You Are Using The Wrong Sunscreen

 

The Blotting Paper Test: Find the Best Sunscreen for Your Skin Type

Choosing the right sunscreen can feel overwhelming, gel, mineral, chemical, SPF 30 or 50? Here’s a simple at-home trick:

 The blotting paper test..

This quick test helps you understand how your skin behaves after applying sunscreen, so you can pick the formula that suits you best.

Step 1: Do the Blotting Paper Test

Cleanse your face and leave it bare for 30–60 minutes.

Press blotting paper gently on different areas of your face: forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin.

Hold the paper up to the light to see how much oil it picked up.

This reveals your skin type:

Little to no oil → Dry Skin

Shiny in T-zone only → Combination Skin

Paper soaked with oil everywhere → Oily Skin

No oil, but feels tight or sensitive → Sensitive Skin

Even, balanced, not too oily/dry → Normal Skin

Step 2: Match Your Sunscreen to Your Skin Type.

1. Dry Skin

What the blotting paper shows: Almost no oil.

Best sunscreen: Hydrating cream formulas with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, or glycerin.

Pro Tip: Look for sunscreens labeled “moisturizing” or with added oils like jojoba or squalane.

2. Oily Skin

What the blotting paper shows: Heavy oil all over.

Best sunscreen: Lightweight, gel-based, or water-based sunscreens. Matte finish sunscreens help control shine.

Pro Tip: Choose “oil-free” or “non-comedogenic” to prevent breakouts.

3. Combination Skin

What the blotting paper shows: Oil only in the T-zone.

Best sunscreen: Gel or fluid formulas that hydrate dry spots without clogging oily areas.

Pro Tip: You can even layer: use gel sunscreen on the T-zone and cream on cheeks.

4. Sensitive Skin

What the blotting paper shows: Not much oil, but skin feels irritated or tight.

Best sunscreen: Mineral sunscreens (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide). These are gentle and less likely to cause redness or stinging.

Pro Tip: Avoid fragrances and alcohol in sunscreen.

5. Normal Skin

What the blotting paper shows: Balanced results, not too oily or dry.

Best sunscreen: Lucky you! Most sunscreens will work, choose based on your preference (gel for lightweight feel, cream for hydration).

Pro Tip: Focus more on SPF and broad-spectrum coverage than texture.

The blotting paper test is a simple way to figure out your skin type before investing in sunscreen. Once you know whether you’re oily, dry, sensitive, or somewhere in between, you can pick a sunscreen that feels good on your skin, and keeps you protected daily.

Remember: The best sunscreen is the one you’ll wear every single day.