By Shahnaz Husain
Fuller’s Earth or Multani Mitti is natural clay and can be used in home-made packs. Clays can absorb toxins and impurities and thus detoxify the skin. This also helps to prevent and control eruptions and acne conditions. Some clays have a cooling effect, while many are rich in minerals. Clays cleanse and refine the skin and also tone and tighten the skin, performing the functions of an ideal face mask.
Fuller’s Earth (Multani Mitti) is commonly used. It has a drying effect, so moisturizing ingredients like honey, aloe vera, fruit pulp, etc., may be added to clay packs, especially if the skin is normal to dry.
It is of particular benefit to oily skins, as it absorbs and reduces oiliness from the skin surface. It also refines the pores and tightens the skin. In fact, it helps acne and pimple prone skin and can be used along with sandalwood, neem, mint, etc. It becomes dry when applied on the skin, tightening the skin and serving the purpose of a useful face pack.
For oily skin:
Mix Fuller’s Earth (multani mitti) with rose water into a paste and apply on the face, avoiding the lips and area around eyes. Wash it off when it is dry.
For acne-prone skin:
Mix Fuller’s Earth with sandalwood paste, rose water and neem leaf powder into a paste. Apply the same way and wash off when dry.
For acne marks:
Mix Fuller’s Earth with one teaspoon lemon juice and rose water into a paste. Apply on the face. Wash it off when it is dry.
For normal to dry and normal to oily skin, mix 1 teaspoon Multani mitti with aloe vera gel into a paste. Apply on the face, avoiding the lips and area around eyes. Wash it off after 15 minutes with plain water. If there is acne, add 2 drops of Tea Tree Oil to the mixture.
For normal to dry skin, 2 teaspoons of Multani Mitti may be mixed with one teaspoon each of honey, yogurt and almond oil into a paste. Apply and remove the same way.
Mix 2 teaspoons Multani Mitti with 2 teaspoons rose water, half teaspoon pure glycerine and a pinch of turmeric; apply on oily, pimple prone skin and wash off when it dries, or after 15 minutes.
You can mix a pack at home, but keep your skin type in mind and add ingredients accordingly.
About Shahnaz Husain
Shahnaz Husain, pioneer of the Ayurvedic beauty movement, heads the Shahnaz Husain Group, with a global network of franchise ventures and 375 Ayurvedic formulations. A Case Study at Harvard for Brand Creation, she is now a Harvard Subject for “Emerging Markets” She was honoured with the Padma Shri Award and is the first woman in 105 years to receive the World’s Greatest Woman Entrepreneur Award from Success, the U.S. business magazine. Indeed, Shahnaz Husain is a leading international beauty icon.
