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3 Simple Ways to Fake a Hickey Download Article How to use a bottle, makeup, or paint to create a convincing hickey Co-authored by Aimee Payne, MFA
Last Updated: December 27, 2025 Fact Checked
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Using Eye Shadow
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Using Paint
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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Aimee Payne, MFA. Aimee Payne is a writer and editor living in Jacksonville, Florida. For more than 10 years, she has created informative and engaging marketing content for the insurance, collectibles, and apparel industries. She has a BA from Otterbein University where she studied English Literature and Music, and an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,452,553 times. Learn more...
Do you envy the attention people get at school when they have a hickey on their neck? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Hickeys are created when intense suction or biting breaks blood vessels underneath the skin… usually caused by an intense make-out session. Most of the time, people want to get rid of a hickey, but if you’re trying to get a hickey, there are a few ways to actually create a bruise with a bottle or fake a hickey with makeup or paint. And we’re going to tell you how!
How to Fake a Hickey: Quick Steps
Position the mouth of a 2-liter plastic bottle on your skin where you want your fake hickey to be. Then, squeeze the bottle to create suction. Keep squeezing for about 15 seconds to create a fake hickey on your skin.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Faking a Hickey With a Bottle
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1 Place the mouth of a 2-liter bottle where you want the hickey to be and squeeze the bottle. Keep the bottle’s mouth flush with your skin to create suction.[1]XResearch source The more you squeeze the bottle, the more suction there will be. More suction creates a faster-forming and more intense-looking hickey. Hold it in place for approximately 15 seconds. After 15 seconds, pull the bottle to remove it from your skin.
Most hickeys tend to be around the neck area, but hickeys also appear on the chest and other parts of the body.
If you place the hickey on your neck, put it on the sides of the neck to make it more believable.
Avoid the area underneath your chin and directly in the middle of your neck to prevent injuring your esophagus.
As you make your hickey, it helps to stand in front of a mirror so you can see what you’re doing.
2 Consider widening the hickey by creating a second one next to the first. Since the mouth of the bottle is a perfect circle, consider moving the bottle over a centimeter or two, and making another hickey. This second hickey doesn’t need to be as intense as the first one. Try squeezing the bottle less or holding it on your skin for a shorter amount of time.
Since human mouths have more of an oval shape, widening the hickey makes it look more realistic.
This method is generally safe, but a hickey is a type of bruise. Too much suction can cause damage to your skin.
Bruises take from 3 days to 2 weeks to heal. Hickeys are usually a more superficial bruise, so they take less time to fade than a deeper bruise.[2]X Trustworthy Source Cleveland ClinicEducational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Faking a Hickey With Eye Shadow
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1 Use a large eye shadow palette that has dark pinks, purples, and blues. If you have a darker skin tone, use more pigmented eye shadow formulations that pop against your skin.[3]XResearch source Or apply them more heavily to make the hickey mark show up better.
2 Apply the pink eye shadow with a small eye shadow brush. Gently tap your eye shadow brush once or twice into the pink eye shadow. Stand in front of a mirror and sweep the brush over your skin in small, ½ - 1 inch-sized ovals.[4]XResearch source
Build up the color for the hickey slowly and gradually, working in layers.
3 Place the purple eye shadow at the center of the pink shadow. Tap a corner of your makeup brush once in the purple eye shadow. Dab the shadow onto the middle of the fake hickey. Use the brush to make small ovals and lightly blend the purple shadow into the pink to create your hickey.[5]XResearch source
When in doubt, use less of the darker eye shadow colors. You can also add more, but it’s harder to take off the color once it’s added.
Another option is to use a darker pink option that gives the look of a “fresh” hickey.[6]XResearch source
4 Add the blue eye shadow to the very center of the hickey. Again, tap a small corner of your makeup brush into the blue eye shadow. Dab the brush into the center of the hickey. Move the brush in small ovals to blend the blue shadow out toward the edges of the hickey.[7]XResearch source
Only add a tiny bit of blue to the middle of the fake hickey.
