Everyone can use a massage from time to time. For some people, it’s a way of life, squeezing in massage time in between schedules. You can get a body massage by trained masseuse for $45 for a whole hour. Needless to say, massaging your body has its value. It is known to relieve tensed muscles, reduce stress, alleviate pain and lift spirits. Not everybody can afford a massage on a regular basis but everyone can do their own massage in the comfort of their home. Massage can be done without oils but the use of body massage oils can help to reduce friction on skin, while spreading the therapeutic properties over the massage area. The clever selection of massage oils can heal, calm or energize the body, depending on your intended purpose. If you’re looking to do your own massage, here are some basics to go by:
Basics of Massage Oils
You can make your own body massage blends by combining essential oils with carrier oils. Essential oils are distilled from parts of plants and trees using flowers, leaves, roots and seeds. They are very potent and should not be applied directly to the skin. Carrier oils, on the other hand, are essentially vegetable oils made from seeds and nuts. While essential oils are chosen for their therapeutic capabilities, the choice of carrier oils are based on your skin types and the amount of traction desired for the massage. For example, lighter oils have less traction and vice versa.
Carrier oils include grapeseed, sunflower, safflower, sesame, coconut, olive, avocado, jojoba, wheatgerm, olive, sweet almond and canola.
Generally, the ratio of essential oils to carrier oils is 4 drops of essential oils to 3 tablespoons of carrier oils.
Let’s look at some homemade massage blends you can easily put together:
Relaxation
Life can get you down and stressed. Your muscles can feel like rocks and your mind a shroud of things to do and datelines to meet. Pamper yourself with some relaxing massage. The act of massaging is enough to relieve muscle tension. Using essential oils such as clary sage, geranium, lavender, sandalwood, neroli and ylang ylang can further help to alleviate stress and anxiety. Try this:
- 10 drops of lavender essential oil
- 5 drops of bergamont essential oil
- 2 drops of clary sage
- 1/4 cup of carrier oil of choice
Energizing
Feeling sluggish? Too tired to enjoy your day? Use an energizing massage blend to lift you out of this sluggish doldrums. Pamper yourself by utilizing the energizing qualities of essential oils such as peppermint, rosemary, grapefruit, lemon, spearmint, basil and tangerine. These refreshing essential oils can lift your spirits and infuse energy and zest.
- 10 drops of peppermint
- 5 drops of grapefruit
- 2 drops of rosemary
- 1/4 cup of carrier oil of choice
Pain and ache can compromise quality of life. Chances are you may have experience back pain, stiff joint or sore muscles at one time or another. Certain essential oils may reduce inflammation and relax muscles to bring relief. Look for wintergreen, peppermint, ginger, rosemary, lavender, majoram, birch, fir, pine, Eucalyptus globules, German chamomile, nutmeg, even frankincense and myrrh. Clove is known to be antibacterial, antimicrobial and is hemostatic and anti-inflammatory.
- 10 drops of ginger
- 8 drops of Eucalyptus
- 2 drops of clove
- 2 tablespoons of carrier oil.
How to Massage
Blend the choices of essential oil and carrier oil in a glass container and warm it up slightly. Apply to massage area and massage in circular motions.
