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4 legit reasons why multani mitti isn’t always your skin’s best friend

We know how your mom feels about multani mitti’s potential to clear up your skin, but before you put Fuller’s earth to task—read this cautionary tale.
Is multani mitti the cure-all for your skin? Read on to find out. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Meghna Kriplani Updated: 8 Jun 2020, 19:40 pm IST
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The hot and humid Indian summer brings with it a lot of discomfort, sweating, and of course—skin problems. From heat rashes to pesky zits caused by excessive sweating, summer is not your skin’s best friend. Which is why perhaps multani mitti or Fuller’s earth is so revered in these months.

After all, multani mitti has the ability to calm your skin and zap the life out of zits. It absorbs oil, unclogging your pores and giving you the clear skin and scalp of your dreams. Not to mention, it has been endorsed by generations of Indian mothers—thus making Fuller’s earth the gharelu nuska you just can’t ignore.s

But what if I told you that you must ignore your mom’s trusted advice this summer? That multani mitti is not the saviour you’ve been looking for. Wondering why I am treading on this blasphemous path? Well, I’ve got reasons—four in fact — that prove not everyone should be using multani mitti on their skin and hair.

1.  Fuller’s earth is not your dry skin’s friend
If your dry skin tends to get red and blotchy thanks to the summer heat and you are thinking of applying a cooling multani mitti pack on your face—then stop right there.

Have dry skin? Multani mitti can actually leave your skin red and blotchy. Image Courtesy: Shutterstock

Best suited for oily skin, multani mitti’s crowning glory is its ability to soak up oil from pores. Your dry skin is already screaming for moisture, so why would you strip it of any natural oils? There are plenty of other ways to deal with the ruddiness, including calamine lotion and aloe vera gel.

2.  It can make your sensitive skin even more sensitive
If your skin gets irritated easily, then disturbing its natural pH balance by smearing multani mitti on your face isn’t the best practice. Since this clay has massive absorption potential, it tends to irritate the skin—leaving you raw and red.

3.  Using multani mitti can give you wrinkles
For starters, if you believe that oily skin doesn’t get wrinkles, let me educate you: nothing could be further than the truth sister. In fact, the more you use drying products like multani mitti—the more room you’re giving to lines and wrinkles to settle in.

Rubbing multani mitti might actually give lines and wrinkles. Image Courtesy: Shutterstock

When multani mitti dries on the skin, it makes moving your face extremely difficult and you feel a tug on your skin. This is your skin stretching. While using multani mitti once in a while won’t necessarily do any damage, but if you’re a regular user and you leave it on for longer than usual—then you could possibly be inviting file lines.

4.  It can lead to hair breakage
If an oily scalp is making your life miserable and you’re thinking of putting Fuller’s earth to task, then know this: getting multani mitti off of your face is a task. Now imagine it clinging to the hair follicles on your head and you rubbing the bejesus out of your scalp to get it out.

Multani mitti might actually lead to brittle hair. image courtesy: Shutterstock

If you have strong hair, then this might not be a problem. But for people with brittle and fine hair, multani mitti comes with the risk of breakage and hair fall.

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There is no denying that this magical clay can indeed clear up the skin and refresh the scalp. That said, just like no one shoe fits all—not all natural remedies suit every skin and hair type. So if you have dry, damaged, or sensitive skin and/or brittle hair—stay clear of multani mitti, will you?

Meghna Kriplani

Waging a war against diets one cookie at a time, Meghna is a content creator and editor focusing on women's issues, wellness, and lifestyle. ...Read More

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