Consider tapping the brush on the side of your finger or the edge of a surface to knock off any excess blue shadow.
If you use 2 shades of pink to make a “fresh” hickey, use a dark red or purple for the center instead of blue.
5 Set the eye shadow with hairspray or makeup setting spray. Spray a thin layer of hairspray or matte makeup setting spray to make the hickey last longer and avoid coming off on your clothes. This fake hickey will last until you wash it off.
If you don’t have hairspray or a setting spray, set the hickey with translucent setting powder.
Setting powder can also help you tone down the color if your hickey turned out too bright or dark.
Advertisement Method 3 Method 3 of 3:
Faking a Hickey With Alcohol-Activated Paint
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1 Add a small amount of alcohol onto a paint plate. Open a bottle of 99% isopropyl alcohol and apply a cotton ball to the open top. Tip the bottle upside down for one second, then flip it back, right-side up. Squeeze the soaked cotton ball over the middle of a paint plate to create a small puddle of alcohol.
This small pool of alcohol will be what you dip your makeup applicator sponges in to moisten them and activate the paint.
Create your hickey on any part of your body, but they’re usually found on the neck and chest areas.
2 Tap a makeup applicator sponge into the alcohol. Tap the stippled edge of the applicator sponge in the alcohol. Then, squeeze the stippled edge of the sponge to distribute the alcohol. Dab the stippled edge of the sponge on a paper towel to absorb any excess alcohol.
Alcohol activated paint is commonly used for film and theatre because it’s sweat-resistant and lasts a long time.[8]XResearch source
Grease paints are another option, but they have a tendency not to last as long and melt a bit, due to body heat.
3 Tap the moistened sponge into red alcohol-activated paint and apply it to your skin. Lightly dab or stipple a corner of the sponge on your skin to create a small oval approximately ½ inch long (1.25 cm) and ¼ inch (0.6 cm) wide.[9]XResearch source Stippling makes the hickey look natural and more realistic.
Stand in front of a mirror so you’re able to see the area where you want the hickey clearly.
4 Apply blue alcohol-activated paint to make a purplish bruise. With the same sponge applicator, dab the sponge into the dark blue color. The red from the previous application mixed with the blue will create a very bruise-like purple color. Or use a darker red with the blue to create a stronger purple color.[10]XResearch source
Dab the sponge into the center of the hickey very lightly to give the appearance of broken blood vessels.
To help blend the colors together, tap the sponge into the alcohol, tap a paper towel to remove excess alcohol, and dab the hickey, allowing the colors to blend into each other.
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Warnings
Remember that giving yourself a hickey means giving yourself a bruise. Be careful that you don’t hold the pressurized bottle on your skin for too long, or you could give yourself an unsightly and possibly painful bruise. Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 0
Do not use a curling iron to burn your skin to look like a hickey. Burns don’t look the same as bruises, and you might seriously damage your skin. Thanks Helpful 11 Not Helpful 2
Using suction to create a hickey works on most people. However, some may have more sensitive skin and more obvious results than others. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 2
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Co-authored by: Aimee Payne, MFA wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Aimee Payne, MFA. Aimee Payne is a writer and editor living in Jacksonville, Florida. For more than 10 years, she has created informative and engaging marketing content for the insurance, collectibles, and apparel industries. She has a BA from Otterbein University where she studied English Literature and Music, and an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. This article has been viewed 1,452,553 times. 10 votes - 70% Co-authors: 18Updated: December 27, 2025 Views: 1,452,553 Categories: BruisesArticle SummaryX
