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Bruises in visible places like the face, arms, and legs can reduce confidence in your appearance. Bruises can also be a nuisance if you are being filmed, photographed, or watched as part of your job. You can cover up bruises on your face and body by using makeup, or try covering up with some different accessories or articles of clothing.
If you're being hurt by someone close to you, please seek help to stop the abuse.[1] You're not alone, and you deserve to be healthy, safe, and happy.
Things You Should Know
- Use a layer of thick or full-coverage foundation to hide a bruise on your body. If any color shows through, dab a little concealer over it.
- Cover a facial bruise with a thin layer of concealer that's one shade lighter than your skin tone. Follow with foundation and a dusting of setting powder.
- Wear bold eye makeup or bright lipstick to draw attention away from a facial bruise.
Steps
Skip the lotion. When you apply lotion before applying foundation to your body, the foundation may not stay put as well. Therefore, it is best to skip the lotion or to at least avoid applying lotion to the area that is bruised.- If your skin is very dry, then apply a light layer of a lightweight lotion before using the foundation.
Apply a heavy foundation that matches your skin tone. You can purchase a foundation that is meant to be applied on your body, or just buy a full coverage foundation. Apply about a dime sized amount on the bruised area and blend it well with your fingertips.[2]- Theater makeup also works well for covering body bruises.
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Use concealer for darker bruises. If you have an extra dark bruise that still peeks through the foundation, then you may need to spot treat it with some concealer. Gently dab the concealer onto the bruised area with your fingertips or using a makeup sponge.- Opt for a skin tone colored concealer in a shade that is slightly lighter than your natural skin tone.
Try a little lipstick mixed with concealer. Mixing your concealer with a bit of orangish red lipstick may also help to hide the bruise. Mix a small amount of orangish red lipstick in with your concealer to create a peachy or pink tone. Then, apply the makeup mixture to your bruise.- After you apply the pink makeup mixture to your bruise, blend it well and then cover it with a layer or two of skin toned concealer.
Use concealer first. To ensure good coverage of a bruise, start by applying a layer of concealer. Choose a concealer that is lighter than your natural skin tone and dab enough concealer onto the bruise to cover it entirely. Pat the concealer onto the bruise using a fingertip or makeup sponge. Then, blend it in well using your fingertips or the sponge.[3]- You can also look for a concealer that has a yellow base to help offset the bluish color of the bruise.
- If your bruise has other color tones, then a different type of concealer may work better. For example, you can use a green based concealer for red bruises, white based concealer for brown bruises, and lavender based for yellow bruises.
Apply a layer of foundation. After you have covered the bruise with a layer of concealer, follow it up with a layer of foundation. This will help to even out the tone and provide more coverage. Use your fingertips or a makeup sponge to pat on the foundation and blend it in.[4]- Apply the foundation over your whole face for best results. Do not just apply it to one cheek or one side of your face or there will be a noticeable difference in the color.
Dust on some translucent powder. To provide another layer of coverage, use a fluffy brush to dust translucent powder over the concealer and foundation.[5] This will also help to keep the makeup in place.- Apply the powder over your whole face as well. This will help to ensure that you have a uniform look.
- You may need to reapply the powder throughout the day. Try taking the powder compact with you and check the makeup once every few hours.
Use clothing and accessories to cover up the bruise. Physically covering the bruise with clothing may also help. Consider the location of the bruise and check your wardrobe to see what clothing and accessories you have that might help you to cover it up.- If the bruise is on your arm or leg, then wearing a long sleeved shirt or pants is an easy way to cover it up. However, this is not always possible, especially in hot weather.
- If the bruise is near your hairline or on your forehead, then wearing a scarf, headband, or hat may provide coverage.
- If the bruise is on your eye or near the bridge of your nose, then wearing a pair of sunglasses or your prescription glasses may help.
Wear a strong eye or lip look. Creating a strong eye look or wearing some bold lipstick may help to distract people's attention away from the bruised area. Keep in mind that this will not cover the bruise, but it may help to draw people's attention away from it.- For example, you could apply some black eye liner with a couple of layers of mascara to create a dramatic eye look, or opt for a bright red lipstick to draw attention to your lips instead.
Put on an interesting accessory. If you have some really long dangly earrings or a statement necklace, then this might be the day to wear them. Putting on some interesting accessories will not cover the bruise, but it can help to pull the focus away from it.- For example, if you have some large hoop earrings or a necklace with a large pendant, then these might help to distract away from the bruise.
Expert Q&A
- QuestionHow can I make my bruise heal faster?
Alicia D'AngeloAlicia D'Angelo is a makeup artist based in New York City. She currently works for teams with Dior Makeup, YSL Beauty and Pat McGrath Labs as well as bridal companies Once Upon A Bride and Miss Harlequinn. Her work has been featured in Today.com, New York Live, Forbes.com, VH1, MTV, Vevo, Entertainment Weekly, Refinery 29, and NYXCosmetics.com. She has a Visual Communications degree from FIDM-Los Angeles.
Makeup Artist & Hair StylistYou can speed up the healing time of your bruise by taking vitamin C and K supplements and drinking plenty of water.
Tips
Warnings
- Don't apply concealer or makeup to open cuts, stitches, or other open wounds.Thanks
- If you are the victim of physical abuse, then it is important to seek help for yourself and get out of the situation.Thanks
Things You'll Need
- Concealer
- Foundation
- Translucent make-up powder
- Red lipstick
- Makeup sponges
- Eyeliner
- Long-sleeved, long-legged clothing
- Accessories
References
About This Article
To cover up a bruise, first apply a heavy layer of foundation that matches your skin tone to the bruise. Then, layer some concealer over the bruise for extra coverage. If the bruise shows through, you'll need to use a color corrector. Use a color corrector in the opposite color of your bruise to cancel the color out. If your bruise is purple, use a yellow color corrector. If your bruise is blue, use an orange color corrector. If your bruise is red, use a green color corrector. Apply the corrector with a makeup brush, then cover the area with a concealer that matches your skin tone. Finally, apply translucent powder to help keep the makeup in place. If you want to learn how to distract others from looking at a bruise, keep reading the article!
Reader Success Stories
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