First make sure your bruise is free of cuts, nicks, and stitches. Then choose a hypoallergenic concealer with a yellow base; the hue offsets blue discoloration. But if your bruise is red, you'll want to use a green concealer. If your bruise is brown, you'll want to use white concealer.
If you are trying to camouflage a red bruise, acne, sunburn, rosacea, pimples or redness of your skin, you should go for a green concealer. A purple shade is good for yellow bruises on your face while a yellow concealer is what you need to cover up spider veins, dark circles and bluish bruises.
Yellow color correcting concealer can be used to cover up any blemish that's purple in tone. Bruises, veins, and under eye circles can be hidden with a yellow spot concealer.
We recommend the Colorescience Corrector Pallete as it covers even the darkest bruises, including all the stages of healing. This product should be used with the Colorescience Hydrating Mist which adds moisture to the camouflaged area and sets the concealer for long-term wear throughout the day.
Green concealer helps to reduce the red and purple tones of a black eye. If the bruising extends to your eyelid and underneath your eyebrow, use the green concealer in these places too.
Bruise colors vary from red, blue, or almost black, depending on the severity of broken capillaries or blood vessels within the bruise site. Broken venules or arterioles often result in a deep blue or dark red bruise, respectively. Darker colored bruises may result from a more severe bleeding from both blood vessels.
Ice Therapy
Put ice on your bruise right after you get injured. That can reduce the size of your bruise, which may allow it to heal faster. The cold temperature from an ice pack makes the blood in that area flow more slowly. It may reduce the amount of blood that leaks out of your vessels.
Put ice or a cold pack on your face for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the first 3 days (when you are awake) or until the swelling goes down. Sleep with your head slightly raised until the swelling goes down.
If the bruise is a purple shade, use a yellow tinted product to first cover the bruise. If the bruise is more red, then use a green product, and if it's healing and has turned yellowish, use a peach toned product to camouflage its appearance.
Orange, red and peach colors can help correct the blue and purple-ish hues that come from under-eye circles, as well as dark spots caused by aging or sun damage. Consider using an orange concealer for a blue bruise, whereas peach is great for covering less-pigmented blue spots.
A peach concealer helps counteract the blue and purple hues found in undereye circles. It can also neutralize dark spots caused by sun damage or facial aging. Peach concealers are best for those with lighter skin tones.
Bruises usually fade away in about 2 weeks. Over that time, the bruise changes color as the body breaks down and reabsorbs the blood. The color of the bruise can give you an idea how old it is: When a bruise first happens, it's kind of red as the blood appears under the skin.
After around 1–2 days, the blood begins to lose oxygen and change color. A bruise that is a few days old will often appear blue, purple, or even black. In about 5–10 days, it turns a yellow or green color.
It's usually red right after the injury. Within a day or two, it turns purplish or black and blue. In 5 to 10 days, it may be green or yellow. In 10 to 14 days, it's yellowy-brown or light brown.
Apply a cold compress for the first 24 to 48 hours after the injury. The quicker you ice, the more you minimize bruising. Avoid massaging the bruise or applying heat because it may make the bruise larger. After 48 hours, a warm compress can be used to help break the bruise apart and to encourage lymphatic drainage.
Arnica cream or arnica gel can be used to decrease swelling, bleeding, bruising and reduce pain.
It is believed that toothpaste helps break up the clot and increase blood flow. People report noticing a difference after just one night, but it may take several applications to make the bruise completely disappear.
Vitamin C supplements have been shown to reduce bruising in people with low vitamin C intake. Doctors often suggest that people who experience easy bruising supplement with 100 mg to 3 grams of vitamin C per day for several months.