you much after you have a hickey, but taking it regularly can help over time.
- Colloidal Silver- This strange tincture helps increase healing time exponentially. You can take it as drops, rub it directly on the surface or both.
- Collagen- Your body needs collagen to heal skin among its many other useful functions. You’ll find powder or pills the easiest way to get extra collagen into your body.
The Best Concealers for Hickeys
Now you’ve tried everything, but there’s still a noticeable mark on your neck. It’s time to pull out all the stops and go for the big guns. Covering a hickey isn’t always as easy as slapping on a scarf, especially in summer. You don’t want to look like the vacuum attacked you in your sleep, but bad concealer is like a spray tan, very noticeable. We’ve searched out five really good concealers to help you keep it under wraps.
1. Dermablend Cover Creme
With a huge selection of colors and some of the most extensive tutorials and information on the market available for customers, Dermablend is impressive. After all, you don’t just get a good reputation for nothing. As a well known and highly successful company that was created by dermatologists, Dermablend had to make the top of the list.
It’s hard to find a really great concealer that doesn’t go on cakey and unpleasant. Dermablend is designed for skin with dark circles, vitiligo and other problems, but also made to wear lightly and be comfortable. Better still, it’s made to cover bruises like hickeys. It doesn’t get much better than that when it comes to concealer.
Pros
- Titanium Dioxide Sunscreen- Having a hickey means your skin is already healing. To avoid further damage, good sunscreen will help. Why worry about two issues when you can conceal one and avoid the other?
- Number 1- Dermablend is the top-rated creme foundation in the US. It’s been dermatologist and lab tested and is non-comedogenic. Additionally, it’s hypoallergenic. Naturally, that means sensitive skin can use this. Moreover, it’s held to very high safety standards.
- Hydrating- Sadly there are plenty of foundations out there that wick moisture from the skin. Dermablend helps moisturize you so your skin will look and feel better underneath.
Cons
- Not Quite Every Skin Tone- If you happen to have the darkest skin than you might find the deep brown shade a bit to light for you. Fortunately darker skin shows hickeys less than the light tones, but it still won’t do you much good if you need to cover up. Sadly with a lighter shade, you might draw attention instead.
- Warm it Up- Unfortunately, lots of people don’t read the directions. You need to warm this up in the back of your hand before applying on account of the waxes in the blend.
- Complicated- Good makeup application takes some skill and patience. While this is certainly not the end of the world, it does mean you need to develop the skill.
Blend away your problems here.
2. Dermacol High Cover
Makeup artists rave about this product and you probably will too. Dermacol is formulated to cover post surgery bruises, acne scars, and even tattoos. It can handle your hickeys. Take your time applying this thick makeup, and build layers only as needed so it looks realistic on your skin.
When you need that camera-ready finish, this is the product for you. The best thing about Dermacol is that it’s easy to remove at the end of the day too. Just use your regular makeup remover and it will scrub right off.
Pros
- Clinically Tested- When you look for concealer, you always want to see that it’s been tested properly. Dermacol lives up to the rigorous standards of the makeup industry. Anyone can put some goo in a bottle with a nice label, but if you want to avoid breakouts and rashes, choose a proven product.
- Hollywood Approved- The patent for this makeup was eventually sold to the US for use in Hollywood films.
- First- This brand of exceptional concealer was the first of its sort in Europe. It was also one of the first ever created, so it has plenty of history to ack up its claims.
Cons
- Buyer Beware- There are a lot of imitators and fakes on the market. Especially when a product is successful, you need to make certain it comes from a trusted source.
- Far Too Popular- You may need to wait for this excellent product to restock before they have your skin tone available.
- Heavy Duty- Dermacol is a thick makeup, so be careful when you apply it. A very small amount will go a long way. Use it sparingly since you can always add more and build.
Get a gorgeous blend here.
3. Sace Lady Pro Full Cover Liquid Concealer
Some women prefer a slightly wet and ‘dewey’ look to their makeup. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, if you want a more matte and naturally blended finish to cover a hickey or other imperfection, you’ll want something more like Sace Lady. The waterproof concealer isn’t glossy regardless of whether you powder or not.
When you need your cover-up to look more like natural skin and less like you’re wearing makeup at all, an option like Sace Lady is perfect. The light matte finish is somewhat unexpected from a liquid foundation. Fortunately, since such a tiny bit goes so far, you’ll have plenty to layer with when you need to cover your hickey.
