Some people consider prominent collarbones to be a beautiful feature of the human body. If you don’t have prominent collarbones and would like to, you can try different strategies to achieve your goal. Following a healthy diet and exercising are necessary to make collarbones more prominent, but you can also try applying makeup to your collarbones to help make them stand out more. Keep in mind that body type plays a role in how prominent your collarbones may become, so achieving prominent collarbones might not be possible for everyone.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Accenting Collarbones with Makeup

  1. 1
    Moisturize your chest, neck, and shoulders before applying makeup. Use your hands to apply a generous amount of a thick moisturizer to your chest and neck. It's best to do this early in the day, such as after washing your face in the morning. This will help to create a luminous glow on your chest and neck. Smooth the lotion all over and rub it in until it is fully absorbed.[1]

    Tip: Try applying the lotion right after a shower or bath to help more of it absorb into your skin.

  2. 2
    Apply a primer or foundation to even out the tone of your chest. If your chest looks darker in some spots than others, such as from an uneven suntan, you may want to even out the tone with a foundation or primer. Use a makeup brush or sponge to apply an even layer of the foundation to your chest and neck. Then, blend the makeup with the brush or sponge until it looks uniform all over your chest and neck.[2]
    • Make sure to choose a foundation or primer that matches your skin tone as closely as possible.
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  3. 3
    Sweep bronzer under your collarbones and in the grooves behind them. Use a large, fluffy foundation brush to sweep bronzer under each of your collarbones. Don’t sweep the bronzer all the way across your chest. Sweep it under each of your collarbones separately. Then, use the brush to sweep bronzer into the grooves behind each of your collarbones. This will make them look deeper and accentuate your collarbones.[3]
    • You might need to blend the bronzer in around the edges of where you applied it to get a more natural look. Wipe off your makeup brush and sweep it back and forth across the bronzer to blend it in with the surrounding areas.
  4. 4
    Dab highlighter on the topmost parts of your collarbones. To finish your accented collarbone look, take a highlighter stick or powder and apply a dab on the top most parts of each of your collarbones. Use your fingers or a makeup brush to apply it. This will help the collarbones catch the light and look even more prominent.[4]
    • Choose a highlighter that is 2 to 3 shades lighter than your skin tone.
    EXPERT TIP
    Natalie Tincher

    Natalie Tincher

    Style Strategist & Wardrobe Specialist
    Natalie Tincher is the Owner and Principal Style Strategist of BU Style. With more than 10 years of experience, Natalie specializes in personal styling to reflect clients’ individuality, confidence, and comfort. In 2019, she was named the Global Head of Styling for Bloomberg Television. Natalie is certified in Image Consulting through the Fashion Institute of Technology. She regularly shares her expertise with corporate groups at major financial institutions, media companies, and news outlets including: Time Out New York, Refinery 29, and NBC News.
    Natalie Tincher
    Natalie Tincher
    Style Strategist & Wardrobe Specialist

    To accentuate your collarbones further, wear a top with a boat neck, scoop neck, or V-neck.

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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Exercising to Lose Weight and Gain Definition

  1. 1
    Do cardiovascular exercise regularly to burn calories. Burning more calories every day will help to boost your weight loss efforts from dieting, so this may also help to make your collarbones more visible over time. Try to do a total of at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 5 days per week. Some good options include:[5]
    • Running
    • Brisk walking
    • Swimming
    • Skipping rope
    • Cycling
  2. 2
    Incorporate strength training to target your arms and shoulders. Having more muscle will help your shoulders and collarbones look more defined. It will also boost your weight loss efforts by increasing your resting metabolic rate. Some easy strength training exercises you might try include:[6]
    • Pushups
    • Shoulder shrugs
    • Dumbbell overhead presses
    • Shoulder rolls

    Tip: Stretching may also help to promote longer, leaner looking muscles in your chest and arms. It’s also important to stretch after a workout to prevent stiffness and promote flexibility. Take 5 minutes to do a few gentle stretches after you strength-train your upper body.

