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If you're in the market for some facial tissues, we've got you (and your nose) covered with the 10 best options available today. We researched over two dozen products and selected the most promising for rigorous side-by-side testing. We know that there are many options out there when it comes to blowing your nose, and to be honest, many of them seem pretty similar on the surface. That's why our experts did a deep dive to discern which tissues get the job done and which ones leave your nose with a raw deal. Whether comfort is a top priority or you want something that can handle volume, this review has a facial tissue for you and your family.
If you're looking for toilet paper, we've tested that, too. We've purchased hundreds of personal care products, testing, rating, and ranking each one so you don't have to throw your money at something that doesn't work.
Editor's Note: On January 12, 2024, we added videos to highlight the performance of top award winners and to show our lab testing.
The Kleenex Ultra Soft is as soft as its name suggests. It is quite gentle on the nose and a fierce foe against even the heaviest sneezes, thanks to its triple-ply design. In our tests, this tissue absorbed ten times more liquid before breaking compared to the average tissue. The box is available in a variety of designs and colors, so you can find one that suits your decor tastes. These never rubbed our noses raw, and we're very pleased with their absorbency.
We don't have many complaints, but if we were forced to point out something, we'd say its conventional fibers are not as strong as its cotton competitors. The packaging may also be a little unsophisticated and just too large for a smaller bathroom. All in all, though, this is a high-quality, strong product that can usually be found at a reasonable price. If you are inspired to purchase a stronger cotton option, check out the Winner Soft Dry Wipe.
While the Kleenex Trusted Care may not win any awards for individual categories, it's a reliable workhorse. This 2-ply tissue consistently held its own during real-world testing. Its impressive fiber density effectively contained discharge, and its strength prevented blowouts. Though not the cuddliest, its absorbency remains average, making it comfortable for repeated use.
The main drawback? The Trusted Care gets the job done but with average performance across the board. Plus, the bulky, somewhat awkward box hogs countertop space. Still, for an affordable, no-frills option that delivers decent all-around performance, the Trusted Care ticks the boxes. For a step up in both softness and overall quality, consider the Kleenex Ultra Soft, which boasts outstanding strength and surprisingly competitive pricing.
Our drip tests and other tests on the Kleenex Trusted Care.
The Winner Soft Dry Wipe is a unique product; it is made from cotton fiber instead of tree pulp. Its strength and material make it highly versatile. It is extremely strong and resists tearing in a way that no other tissue does. It is excellent for runny noses but can also clean up tabletop spills or wipe a laptop screen.
The strength is incredible, but this tissue is comparatively porous and single-ply, meaning some discharge or moisture may work its way through, even if it doesn't tear. We also found that the first tissue is slightly tricky to remove from the packaging. The product comes in a clear plastic wrap that's perforated in the same place as a standard box of tissues, but it's not that apparent at first. This wrap also makes it hard to pull out a tissue. All things considered, though, we love how many different ways you can put this tissue to use. If you are looking for something on the softer side with a higher ply level, check out the Puffs Plus Lotion, which uses lotion and a 2-ply design.
A tour of the lab testing we performed on the Winner Soft Dry Wipe.
The Puffs Plus Lotion is a super comfortable-to-use tissue. With extended use, we noticed a considerable difference between this product and others regarding the skin under our noses; it didn't rub us raw the way others could. In addition, during our porosity test, water beaded up on the surface rather than soaked through, suggesting that it would keep discharge contained and prevent it from escaping through the fibers of the tissue. It also proved to be the most absorbent of any product that we tested.
On the downside, these tissues are more costly than most. If you are willing to shift your brand loyalty, then it is worth considering less expensive alternatives. We found the lotion indeed feels nice on the nose after repeated use, but it also leaves behind a residue on the hands, which not everyone will appreciate. But for flu season or just for those with a chronic runny nose, having the Puffs Plus Lotion on hand is the remedy for preventing nose skin from getting too irritated. If you prefer a strong tissue without the lotion, the Kleenex Professional Cube is the ticket with anti-viral properties as well.