Pros
- Crease Proof- As you talk, eat, smile an otherwise move your face throughout the day, some makeup can get crease marks. Sace Lady promises crease-free coverage, so you don’t need to worry about your makeup getting wrinkles.
- Wrinkles- The same formula that goes on light and crease proof also doesn’t settle into wrinkles and make them more noticeable as a cheap concealer might.
- Crack is Wack- The worst thing about a lousy concealer is the way it dries out and cracks. Fortunately, with Sace Lady you get crack free hydration all day.
Cons
- Not a Ton- The bottles of Sace Lady are a little smaller than some product, but since the price is fair and the finish is flawless, it’s worth it regardless.
- Oranges- Some of the shades are a little bit orange. Always be careful when selecting your shade to make sure you don’t look spray-tanned unless you are spray-tanned.
- Few Complaints- We don’t have a third ‘con for this one, it’s a great product if used properly.
Scope out your new Sace here.
4. Scobuty Tattoo Concealer
Do you need to cover hickeys and tattoos? Scobuty Tattoo Concealer can do both. Since it’s formulated to cover black ink on skin, you can bet Scobuty will cover a lighter mark like a bruise easily.
To create your own custom concealer, first, open up the two carefully chosen colors. Then use the provided mixing brush and palette to match your skin tone. There are lots of possible combinations so start with a little at a time until you get an exact match. Plus, when you’re finished, removal is easy. Use the included makeup remover. Dampen a cloth and hold the remover over your makeup for a few seconds, then wipe. The whole process only takes a few seconds.
Pros
- Natural- Chemicals and makeup are like toast and eggs, people expect to see them together. Fortunately, you don’t have to have both, and this makeup illustrates that idea beautifully with its natural formula.
- Not Sticky- Sticky makeup is just the worst. It feels gross and doesn’t go on right. Avoid that tacky mess with a reliable non-sticky concealer.
- No ‘Bad Stuff’- A surprising number of makeup brands use alcohol and other ingredients that can damage or irritate your skin. Scobuty doesn’t do that.
Cons
- Blend Your Own Color- This is a feature that can be great or awful depending on how good your eyes are. On one hand, it’s nice to be able to customize, but it can also be too much of a challenge at times.
- Dries Fast- Fast drying concealer can be harder to get right. Try a few test runs before you rely on it.
Hickey help here.
5. Dermablend Quick-Fix
Dermablend is so good it made the list twice. When you’re in a hurry, try the “quick fix” version of the top concealer. All Dermablend is made by dermatologists. As skincare specialists, they know what your skin needs in a concealer.
Application is simple, you don’t need any tools at all. Take the stick and apply the makeup where you need it. Afterward, you can use a finger to blend the concealer into the surrounding area. It’s easy as pie. Add a setting powder and you can get up to 16 hours of continuous wear out of your makeup. Even a double shift at work won’t uncover your hickeys.
Pros
- Quick Version- Regular Dermablend takes a lot more time to apply. The quick fix stick lets you spot-treat fast.
- All the Same Advantages- Just like it’s more complicated sibling, this Dermablend has it all. You get SPF 30 and all day moisture, plus fragrance-free gentle coverage.
- Build Coverage- You can use this full coverage concealer to build up layers when you need them to conceal an unsightly hickey.
Cons
- Not as Solid- The quick fix isn’t as solid a cover as the original formula. Be careful to layer in bright light so you don’t miss any part of your hickey.
- Messy- If you use your fingers to blend, you’ll naturally get makeup on them. Always watch where you put your hands when they have a full coverage concealer on them. It may stain clothing.
- Not Smudge Proof- If you forget to set your concealer, or don’t do it properly, you could have smudging issues.
Fix hickeys fast here.
Honorable Mention- Fewear Cover Sheets
Flaw concealing tape is a great concept. However, this is newer on the market, so it’s a product to watch for the future. We have high hopes for this ultra thin and easy to tailor coverup.
Try something new here.
Final Thoughts
The embarrassment of a purple blotchy neck is relatively minor. Especially when compared to what the social stigma can do to your life. No one wants to be labeled as a player or easy. Sadly, that’s far from the worst thing that could happen to you.
Unfortunately, you can end up losing a job or even have a landlord refuse you housing for the way you look. Sure, it’s not legal but good luck proving you got passed over for your hickeys. There’s nothing wrong with having your fun, but when you need to be sure you’re the only one who knows you had it, a great concealer will help you keep a secret.