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.
Best Overall
Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Beauty Papers
Sephora
Thin yet strong
Mattifying
Won't smudge makeup
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
Best Budget
e.l.f. Cosmetics Shine Eraser Blotting Sheets
Amazon
Affordable
Mattifying
Balances sebum production
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
Best Drugstore
Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets
Walmart
Great value
Smooth material
Won't smudge makeup
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
Best Value
DHC Oil Blotting Paper
SkinStore
Pack of 100
Mattifying
Won't smudge makeup
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
Best Premium
Fenty Beauty Blotting Paper
Sephora
Refillable
Innovative design
Mirrored compact
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
Best for Very Oily Skin
Shiseido Oil-Control Blotting Paper
Macy's
Extra-absorbent
Eliminates shine
Mattifying
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
Best for Shine Control
Payot Anti-Shine Sheets
Payot
Absorbs sebum
Mattifying
Won't smudge makeup
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
Best for Acne-Prone Skin
Boscia Clear Complexion Blotting Linens
Amazon
Help unclog pores
Oil-free
Dermatologist-recommended
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
Best for Makeup
Beauty Bakerie Oil Blotting Sheets
Amazon
Great value
Won't smudge makeup
Recyclable
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
Best Design
Too Cool for School Mulberry Blotting Paper
Revolve
Adhesive puff
Sanitary
Mattifying
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
Best K-Beauty
Etude House My Beauty Tool Oil Control Film
Walmart
Affordable
Absorbs sebum
Won't smudge makeup
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
Best Reusable
BeautyBlender Blotterazzi
Amazon
Teardrop shape
Vented case
Hygienic separator
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.
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.