The Kleenex Professional Cube is a conventional tissue that comes with a few extras. As the name suggests, the cube-shaped box is great for a workspace — on a desk, reception area counter, or even a vehicle. It is a comfortable and soft 3-ply tissue that proved to be exceptionally strong, especially when folded over. It claims to be an anti-viral product, killing germs contained inside the tissue in 15 minutes.
It has a lot of upsides but is not without its flaws. Despite its triple-ply, it still only has average absorbency and disappointing porosity, which makes us question if it completely contains nose discharge. We would also recommend steering clear of this product for wiping away tears. It comes with chemical additives (presumably responsible for its anti-viral quality), which we didn't especially want to rub into our eyes. Those concerns notwithstanding, it has value as a soft and strong product for the office. If a versatile tissue designed to wipe your eyes and nose is what you seek, the Seventh Generation 2-Ply Cube is a hypoallergenic option that also comes in cube form.
Not only is the cube-shaped box good for small surfaces, but the tissue itself is very strong.
The Kleenex Everyday Pocket is a specially packaged tissue that is great when you are on the go. One of the things that we most appreciate is that the tissue seems to be largely the same as other Kleenex-brand products. It is full-size (8 1/4"x8 1/4") and is notably more comfortable to use than other tissues packaged for travel. It fits discreetly in a purse, backpack, or jacket pocket and has a resealable tab, so the package stays closed wherever you stash it.
The main downside is that the convenience comes at a price. We also found these particular tissues have just average strength and absorbency. Generally, the cost-per-tissue is extremely high, so it is best to save them for urgent situations when there is no better option around. Still, this is a great choice if you need a pocket pack that won't leave you out in the cold. If you instead require tissues for your car, check out the Reeflex Car Tissues, which features a design that sits easily in your cup holder.
This product is the perfect pocket companion. It fits most anywhere and is great to have on hand when you'd otherwise be out of pocket.
The Amazon Basics Ultra Facial Tissue with Lotion is a reliable everyday tissue. It is comfortable to use, mostly owing to the incorporated lotion. We didn't find that it is exceptional in any particular way, but over the long run, if you have a lasting runny nose, the lotion mitigates irritation. We also think that the colors and patterns on the cube-shaped box make it a nice option for a child's room.
The Amazon Basics brand was previously listed as Solimo. We tested the Solimo tissues, but nothing appears to have changed beyond the branding and the boxes. We're now linking to the Amazon Basics tissues in our review.
Like other tissues with lotion, this isn't one you want to use to wipe away tears. Though not as noticeable as other brands, the product still has a lotion-y feel, and we found that it can be mildly irritating to eyes. However, if you need an inexpensive, everyday product to keep sneezes at bay, this one is a worthy choice.
This tissue is a great option to have at your bedside.
The Seventh Generation 2-Ply Cube is a hypo-allergenic, recycled-fiber facial tissue. It has a medium-density fiber that keeps nasal discharge reasonably contained within the tissue. This 2-ply product comes in a cube-shaped box that is convenient for the office, bedroom, or bathroom.
On the downside, this Seventh Generation tissue is not nearly as soft as the top contenders. It also lacks the absorbency of other models, and while it does fine at dabbing away tears, there are other superior options. However, if purchasing environmentally conscious products is a top priority for you, this will be your best bet.
This product is for the eco-conscious who would prefer a product made from post-consumer material.
The Georgia Pacific Envision 2-Ply is an inexpensive utility tissue. This 2-ply tissue is not the weakest in the bunch and is perfectly serviceable for the regular sniffles that come with the cold weather. It seems like it would be most commonly found in an office. The low-profile box is good for tight shelves or a cubicle.
This tissue is somewhat rough all around. It is not uncomfortable to use, but we wouldn't choose it as our go-to if we had a chronically runny nose. It also has weak tensile strength and below-average absorbency, meaning that it is fine but not excellent for wiping away tears. On the other hand, if you need a lot of tissues at a typically affordable price, this product has your name written all over it.
