A coating composition comprising a blend of at least two dye fixatives, at least one of which is a cationic polymer, and at least one of the other dye fixatives is a polyvalent metal salt, to form a water-insoluble complex. The ink recording sheets comprise a composition that is absorbed into the surface of the substrate as a sizing material, or alternatively, forms a continuous layer on the substrate. The present invention also encompasses methods for making the ink jet recording sheets.