If you want to fake a hickey and make it look convincing, use an empty plastic 2-liter bottle. Hold the bottle around the middle with both hands and squeeze it to push air out of the bottle. Keep applying steady pressure as you place the mouth of the bottle against your skin where you want the hickey to go. Then, loosen your hold on the bottle to create suction against your skin. Hold the bottle in place for 15 seconds before pulling it away from your skin. Your fake hickey should last for several days before it starts to fade away (just like a real hickey). If you’d prefer a fake hickey that you can wash off, grab an eyeshadow pallet that includes the colors dark pink, dark purple, and dark blue. Stand in front of a mirror so you can see what you’re doing. Then, use a small makeup brush to apply a light dusting of pink eyeshadow in an oval shape where you want the hickey to go. Brush a layer of purple eyeshadow directly on top of the pink oval to add dimension to the hickey. Blend out the purple edges so your hickey doesn't have any hard lines. Then, brush on a very light layer of blue eyeshadow for added realism. Once you’re happy with the way the hickey looks, mist the area with a thin layer of hair spray or makeup setting spray to lock the makeup in place. When you're ready to remove the hickey, wash off the makeup with warm water and facial cleanser. For more tips, including how to fake a hickey with alcohol activated paint, scroll down!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Scarlett Leslie
Nov 4, 2021
"I made a hickey on my neck with makeup and when I went to school, my ex kept looking at me and getting protective. Also one thing, girls don't let a boy hurt your feelings, you're more than that."..." more
More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Did this article help you?
Yes No Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Aimee Payne, MFA wikiHow Staff Writer 10 votes - 70% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 18Updated: December 27, 2025 Views: 1,452,553
Scarlett Leslie
Nov 4, 2021
"I made a hickey on my neck with makeup and when I went to school, my ex kept looking at me and getting protective. Also one thing, girls don't let a boy hurt your feelings, you're more than that."..." more
Jay Blake
May 13, 2017
"It actually works. I did it just now and it looks like a actual hickey. "
Rere Newman
Oct 2, 2016
"I needed this. I need to fake a hickey for revenge."
Anonymous
Apr 13, 2023
"I gave myself a HUGE hickey to make my ex jealous." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Download Article How to use a bottle, makeup, or paint to create a convincing hickey Co-authored by Aimee Payne, MFA 
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Co-authored by: Aimee Payne, MFA wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Aimee Payne, MFA. Aimee Payne is a writer and editor living in Jacksonville, Florida. For more than 10 years, she has created informative and engaging marketing content for the insurance, collectibles, and apparel industries. She has a BA from Otterbein University where she studied English Literature and Music, and an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. This article has been viewed 1,452,553 times. 10 votes - 70% Co-authors: 18 Updated: December 27, 2025 Views: 1,452,553 Categories: Bruises Article SummaryX
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1 Place the mouth of a 2-liter bottle where you want the hickey to be and squeeze the bottle. Keep the bottle’s mouth flush with your skin to create suction.[1] The more you squeeze the bottle, the more suction there will be. More suction creates a faster-forming and more intense-looking hickey. Hold it in place for approximately 15 seconds. After 15 seconds, pull the bottle to remove it from your skin. 
2 Consider widening the hickey by creating a second one next to the first. Since the mouth of the bottle is a perfect circle, consider moving the bottle over a centimeter or two, and making another hickey. This second hickey doesn’t need to be as intense as the first one. Try squeezing the bottle less or holding it on your skin for a shorter amount of time. 
1 Use a large eye shadow palette that has dark pinks, purples, and blues. If you have a darker skin tone, use more pigmented eye shadow formulations that pop against your skin.[3] Or apply them more heavily to make the hickey mark show up better. 
5 Set the eye shadow with hairspray or makeup setting spray. Spray a thin layer of hairspray or matte makeup setting spray to make the hickey last longer and avoid coming off on your clothes. This fake hickey will last until you wash it off. 
1 Add a small amount of alcohol onto a paint plate. Open a bottle of 99% isopropyl alcohol and apply a cotton ball to the open top. Tip the bottle upside down for one second, then flip it back, right-side up. Squeeze the soaked cotton ball over the middle of a paint plate to create a small puddle of alcohol. 
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