  3. 3
    Add high-intensity interval training to boost your weight loss results. High-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, burns a ton of calories, so it’s a great addition to your workout regimen. Try to incorporate 1 to 2 HIIT workouts per week along with your other cardio sessions. This will help to increase the amount of calories you burn when you exercise and boost your weight loss results.[7]
    • To do a simple HIIT workout, alternate between running for 3 minutes and walking for 3 minutes. Repeat this interval 4 to 5 times for a great calorie-torching workout.
    • Make sure to warm up with 5 minutes of walking first and then cool down with 5 minutes of walking and some stretching after your workout.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Adjusting Your Diet for Weight Loss

  1. 1
    Set a realistic weight loss goal for yourself if you are overweight. To make your collarbones look more prominent, you might need to lose weight all over. You might have a long-term weight loss goal in mind, but setting a smaller, short-term goal might make it easier to stick with your program. Identify how much weight you’d like to lose and a specific time frame for your goal.[8]
    • For example, your ultimate goal might be to lose 50 lb (23 kg), but setting a goal of losing 5 lb (2.3 kg) over the course of 1 month is more realistic.
    • Make sure to check with your doctor before you begin a weight loss program. They can advise you on what might be a healthy target weight for you.
  2. 2
    Maintain a healthy diet that includes whole foods. The most important change you can make to start losing weight is to eat healthier foods and consume fewer calories overall. Select a diet plan that works for you and that you will stick with. Avoid crash diets or fad diets that promise quick weight loss since these usually are not sustainable long-term.[9]
    • Try eating more fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins to start. This change alone will help you to cut calories since these foods are filling and nutrient dense.
    • Track your calories using an app on your phone, such as MyFitnessPal. This will help you to see where your calories are coming from and identify ways that you can cut back.
    • Aim for a deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories per day to achieve a 1–2 lb (0.45–0.91 kg) per week weight loss.
  3. 3
    Cut back on processed food, junk food, and fast food. These foods are high in calories and fat and they don’t provide quality nutrition, so it’s best to avoid them while you’re working on losing weight. Unhealthy foods are also less filling than healthy foods. Remove unhealthy foods from your pantry and fridge, and replace them with healthy foods instead.[10]
    • If you often get fast food when you are out for the day, such as at work or school, start packing yourself a healthy lunch and snacks. Bring these along with you so you won’t be tempted to buy and eat something unhealthy while you’re out.
  4. 4
    Drink water to stay hydrated and avoid empty calories. Water has zero calories and your body needs a lot of it to function properly. It’s also a great weight loss aid. Drinking water throughout the day every day will also help you to feel fuller and avoid giving in to temptations. Steer clear of sugary drinks, such as cola, sweet tea, and juice since these will add calories with little to no nutritional value.[11]
    • There’s no right amount of water to drink. Drink water whenever you feel thirsty.
    • Try flavoring your water with a lemon wedge, a few fresh berries, or a cucumber slice if you find plain water boring.

    Tip: As an added bonus, water helps to make your skin look more luminous, which may help to make your collarbones stand out even more.

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Expert Q&A

  • Question
    How do I make my collar bones stick out?
    Natalie Tincher
    Natalie Tincher
    Style Strategist & Wardrobe Specialist
    Natalie Tincher is the Owner and Principal Style Strategist of BU Style. With more than 10 years of experience, Natalie specializes in personal styling to reflect clients’ individuality, confidence, and comfort. In 2019, she was named the Global Head of Styling for Bloomberg Television. Natalie is certified in Image Consulting through the Fashion Institute of Technology. She regularly shares her expertise with corporate groups at major financial institutions, media companies, and news outlets including: Time Out New York, Refinery 29, and NBC News.
    Natalie Tincher
    Style Strategist & Wardrobe Specialist
    Expert Answer
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Warnings

  • Go slow when you begin an exercise program and use proper form to help prevent injuries.
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About This Article

Natalie Tincher
Co-authored by:
Style Strategist & Wardrobe Specialist
This article was co-authored by Natalie Tincher. Natalie Tincher is the Owner and Principal Style Strategist of BU Style. With more than 10 years of experience, Natalie specializes in personal styling to reflect clients’ individuality, confidence, and comfort. In 2019, she was named the Global Head of Styling for Bloomberg Television. Natalie is certified in Image Consulting through the Fashion Institute of Technology. She regularly shares her expertise with corporate groups at major financial institutions, media companies, and news outlets including: Time Out New York, Refinery 29, and NBC News. This article has been viewed 973,767 times.
32 votes - 82%
Co-authors: 20
Updated: November 18, 2022
Views: 973,767
Article SummaryX

You can have more prominent collarbones by exercising regularly and eating a healthy, balanced diet. Try to get at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise in every day, like running, cycling, or swimming. You should also do strength-training exercises to tone your upper body, like push-ups and pull-ups. Combine this with a healthy, balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grains. Over time, your shoulders and chest will get leaner, and your collarbones will be more noticeable. In the meantime, you can make your collarbones look bigger with makeup. First, apply foundation to your shoulders and chest. Then, apply bronzer that's slightly darker than your foundation just above and below your collarbones. Finally, dab some highlighter directly on each collarbone in a single, consistent line. To learn how to apply makeup to make your collarbones look more prominent, keep reading!

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