Oil Blot Sheets

I’ve been using oil blot sheets for a while now; from the well known Clean n’ Clear, to “unnamed” Asian brands I find randomly at the local Asian markets, and even tried the Toilet Seat Cover “trick.”

The Internet is filled with ideas and comments about these. For me, the ones I find to work best are the plastic-y ones similar to Clean n’ Clear’s. The one I happen to use is from Callas Paris (which is actually made in Japan) that I got from a local beauty supply shop at the rate of $3.00 per pack of 5- sheets. That’s still cheaper than Clean n’ Clear’s and works just as well.

Callas brand. My favorite of all the Clean n’ Clear alternatives

It’s even blue and has got the sticky thing on the lid that pulls a sheet out for you. You’ve got to admit that the black box looks spiffier than Clean ‘n Clear’s blue box.

My comments on the alternatives?

“Tissue-y” ones (aburatorigami, if I’ve read my Japanese correctly): This one was from Marukai for the price of $2-3.00 for a pack of 300 sheets. They work decently. I would assume they work fairly well if you’re not too oily, particularly in the T-zone. It seems that I use 2 sheets per “session.”

These are similar to gift wrap tissue paper. Works fine.

Toilet Seat Covers: Free if you just grab one from the stall (might want to grab the ones toward the middle/back to be sure it’s more sanitary). I’m not sure what the prices are, but I’m fairly certain they’re really cheap. I have ripped some and used it, but it didn’t work all that well for me. Probably because it wasn’t the “waxy” type. And the idea that it’s a toilet seat cover kinda puts me off.

Brown, recycled napkins (like from Starbucks): Works if you’re in a jiffy. Free.

Tissue paper (the type you stuff gift bags with): This is probably the closest to oil blot sheets for me from the list of alternatives. It’s pretty much the same as the thin aburatorigami ones that I have. However, seems that I have to use about 3 sheets to get the job done (or probably the same 2 sheets needed as the aburatorigami had I cut them into the same size). But it does a decent job, nonetheless. And at $1.00 (or less) per pack of tissue paper, it’s a good deal. You can get hundreds of sheets from the one pack of tissue paper.

A stack if tissue paper I had cut and left an my desk. Not the prettiest things in the world, but they work and I just use them at the desk when I’m at home.

All in all, the alternatives generally work well. But for me, as I get oily fairly easily, I prefer the plastic-y kinds if I can get my hands on them for a decent price. Otherwise, the aburatorigami and tissue paper would be tied for my next choice.