Are you tired of your dry, lifeless skin?
A dry skin that screams moisture can be a severe problem during the winter season. The skin loses its natural oils, so it’s essential to stock up on moisturizers during this time. But whether or not your dry skin is caused by the cold weather, taking extra precautions other than using moisturizers can come very handy.
If you want to bring that smooth and supple skin back, use Multani mitti (fuller’s Earth) for your skin. Multani mitti, when mixed with the goodness of honey, papaya, sandalwood, cucumber, banana, and aloe vera can treat dryness effectively.
Related: How Do You Get Dry Skin Off Your Feet: 5 Easy Remedies
Getting to Know Multani Mitti
Also popular as fuller’s earth, Multani mitti refers to a clay material decolouring liquids and oil without chemical treatment. Historically, Multani mitti is derived from the ‘mud of Multran’. It dates back to the 18th century when inhabitants of the city of Multan extracted a dollop of lime clay and were surprised by its excellent cleansing properties. Because of this, Multani mitti became a staple in every household.
And now, hundreds of years later, Multani mitti’s popularity rose so high as it is being used for a number of purposes, including skincare.
Related: Why does dead skin come off after I shower?
Multani mitti contains soothing properties that treat dry skin and relieves itchiness and irritation that often come with dry skin. Its absorbing properties prevent breakouts, and its skin-tightening properties fight against premature aging.
But how can you reap all these benefits? Read on to find out.
Understanding How to Use Multani Mitti
For dry skin types, fuller’s earthworks as an excellent scrub. As you may know, dry skin sheds dead skin cells more than other skin types; hence, requiring regular exfoliation. If you don’t exfoliate regularly, dead skin cells will pile up on your skin’s top surface, preventing moisturizers from penetrating and nourishing your skin.
A face pack made from Multani mitti and other ingredients help to remove the dead skin cell layers. It also helps lock in moisture and control dryness. It is far better than lotions and chemicals because it’s pretty natural and doesn’t harm the skin.
Therefore, the best way to reap all the benefits of Multani mitti is to use it in the form of face packs.
Homemade Multani Mitti Face Packs for Dry Skin
The best thing about this miracle clay is that it can be combined with other skin-nourishing ingredients to make it suitable for dry skin. Here are some of the Multani mitti face packs for dry skin that you can make yourself at home:
Multani Mitti + Honey Face Pack
Instructions:
Blend Multani mitti and honey in a blender until it becomes a paste. You can add milk if it is too thick to be applied. Then, use the paste all over your face and neck. If you have dry hands, you can also put on some of the paste. Leave the paste on for 15-20 minutes, then rinse well.
Benefits:
As a natural humectant, honey holds onto water to seal the pores and retain moisture. The antioxidants in honey, such as pinocembrin, catalase pinobanksin, and chrysin, help reduce the oxidative stress on the skin cells, therefore preventing dry skin also, the 6 vitamins in it and 18-20 amino acids help repair and rejuvenate the dry skin cells. This is why it is dubbed as one of the best natural anti-aging remedies. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory properties also help smoothen the texture of the skin.
Multani Mitti + Papaya Face Pack
Instructions:
Mix papaya pulp and Multani mitti in a bowl. If you wish to bring a smooth consistency, you may also add some honey to the mixture. Then, blend evenly and apply the paste. Let it sit for 20 minutes, and then wash it off with lukewarm water.
Benefits:
Papaya has a protein dissolving enzyme called papain. Along with alpha-hydroxy acid and beta-hydroxy acid, the papain exfoliates the skin gently and eliminates dead skin cells. When you have dry skin, it’s normal to deal with irritation and itchiness, but papaya can help. It can reduce these symptoms by helping to heal dry and damaged skin effectively.
It restores your skin’s pH balance, thanks to its high content of vitamin A, B, and C. These vitamins work together to reduce the appearance of dark spots, boost the cells’ renewal process, and increase collagen production. Moreover, papaya comes with lycopene which has antioxidant properties that work along with honey to treat dryness as well as premature aging.
Multani Mitti + Sandalwood Face Pack
Instructions:
Mix 1/2 tsp of good quality sandalwood powder and 1 tsp of Multani mitti in a bowl. Add 1-2 drops of water, then blend well to make a smooth paste. Once done, apply the paste to your face and let it dry for 15 minutes. Rinse well with lukewarm water.
Benefits:
Here’s another excellent exfoliator for dry skin- sandalwood. This ingredient
help eliminate dead skin cells from the skin. It also provides nourishment and moisturization to dry skin because of its natural oils. In addition, the anti-inflammatory properties of sandalwood powder reduce the common problems associated with dry skin, such as itchiness and irritation. The antioxidant properties also reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as well as maintain skin elasticity.
Multani Mitti + Cucumber Face Pack
Instructions:
Get a clean cucumber and wash it into pieces. Transfer the pieces into a blender and obtain the juice using a strainer. Then, add Multani mitti to the cucumber juice and mix evenly. Using a clean brush, apply the pack all over your face evenly and let it dry for 15 minutes. Wash it off with clean water and pat your face dry.
Benefits:
If you want something that works wonderfully to hydrate your dry skin, a Multani mitti and cucumber face pack is the answer. Cucumber is 96% water, so it is suitable for keeping your skin hydrated. Not only that, but it is also ideal for preventing water loss from the skin.
When you have dehydrated skin, you may suffer from itchiness and irritation. This is what cucumber can effectively relieve itchiness and irritation through its vitamin C and caffeic acid. Moreover, cucumber enhances skin elasticity and delivers a soothing and cooling effect to the skin. It doesn’t leave that stripped, overly tight feeling.
Multani Mitti + Banana Face Pack
Instructions:
Blend Multani mitti and banana until you achieve a smooth paste. Then, apply it to your cleansed face and let it dry for 20 minutes. After that, rinse it off with lukewarm water.
Benefits:
The tropical fruit banana is good for treating dry and dehydrated skin. It has minerals and amino acids that work together to nourish your skin from within and keep it safe from dryness. Potassium, for example, hydrates your skin and keeps it soft, supple, and firm. Banana also has vitamins that provide antioxidant benefits and assists with moisturization. Moreover, bananas have vitamin E, which helps reduce oxidative stress on the skin cells. And if you have extremely dry skin that causes breakouts, the zinc and lectin in bananas can kill the acne-causing bacteria.
Overall, bananas tick all the boxers and work perfectly with Multani mitti.
Multani Mitti + Aloe Vera
Instructions:
Put Multani mitti in a blender. Then, take a fresh aloe vera leaf and slice the thorn from the edge of the leaf using a sharp knife. Next, slice open the leaf and scrape the gel out into the blender. After extracting all the gel, start blending until a smooth paste is achieved. Apply the paste evenly on your skin using a clean brush. Let it dry naturally for 25 minutes before washing your face with regular water.
Benefits:
The modest houseplant, aloe vera, is an excellent natural remedy for dry skin. Its gel is very moisturizing. But unlike store-bought moisturizers, a natural aloe vera gel hydrates the skin without leaving a greasy film behind. While you can use the gel straight from a fresh aloe vera leaf on its own, the moisturizing properties become more effective when used alongside Multani mitti.
And if you suffer from itchiness and irritation caused by dryness, you will indeed find respite in this face pack. Aloe vera’s soothing properties can help treat itchy and irritated skin. It also protects against acne-causing bacteria, all thanks to its antiseptic properties.
The abundance of beta-carotene and vitamins C and E in aloe vera help fight skin aging and increase the body’s production of collagen. That said, it works well with Multani mitti to bring back that youthful, glowing skin.