5 ways to use Alia Bhatt's go-to skincare ingredient, multani mitti

Alia Bhatt chalks up her glowing skin to a multitude of reasons across the board—drinking lots of water, using skincare products that work for her skin type and needs, and relying on simple at-home remedies that have tried-and-tested by her. “I feel one's skin is a reflection of what's inside,” she said in an interview. Keeping it simple is her MO. “I just let my skin breathe; doing too much to your skin will just confuse it,” she shared. But on her skincare docket? DIY masks with an ingredient that has been lauded by mothers and grandmothers alike—Fuller's earth. “I think multani mitti is amazing," she confirmed. 

Multani mitti is able to soak up excess oil, dirt and sweat from the skin, so it can perform a complete clean-up job on the pores from the inside-out. This helps to prevent acne, pimples and blackheads, as pores are healthier in that case. Since it exfoliates the skin, it can fade pigmentation, dark spots and acne scars in the process too. Another important benefit? Its cooling effect. It is rich in magnesium chloride, and can help soothe sunburns, rashes and inflammation, even helping with a scratch, bug bites or picked pimple. 

How to use it best? Slather it on a mask. The tightening effect of it on the skin as it dries up can actually improve microcirculation, as it stimulates the movement of oxygen through the capillaries in the area, making it a great antidote to dull skin or dark circles. 

There’s nothing more satisfying than washing your hair to make way for bouncy strands and a clean scalp. This moisturising yet deep-cleansing mask contains seaweed and Fuller’s earth to rid the follicles and scalp surface of impurities, thus leaving hair shiny and healthy. Plus, multani mitti is chock-full of minerals like magnesium, calcium and zinc, which condition and strengthen the hair from the roots. By increasing blood flow to the hair follicles (due to its tightening nature), it can help boost the flow of nutrients to slow down hair fall too.

5 ways you can use multani mitti in your DIY skin- and hair-nourishing recipes

1. A deep-cleansing hair mask for breakage-prone strands

A buildup of hairstyling products, environmental pollution and sweat can weight hair down, leaving it looking dull and flat. Mix multani mitti with apple cider vinegar and apply to the scalp—the two cleansing ingredients make for a one-two punch. The former contains magnesium and zinc to condition the hair, and rids the skin of any impurities. Plus, the tightening nature also increases blood flow to the hair follicles, boosting hair growth in the process. The latter is a powerful pH balancer that can calm an inflamed scalp by reducing frizz. 

2. A spot treatment for inflamed zits

Mix multani mitti with neem powder, and emulsify with water. This mix will dry out red, inflamed pimples, and the neem works to actively treat breakouts with its antiseptic and antibacterial properties. 

3. A mattifying face pack for oily skin

Mix multani mitti with tomato juice to whip up a mattifying mask that'll soak up all excess oil while rendering large, open pores prone to blackheads smaller, as tomato is a natural astringent that works like a toner without drying out the skin further. 

4. A moisturising mask for dry, dull skin

If flaky skin prone to fine lines and dullness is your issue, mix multani mitti with honey and apply it as a mask. Honey is moisturising, leaving skin supple and bouncy in the aftermath. When multani mitti is applied to the skin as a damp paste, it soaks up all the excess grease on the surface. As it dries, the paste tightens, which stimulates blood flow as it cools and contracts against the skin surface. The end result? A flushed, brighter complexion.

5. A softening and exfoliating body scrub

Mix oatmeal with multani mitti and add just enough water to emulsify the mixture into a scrub. The oatmeal is able to soothe any inflammation on the skin (including rashes and redness,) while the multani mitti expunges all the sweat, dirt and debris to the surface, so it can be washed off. 

Also read:

How to use Kareena Kapoor Khan's favourite oil in your own DIY skincare recipes

7 skincare and haircare products with multani mitti to combat acne-prone skin and greasy strands

Why multani mitti deserves the skincare hype it gets from your mother