You can lower the bonnet just past the catch, then drop it (about 2 inches). This keeps the seals straight without palm prints. If it doesn't fall with enough force, you can give it a little help by pressing down as it falls. Just do this at the leading edge of the bonnet where a palm print won't be noticeable.

 

My dealer mechanic, with myself and 2 visiting AM techs in his audience, suggested we tug on the offending section of the seal, stretching it laterally a bit into the engine compartment.

Dropping the hood from a couple of inches works fine as well.

 

Fender make guitars, it's a British car, it has wings

 

usually if the adjustment of the screw out and in rubber hood stops are off, the seal wont be flush and the hood will fall too low. (forcing the seal to pop outward).
the screw in rubber gromets are usually all the way extended. and sometimes that is not enough, so I put a couple of cork/felt pads where they make contact to raise the hood. is this normal?? its perfect now, but without the pads, it isn't.

 

+1 on the easing the hood down till just about where it catches and then dropping it. I have found that it keeps the seals under the hood / bonnet.

 

I just lower it til it rests on the latch, and press gently on the emblem to make it "catch" and click into place. that is the best way to do it. slamming the hood is so barbaric! Just , lower and press. its like jewelry. its not a ford mustang for cripes sake.

 

While closing the hood gently works, I have a section on the drivers side that works it way back out in a few weeks.

 

Just thought I'd mention that on newer cars Aston has solved this problem by changing the profile design of the rubber seal and making the rubber more rigid.