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The 12 Best Blotting Papers to Soak Up Shine

Our best overall pick is Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Beauty Papers.

Multiple packs of blotting papers arranged on a marble background

Byrdie / Alli Waataja

So simple yet so effective, blotting paper is one of those OG beauty products that may never need to be modernized. As dermatologist Rachel Westbay, MD, explains, the highly absorbent sheets are used to soak up grease and reduce shine. "They resemble tissue paper and are pressed into the skin, usually on the T-zone, to absorb oil and are then discarded," she tells Byrdie.

Most blotting papers come in the form of small rectangular sheets and are often housed in little cardboard envelopes for easy transport in your purse or pocket. Westbay says that the best blotting tissues are made with naturally absorbent abaca tree fiber or willow bark (a source of salicylic acid) for sebum control. "These agents lock onto oil and help lift it, as well as impurities, out of pores," she says. And if you have greasier-than-average skin, she recommends powder-coated sheets.

Ahead, find the best blotting papers for a shine-free complexion.

What We Like
  • Thin yet strong

  • Mattifying

  • Won't smudge makeup

What to Consider
  • Gold flecks aren't entirely smooth

Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Beauty Papers are superior quality blotters. These simple, yet highly effective, blotting papers are made of abaca leaf, a naturally absorbent fiber that doesn't waste any time sopping up grease on your face.

The whisper-thin, yet remarkably strong, material promises to nix shine without disrupting your makeup, while crushed gold flakes infuse your skin with a subtle shimmer and a mattified, healthy glow. Available in packs of 40, these velvety-soft leaflets are also biodegradable.

Material: Abaca Leaf | Count: 40 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like
  • Affordable

  • Mattifying

  • Balances sebum production

What to Consider
  • Tears easily

e.l.f. makes a great budget option. These woven sheets are infused with green tea extract to help absorb oil and balance sebum production without stripping your skin. You can count on a mattified effect with less visible pores.

Material: Microcrystalline wax | Count: 30 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like
  • Great value

  • Smooth material

  • Won't smudge makeup

What to Consider
  • Contains mineral oil

Clean & Clear blotting papers are a drugstore classic. The sheets are easy to use and effective, and they give you the satisfaction of seeing the actual grease accumulating on them. The super-smooth material won't mess up your makeup either.

Material: Polypropylene | Count: 50 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like
  • Pack of 100

  • Mattifying

  • Won't smudge makeup

What to Consider
  • Nothing

DHC offers an incredible value for those who go through several blotting papers per day. Available in packs of 100 for only a few dollars, these blotting papers are made of natural hemp. The material does an excellent job of absorbing oil and eliminating unwanted shine, leaving your skin mattified and your makeup intact.

Material: Hemp | Count: 100 | Cruelty-Free: No

What We Like
  • Refillable

  • Innovative design

  • Mirrored compact

What to Consider
  • Refilling paper can be tricky

Rihanna turned traditional blotting sheets into a pressed powder and then created a paper version of her wildly popular powder—we happen to love both. Invisimatte Blotting Paper comes in a continuous millennial pink scroll, which you tear off in the size you want using the included refillable dispenser. The sleek case doubles as a mirrored compact.

Material: Wood pulp | Count: Tear to size | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like
  • Extra-absorbent

  • Eliminates shine

  • Mattifying

What to Consider
  • Contains fragrance

If your complexion is oilier than most, Westbay says to look for powder-coated sheets, like these pink papers from Shiseido. They're made of cellulose and feature a mess-free dusting of kaolin clay and baking soda, offering a trifecta of grease-absorbing power and an instant mattifying effect.

Material: Cellulose, kaolin, baking soda | Count: 100 | Cruelty-Free: No

What We Like
  • Absorbs sebum

  • Mattifying

  • Won't smudge makeup

What to Consider
  • Tears easily

These French blotters take a no-nonsense approach to tackling shine. Made of literal paper, they're not quite as sturdy as others on this list, but they do the trick. The sheets promise to absorb excess sebum on your T-zone and immediately mattify without ruining your makeup.

Material: Paper | Count: 50 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like
  • Help unclog pores

  • Oil-free

  • Dermatologist-recommended

What to Consider
  • Strong smell

Westbay recommends Boscia Blotting Linens for the acne-prone set. "I love these because they are mineral oil-free and contain willow bark, a natural beta-hydroxy acid (salicylic acid) that gently and effectively exfoliates to unclog and purify pores, as well as refine their appearance," she tells Byrdie.

Material: Abaca fiber | Count: 100 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like
  • Great value

  • Won't smudge makeup

  • Recyclable

What to Consider
  • Nothing

True to the brand's baked goods theme, Beauty Bakerie's blotters are made out of parchment paper. The cellulose-based composite material is great at absorbing oil, and it's recyclable. These sheets vow not to ruin your glam and are infused with gold flakes, just to keep things fancy.

