How to Cover a Bruise on Your Face

Co-authored by Alicia Ramos

Last Updated: December 9, 2022 References

If you bruise easily, learning to cover up or hide a bruise is crucial information. Having a large bruise on your face can be distracting and even damage your self esteem. Covering up bruises with makeup and clothing, or drawing attention away from them, can make the healing process a breeze without decreasing your confidence.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Covering a Bruise With Makeup

1
Wash your face with a gentle cleanser. Cleanse your face with a cleanser appropriate for your skin type. Using circular motions, gently work the cleanser into your skin, making sure not to skip your hairline, eye area, or neck. Then, rinse your face until it's clean and pat it dry with a clean towel.^{[1]
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- Work the cleanser into your skin for at least 20-30 seconds, making sure to get every crease and corner of your face.^{[2]
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2
Apply a daily moisturizer with 30 SPF. To prevent wrinkling, sunburn, or any other form of sun damage, select a moisturizer for your skin type with an SPF of 30 or more. Be sure to apply sunscreen liberally to your face and neck at least 15-30 minutes before you go outside.^{[3]
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- You can also use two separate products by applying a simple moisturizer and following it with a sunscreen of 30 SPF or greater.
- You should wear sunscreen every day, even when it's not sunny outside.^{[4]
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3
Select and apply a color-correcting primer. Color correction works by canceling out unwanted coloring with colors opposite them on the color wheel. Use a color correcting primer on your bruise before applying any other makeup.^{[5]
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- Since bruises change color as they heal, you'll want a different color primer for each stage of your bruise. Purchase a color correcting palette with a wide variety of colors.
- To figure out which color to use take a quick look at the color wheel. Orange cancels out blue, green cancels out red, purple cancels out yellow, and yellow cancels out purple.^{[6]
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4
Apply a concealer to the bruised area. Use a concealer 1-2 shades lighter than your skin tone. Pat, don't rub, the concealer into your skin. Start with a small amount of concealer, layering it until you get the desired coverage level.^{[7]
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- If you’d like to cut down a step, color correcting concealers are also available.
5
Cover your face with a foundation. Select a foundation that matches your skin tone and shade. Work the foundation into your skin, making sure to blend it into your hairline and along your chin and neck. Start with a small amount of foundation, building its coverage as needed.^{[8]
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- You may also switch this order by starting with a foundation and following with a concealer. This is a personal preference; do whatever works best for you.^{[9]
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6
Set your makeup with a translucent powder. Use a fine dusting of powder along the areas where you’ve applied the most makeup. Use more powder along any areas where you’ve applied concealer, or any areas of your skin where shine and oil is a concern.^{[10]
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- You can also use a tinted powder if you want even more coverage, but for just setting your makeup a simple translucent powder will do the trick.^{[11]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Concealing the Bruise with Hair and Clothing

1
Brush bangs in front of a bruise on your forehead. If you have bangs, style them so that they fall in front of the bruise. Style them to the side if your bruise in on one side of your forehead, or style them straight down if your bruise is in the middle of your forehead.
- Blow dry your bangs while they're wet, brushing them in the direction of the bruise so that they dry in that direction.^{[12]
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  Research source} Finish with a light spritz of hairspray.
2
Wear a hat or headband to hide a bruise on your forehead. A hat is an easy way to hide a bruise on your forehead. Hats that sit lower down on your forehead can completely cover up bruises, while brimmed hats and caps can provide shadow to hide a bruise.
- Pull a beanie or beret low on your head to cover up any bruises on your forehead.
- Wear a wide brimmed hat to hide any bruises higher up on your forehead, or to make it harder to see other bruises.
3
Wear sunglasses or eyeglasses to hide a bruise around your eyes or nose. If you'll be outside a lot, opt for a dark pair of sunglasses. However, if you'll be spending most of your time indoors, or will be outside at night, select a pair of eyeglasses with thick, large frames.
- Your eyeglasses don't necessarily have to be prescription. Pick up a pair of glasses with clear lenses, or even a pair of blue-light canceling glasses. Blue-light canceling lenses will also protect your eyes from harmful blue-lights that are emitted from your computer and phone screens.^{[13]
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4
Wear a scarf to hide a bruise on your chin. Depending on the weather, pick either a thin or thick scarf. Keep your scarf up near your chin either by tying it in a thick knot around your neck, or by wrapping it around your neck multiple times.
- A circle scarf would be a great option, as it loops around your neck multiple times and typically bunches up under your chin.
5
Wear a bright color. Pull attention away from your face by wearing an attention-grabbing color. Choose either a bright pair of pants or a shirt, or go for an entire outfit made of bright colors.
- Use the color wheel to your advantage. Wear a color opposite to that of your bruise, to tone down the bruise's vividness. For example, if your bruise is purple wear a yellow shirt.^{[14]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Pulling the Eye Away From Your Bruise

1
Apply interesting makeup. Rather than covering up the bruise with makeup, try using a bold lip or eye. This technique isn't meant to hide the bruise, but instead direct attention away from it.
- Wear a red or hot pink lipstick, or experiment with other colors like black or blue. This will draw attention to your lips instead of your bruise.
- Do a smoky eye, or a winged liner to draw attention to your eyes. Put on fake eyelashes for an even better effect.
2
Use big, bold accessories. Using a piece of statement jewelry or loud accessories can be an easy way to distract attention away from a bruise. This won't hide any bruising, but will provide something else for people to focus on.
- Wear large earrings or a statement necklace that grabs people's attention.
- Put on a large belt with an interesting buckle to draw attention away from your face.
3
Put on cute shoes. Have you ever heard someone tell you to use clothes to highlight what body parts make you feel confident? Doing this can draw attention to preferred areas while also working to distract from other areas. To really distract attention away from your face, draw attention to your feet by wearing interesting shoes.
- Wear a pair of bright colored shoes, a high heel, or even just shoes you get a lot of compliments on.

Expert Q&A

Question

When should you get a bruise checked out?

Alicia Ramos
Skincare Professional
Alicia Ramos is a licensed aesthetician and the owner of Smoothe Denver in Denver, Colorado. She received her license at the School of Botanical & Medical Aesthetics, with training in lashes, dermaplaning, waxing, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels, and now provides skin care solutions to hundreds of clients.

Alicia Ramos

Skincare Professional

Expert Answer

Always check with a doctor (if available) to make sure your bruise isn't more than it appears to be.