Fuller's Earth (Multani Mitti)

Fuller's Earth (Multani Mitti) is a natural absorbent clay: fuller's earth is its English name, multani mitti its South Asian one. It isn't a plant but a fine mineral earth that takes up oil and water, so mixed with water it makes a face mask for oily skin. Spierb Fuller's Earth (Multani Mitti) Powder is one ingredient, Solum Fullonum clay from northwestern Rajasthan, India, levigated into a fine powder with nothing added.

What is fuller's earth, and what else is it called?

Fuller's earth and multani mitti (also spelled multani mati) are two names for the same clay. "Fuller's earth" covers a family of natural absorbent clays rather than one exact mineral, so its make-up varies from deposit to deposit.

The name comes from fulling, the old way of cleaning woollen cloth: workers called fullers worked a wet absorbent earth into the wool to take up its grease. That same liking for oil is what makes the clay useful on oily skin.

Which country is multani mitti from?

The name points to Multan, a historic city now in Pakistan: "mitti" means earth or clay, so multani mitti is "earth from Multan". Today the name is used for fuller's earth from many places, including large deposits in Rajasthan, India, where Spierb's comes from. Genuine multani mitti doesn't have to come from Multan.

What does a fuller's earth face mask do for your skin?

Its job is oil control. Spread thinly as a wet paste, the clay sits close against your skin and takes up excess surface oil, which leaves with the clay when you rinse. Oily skin usually comes out less shiny and more matte, and feels cleaner and fresher. Pores can look less noticeable for a while because the shine around them has gone, but they don't shrink; an oily-skin routine with fuller's earth explains why.

It suits oily and combination skin best; on combination skin, use it on your forehead, nose and chin only. Dry skin can use a little on an oily patch for a shorter time, and some people use a thin slurry on oily roots. A wet clay mask often feels cool, which is one reason multani mitti is traditionally called cooling; that's a feeling on your skin, not a change in your body temperature.

The clay works at the surface: it takes up oil, water and loose residue. It doesn't pull toxins out of your body, empty pores from deep inside or lift out blackheads, which are plugs inside the pore. Keep the layer thin and rinse it off before it cracks, after 5–10 minutes at most, or 3–5 minutes for dry or reactive skin; how to use fuller's earth on your face has the method and the mixes.

Which is better, besan or multani mitti?

They do different jobs. Multani mitti is an absorbent mineral clay, so it's usually the more direct choice when shine and greasiness are the problem. Besan is gram (chickpea) flour, traditionally used in face and body packs, and makes a softer, fuller-bodied pack. You can mix them: equal parts with water make a softer clay mask, though besan won't stop the clay drying your skin if you leave it on too long.

What is better than multani mitti?

There's no single best mask. For oily skin, multani mitti is one of the simplest ways to take up surface oil. For dry or easily irritated skin, a non-clay mask such as Aloe Vera Powder usually feels more comfortable.

What to expect, and what it won't do

Oily skin usually looks cleaner and more matte after rinsing, and shine returns as your skin makes oil again. Uncomfortable tightness, dryness or flaking usually means the mask stayed on too long or was used too often.

Fuller's earth isn't a treatment for acne or pimples, it doesn't lighten skin or fade dark spots or a tan, and it doesn't remove wrinkles: any firmer, smoother feel is temporary. A freshly rinsed face can look brighter simply because excess oil and dull residue have gone. How often to use it, and the whitening myth, are covered in using fuller's earth every day.

Before you use it: the bowl, a patch test and who should wait

Use cosmetic-grade fuller's earth on your face, not one sold for industrial or household jobs. Mix it in a glass, ceramic, wooden or plastic bowl with a non-metallic spoon, and scoop it close to the bowl so you don't breathe in the fine dry powder.

Patch test the exact mix 24–48 hours before first use: put a little on your inner arm or behind your ear, rinse it off after the time you'd leave the mask on, and watch the skin over the next 24–48 hours. Don't go ahead if the skin burns, swells, blisters or turns red, or if it itches and the itch doesn't settle. A patch test can't rule out a reaction later. Skip the mask on broken, sunburned or irritated skin, keep it away from your eyes and lips, and if it burns or stings painfully, rinse it off and don't use that mix again. If any gets in your eyes, rinse them with plenty of clean water. Call 911 if your face, lips or eyes swell or you have trouble breathing; see a doctor or pharmacist if blisters or hives appear or spread, or if an eye still hurts, stays red or your vision is blurred after rinsing. It's for external use only: don't eat it, and keep it out of reach of children.