Multani Mitti Powder

Multani Mitti comes originally from Multan, in what is now Pakistan. Known in English as Fuller's Earth, it is a clay-like mineral but thinner than clay, holding more water. This is the ready-ground form: a fine, pale grey-beige powder that turns into a smooth grey-green paste the moment it is wetted. The name translates as mud of Multan.

The powder has a soft, silky, slightly chalky feel and a neutral earthy scent. It absorbs water readily, so a small amount makes a surprisingly large amount of paste, with no soaking needed. In South Asian households it is a traditional ingredient in homemade face masks, often mixed with rose water, sandalwood powder or yoghurt. Technique tip: add the liquid a little at a time and stir to a smooth paste, since adding it all at once leaves dry lumps.

Prefer the traditional lumps? See our Multani Mitti (whole).

How to use it

Mix 1 tbsp with water or rose water into a smooth paste, apply to the face for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Across Pakistan and the Indian subcontinent it is used almost exclusively in beauty preparations. Beyond cosmetics it has a long industrial life: it is used on film sets to create dirt explosions on screen, it has been used for makeup on film, and it cleans marble, having been used in the cleaning of the Taj Mahal.

Details

Also known as

Fuller's Earth Powder, Multani Matti Powder, Bleaching Clay, Mud of Multan, مولتاني ميتي