These tissues are notably rougher and thinner than others, but the slim box fits well on a shelf.
The Reeflex Car Tissues is a specialty package tissue that is good for urgent use when nothing else is available. The canister fits conveniently in a car cupholder and would also do well on an office desk or in a bathroom without much horizontal surface area.
We found that these tissues are better as a backup rather than primary use. They have the smallest dimensions of any that we tested, and they are also comparatively thin, making it difficult to get a good seal around your nose and have confidence that you won't blow a hole right through them. However, for spaces where a conventional box just won't work, this product is certainly convenient.
This tissue in a can is perfect for keeping in your car cup holder for on-the-go nose control.
Credit: Ben Applebaum-Bauch
Why Trust GearLab
We purchase the products that we test at retail price and never accept free manufacturer samples to ensure the review is unbiased with recommendations that we would provide for our friends. For this review, we put these facial tissues against various stress tests that included blowing, wiping, and stretching. We observed fiber integrity by stretching each to its threshold to see which would break under varying levels of stress. We examined fiber coarseness by wiping our noses 5, 10, and 15 times in a row to observe which caused more or less relative irritation. We also observed the absorbency and porosity by applying water droplets on the materials to see which ones soaked through first. Finally, we collected other objective observations, such as the packaging, which caused irritation to the eyes (if any), and the specific niches each filled. Then, we compared them all to determine which performed the best, and which performed for a unique purpose.
We performed over 10 side-by-side lab tests on each tissue. Here are just some of those tests.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Lead reviewer Ben Applebaum-Bauch has been testing products at GearLab for almost four years. In that time, he has written about 200 individual bathroom products and other consumer goods and researched hundreds more. He is an expert in assessing home and bathroom products. Living in cold weather climates for most of his life has made him no stranger to a runny nose and the value of a high-strength, comfortable tissue.
Analysis and Test Results
After working our way through hundreds of tissues, we discovered some interesting findings about the quantity and qualities of different products. Below, we break down our assessment regarding tissue strength, comfort, absorbency, and packaging.
One key test measured the robustness of the tissue. We counted drops on each model and noted when it failed.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Strength
Strength is a tissue's ability to withstand tearing. After all, what good is it if you blow a hole right through the tissue before you get everything out? We used both real-world experience and more controlled experiments to determine the fiber integrity of these products.
This cotton tissue has exceptional tensile strength. It stretches quite a bit without tearing.
Credit: Piper Van Cleve
Taking the top spot by a long shot is the Winner Soft Dry Wipe. Though it is the only single-ply product in this review, this unique cotton fiber tissue is exceptionally strong. You have to try very hard to physically tear the product. In almost any realistic nose-blowing scenario, there is no chance of blowing through it. Pivoting to the more traditional paper tissue, the 2-ply Kleenex Ultra Soft is a top-tier contender. It has a dense fiber matrix that gives it some heft, even when damp.
Single, double, and triple-ply tissues. It's not an absolute, but the greater the ply, the less likely you are to blow a hole through the tissue.
Credit: Ben Applebaum-Bauch
The Puffs Plus Lotion and Amazon Basics Facial Tissue with Lotion performed well in the next tier. Though the lotion in these products is primarily meant for comfort, we also noticed that it produced a slightly hydrophobic coating that resisted moisture and tore. From here, the Kleenex Trusted Care and Kleenex Professional Cube each held up to repeated, heavy use, followed by the Kleenex Everyday Pocket, Seventh Generation Cube, Reeflex Car Tissues and Georgia Pacific Envision, which were all passable, but suffered from notably decreased fiber density that led to rapid tearing when dampened.
Comfort
Comfort here primarily has to do with how each tissue type makes our skin feel. We consider the coarseness of the tissue fibers as well as something we think of as nose longevity. That is, using a single type of tissue at regular intervals, how many does it take before the skin becomes irritated?
Sometimes you can see softness. On the bottom, a tissue with looser, coarse fibers. At the top, a more consistent, fluffier tissue.