Material: Parchment paper | Count: 100 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like
  • Adhesive puff

  • Sanitary

  • Mattifying

What to Consider
  • Sheets don't always adhere to puff

Dinoplatz Dear Brachiosaurus wins as the best name for blotting paper, but that's not all there is to love about this product. The sheets are made of cellulose derived from mulberry trees, a highly absorbent material that instantly sops up grease and sebum, leaving you with a mattified T-zone. We also appreciate the sanitary design. Each pack comes with a puff and five replaceable adhesives, allowing you to pick up the individual sheets without having to touch the ones beneath.

Material: Mulberry | Count: 100 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like
  • Affordable

  • Absorbs sebum

  • Won't smudge makeup

What to Consider
  • Small-ish sheets

Etude House My Beauty Tool Oil Control Film is made of the same stuff as Clean & Clear's oil-absorbing sheets and does equally impressive work soaking up sebum while leaving your makeup intact.

Material: Polypropylene | Count: 50 | Cruelty-Free: No

What We Like
  • Teardrop shape

  • Vented case

  • Hygienic separator

What to Consider
  • Tricky to clean

Looking for ways to cut down on waste? Beautyblender Blotterazzi is a reusable alternative to everyday blotting sheets. Available in packs of two or four, the thin, absorbent sponges are shaped like teardrops to fit around all the curves and contours of your face. The case is also ventilated with a hygienic separator between each sponge to keep things fresh and sanitary.

Material: Sponge | Count: 2–4 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Final Verdict

Our best overall pick is Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Beauty Papers, which are biodegradable, whisper-thin, and made from abaca leaf, a naturally absorbent fiber that soaks up oil. For a more affordable pick, consider e.l.f. Cosmetics Shine Eraser Blotting Sheets, which are infused with green tea extract to help absorb oil and balance sebum production without stripping your skin. 

Meet the Expert

Rachel Westbay, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified general and cosmetic dermatologist practicing at Marmur Medical in New York City. She provides treatments for a broad range of skin conditions and concerns, including acne, rosacea, melasma, and photoaging.

What to Look for in Blotting Papers

Oil-fighting ingredients

While the blotting paper of yore was essentially nothing more than a piece of paper, many of today’s top contenders are made with specialty ingredients like willow bark, charcoal, and abaca tree fiber that can help gently lift oil away from the skin. Dermatologists tend to favor blotting papers made of rice, cotton, willow bark, and flaxseed. Consider these if you’re super oily or acne-prone.

Powder-Containing Paper

For more than a simple sop-up, go for a blotting paper that’s been coated in mattifying powder to instantly absorb excess surface oil while refreshing makeup and helping your complexion to look fresher for longer. It’s like keeping a red-carpet touch-up with you at all times.

Sustainable Materials

Sure, they’re just paper, but at two or so blots a day, every day, that’s a lot of waste. Fortunately, many of today’s hottest blotters are made from earth-friendly biodegradable materials, helping to keep our routines as clean as possible.

FAQ
  • What is blotting paper for skin?

    It's super-handy beauty tool comprising a sheet of thin paper that helps absorb excess oil from the surface of the skin without disturbing makeup. It can be used as often as needed to keep skin shine-free. 

  • Can blotting paper cause acne?

    A spate of blotting papers has been known to contain mineral oil which, even though it rates relatively low on the comedogenicity scale, may contribute to clogged pores on acne-prone skin. To avoid that effect, those with very oily or acne-prone skin should opt for a variety made with ingredients that may help manage excess oiliness, such as willow bark. 

  • How many times can you use blotting paper?

    While few things come close to the satisfaction of seeing the amount of oil that a blotting paper can remove from your face, remember that some oil is supposed to stay there. If you find yourself constantly blotting to keep oil at bay, perhaps consider fine-tuning your skincare routine to help manage oil production. All in all, you shouldn’t blot more than three or four times a day. 

How We Researched

To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.

Why Trust Byrdie

Theresa Holland is a freelance commerce writer specializing in cosmetics. She considered dozens of blotting papers from various brands and ultimately selected those that stood out in design, effectiveness, notable features, and overall value. Theresa covers makeup, skincare, haircare, and fitness gear at Byrdie.

Article Sources
Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
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  3. Koch, Wojciech et al. Applications of Tea (Camellia sinensis) and its Active Constituents in Cosmetics. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 24,23 4277. 24 Nov. 2019, doi:10.3390/molecules24234277

  4. Manaia, & Rodriges,. (2019). Industrial Hemp Fibers: An Overview. Fibers. 7. 106. 10.3390/fib7120106.

  5. Moosavi M. Bentonite Clay as a Natural Remedy: A Brief Review. Iran J Public Health. 2017 Sept. 46(9):1176-1183. PMID: 29026782; PMCID: PMC5632318.

  6. Babakhanova K, et al. (2020). Texture Of Paper With The Addition Of Cellulose Pulp From The Bark Of Mulberry Branches. Chemistry of plant raw material. 261-266. 10.14258/jcprm.2020047761.

  7. Rawlings AV, Lombard KJ. A review on the extensive skin benefits of mineral oilInt J Cosmet Sci. 2012;34(6):511-518. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2494.2012.00752.x

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