Do blotting papers just make your skin more oily?

June 8, 2012 3:27 PM

Do blotting papers just make your skin more oily?

I still have quite oily skin and am a male in my mid 20's. My friend suggested using blotting papers to get rid of the shininess throughout the day but I am wondering...do they just make it worse? I feel like the more I blot, the more I have to blot. How else can I get rid of the shininess throughout the day?

posted by jpritcha to clothing, beauty, & fashion (7 answers total)

I don't think blotting powder will make you more oily, but using a too-harsh cleanser will definitely make you more oily. A too harsh cleanser will remove too much oil from your skin, and then you will make more oil to compensate.

The best thing to do is to find a cleanser that works with your skin type - it should leave your skin feeling clean, but not taut.

You could also use a mattifying primer and/or sunscreen at the beginning of the day - that could help quite a lot. Since I don't have oily skin myself, I don't have specific product recommendations for you.
posted by insectosaurus at 3:45 PM on June 8, 2012

Well, first of all, you don't waste money on blotting papers. Your standard-issue ass gasket works just as well (maybe even better) and is freely available.

How often do you wash your face? I find that truly wash-washing my face more often makes me more oily. A splash of water and blot dry with a clean towel keeps things in check a lot better.
posted by phunniemee at 3:46 PM on June 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

Oil cleansing method. Google it. It may change your life....
posted by pearlybob at 4:15 PM on June 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

Blotting papers don't really solve a long-term problem, they just get you through an evening in my experience. I'd try a new cleanser.

This is the best-smelling stuff (non-girly), and it works very well at keeping oil/blemishes in check for me. It's also priced well and is available pretty much everywhere.
posted by heyho at 4:56 PM on June 8, 2012

I never noticed any increase oiliness due to blotting. I did notice an increase in the amount I blotted, because it was nice to actually realize what it was like not to be oily!

as for long-term, I tried everything before finally going to a dermatologist and getting medication, which has worked fantastically. Wish I'd done it earlier.
posted by Lt. Bunny Wigglesworth at 6:56 PM on June 8, 2012

Blotting papers won't hurt ya-- just make you more aware of the oilyness. They are certainly less harsh than washing/cleansing in the middle of the day.

Might be a reasonable stopgap measure while you explore skin care methods to prevent it in the first place.
posted by nita at 7:36 PM on June 8, 2012

A quick swipe with a baby wipe (unscented if you prefer) will do it. If you can get past the packaging, the next step up from the plain oil-absorbing papers would be Papier Poudre, which has a little bit of powder and might give you longer control.
posted by jocelmeow at 12:48 PM on June 9, 2012