Credit: Ben Applebaum-Bauch
During testing, we noticed a slight difference between how comfortable we found the first tissue and how comfortable each one was after 5, 10, or 15 consecutive wipes. The Kleenex Ultra Soft lives up to its name, providing a soft, comfortable wipe, and the Winner Soft Dry Wipe and Kleenex Professional followed closely behind. The Puffs Plus Lotion was also solid out of the gate, but we noticed its value once we used several in a row. Though slightly less impressive overall, the Amazon Basics Facial Tissue with Lotion also performed well.
One of the most important considerations for a tissue is how comfortable it is to use over the course of a long winter.
Credit: Piper Van Cleve
The Kleenex Everyday Pocket and Kleenex Trusted Care are serviceable standbys, while the rougher fibers of the Georgia Pacific Envision, Seventh Generation Cube, and Reeflex Car Tissue all fell noticeably short in this metric.
Absorbency & Porosity
Absorbency has to do with how much moisture a tissue can absorb before it becomes saturated. We also look at fiber density and how porous each product is. Interestingly, we found that these two dimensions do not always positively correlate. Sometimes, a tissue can hold quite a bit of water, but liquid also passes through it quite easily.
Holding this product up to the light, it is clear that the fiber matrix is fairly dense.
The fibers on this tissue are much less dense than many other products.
The Kleenex Ultra Soft and Puffs Plus Lotion are hands down the most absorbent. During testing, we found that they both could hold almost 100% more water than the average (with the latter slightly outperforming the former). In the case of the Ultra Soft, it also took more than ten times as much liquid to penetrate from one side of the tissue to the other, while the Puffs Plus still had above-average fiber density but was not nearly as impressive. The Kleenex Trusted Care also performed admirably, holding just about an average amount of water while also withstanding five times more liquid before it seeped through.
Some tissues are strong but allow liquid to pass through relatively easily.
Credit: Ben Applebaum-Bauch
The Winner Soft Dry Wipe is almost as absorbent as the Kleenex Ultra Soft but is also significantly more porous. Inversely, the Kleenex Everyday Pocket has average absorbency but significantly above average fiber density. Most other products showed remarkably consistent performance in porosity with predictable drop-offs in absorbency in models like the Georgia Pacific Envision and Seventh Generation Cube.
Packaging
Packaging is not about the tissues themselves but the container that they come in. It can have a notable impact on the user experience, so we take a look at how easy boxes are to open, as well as the all-important one-tissue-at-a-time test (is it easy, or are we left doing the tissue-box jiggle dance?). Some products also have packaging that may make them more aesthetically pleasing or are useful for a particular application.
Some products come in specialty packaging that makes them good for a particular use (like carrying in your jacket pocket).
Credit: Ben Applebaum-Bauch
The two clear specialty packages do the trick. The Reeflex Car Tissue sits perfectly in a car cup holder, and the Kleenex Everyday Pocket fits discreetly into a purse, messenger bag, or jacket pocket for quick access. It also has a sticky tab for resealing the packaging. Every other product in this review (except for the Winner) comes in a cardboard box with a plastic film around the opening to facilitate the dispensing of a single tissue at a time. On the whole, we found the large rectangular boxes like the Kleenex Ultra Soft and the Georgia Pacific Envision require slightly less effort to remove a tissue than the cube-shaped packages like the Puffs Plus Lotion and Kleenex Professional Cube.
Though it creates a minimalist profile, we found the plastic around the Winner Soft Dry Wipe to be a bit confusing to open at first (there is a hard-to-see perforation along the top) and made it difficult to remove a tissue because of how snuggly it is wrapped.
The same product often comes in packaging with many different colors and patterns.
Credit: Ben Applebaum-Bauch
Conclusion
The world of facial tissues is vast. Though many of them look the same, we hope our expert review was able to help you ply apart the great from the good. There might be runny noses in your future no matter what, but here's to finding the right facial tissue for the job.
