5 Massage Oils To Try

There are many different types of massage oils available. At the health food store, you'll find single massage oils such as sweet almond oil or avocado oil. If you shop at spa shops or skin care stores, you're more likely to find blended massage oils containing two or more massage oils.

Why is it important to know about the different massage oils? Some oils are more likely to leave you feeling greasy after the massage, while other massage oils go rancid quickly and take on an unpleasant smell. Worse, some oils might irritate skin or cause allergic reactions.

Here are my five top choices. These massage oils can be used alone or in combination.

1) Sweet Almond Oil
Sweet almond oil is one of the most popular massage oils among massage therapists. Extracted from almonds, sweet almond oil is pale yellow in color.

It is slightly oily, which allows hands to glide easily over skin. Sweet almond oil is absorbed fairly quickly, but not so quickly that you need to keep reapplying it.

Compared with other oils, sweet almond oil is reasonably priced. It usually does not irritate skin. People with nut allergies should not use almond oil.

2) Apricot Kernel Oil
Apricot kernel oil is similar in texture and color to almond oil, but costs slightly more. It is rich in vitamin E, a quality that gives it a longer shelf life than the typical oil.

Like almond oil, apricot kernel oil is absorbed into the skin, so it won't leave people feeling greasy afterwards. This property also makes it a good oil to use for aromatherapy massage.

Apricot kernel oil is a good alternative to sweet almond oil for people with nut allergies.

3) Jojoba Oil
Jojoba is actually a wax extracted from the seed of the jojoba plant. Jojoba is a good option for most people prone to back acne because it is thought to have antibacterial properties and contains long chain wax esters that closely resembles skin sebum.

Jojoba has a very long shelf life, so it's a good choice if you don't use it regularly.

It is very well-absorbed, which makes it a favorite carrier oil for aromatherapy. Jojoba is usually not irritating to skin.

One drawback: jojoba oil is so silky and quickly absorbed, you may need to reapply it often or mix it with other oils listed here. It is more pricey than sweet almond oil.

4) Fractionated Coconut Oil
Although you may think of coconut oil as being a thick, white solid oil, fractionated coconut oil is actually a light, non-greasy, liquid oil.

It is called fractionated coconut oil because it contains only a fraction of the whole oil. The long-chain triglycerides have been removed, leaving only the medium-chain triglycerides.

Fractionated coconut oil is less pricey than many other oils (it's comparable to sweet almond oil) and like jojoba oil, has a very long shelf life. But perhaps the top feature of fractionated coconut oil is that it tends not to stain sheets, a problem with most massage oils.

5) Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil is a light, non-greasy oil that won't leave skin feeling oily. The oil, extracted from sunflower seeds, is rich in the essential fatty acid linoleic acid, as well as palmitic acid and stearic acid, all components of healthy skin. The amount of linoleic acid in skin declines with age and can be stripped by harsh soaps and cleansers.

Sunflower oil can go rancid quickly, so it should be purchased in small quantities and stored in a dark cool area. Squeezing one or two capsules of pure vitamin E oil into the bottle may help to extend the shelf life.

People with allergies to the sunflower plant family should avoid sunflower oil.

Other Massage Oils

Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is pressed from the avocado fruit. Deep green in color, avocado oil is a heavier oil and is usually mixed with lighter massage oils such as sweet almond oil.

Avocado oil is roughly double the cost of sweet almond oil. People who are sensitive to latex may be sensitive to avocado oil.

Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter is very rich and has a distinct chocolate aroma. It is solid at room temperature and has a heavy texture, so it needs to be blended with other oils or used only for very small areas.

Grapeseed Oil
In many respects, grapeseed oil makes a great massage oil. It has little-to-no odor, and it has a smooth, silky texture without being greasy.

However, most grapeseed oil is extracted from grape seeds using a solvent (rather than being pressed from the seeds), which some aromatherapists say make it an inferior oil for aromatherapy massage.

Kukui Nut Oil
A light, thin, non-greasy oil. Native to a Hawaii, kukui nut oil is typically used on all skin types, including oily skin and sun-damaged skin.

Olive Oil
Most people are familiar with olive oil as a cooking oil, but it is occasionally used for massage. It is a heavy oil with a greasy or sticky texture and recognizable aroma that many associate with cooking, so it's usually not used on its own for massage.

One study compared topical olive oil with sunflower oil and found that olive oil had no effect on epidermal barrier function, whereas topical sunflower oil resulted in significant improvement in the skin barrier.

Sesame Oil
Sesame oil is prized in Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India. It is used in a daily Ayurvedic self-massage called abhyanga, as well as shirodhara.

According to Ayurveda, sesame oil is especially useful for nourishing and detoxifying and for ailments associated with the vata type, such as anxiety, poor circulation, constipation, bloating, and excessive dryness.

Sesame oil is a rather thick oil that may leave skin feeling oily, so it can be blended with lighter massage oils. The unrefined oil has a strong aroma.

Shea Butter
Extracted from the seeds of a tree native to Africa, shea butter is a solid at room temperature. Like cocoa butter, shea butter is heavy and can leave an oily feeling on skin, so it is usually not used on its own for massage. It may be blended or used for very small areas.

Shea contains a natural latex, so people with latex allergies should do a patch test before using it.

Wheat Germ Oil
Wheat germ oil is too thick to use on its own as a massage oil, but it can be blended with lighter oils. Wheat germ oil is rich in vitamin E.

And finally, instead of oil, massage therapists often use specially-formulated massage gels and lotions.

Why Clients Are Requesting More Groin Work

from a Seattle masseur:

There are a great many reasons why new clients come to me to have pelvic and
groin massage therapy done.

But the two main reasons are to gain greater freedom of movement and to live healthier longer.

Wow. Good stuff. Right?

Think about those two health benefits and consider the less healthy options—an early hip
replacement, chronic lower back pain, and stress that can eventually lead to things like
prostrate cancer and incontinence issues.

Not so good.

Maybe you have a groin or pelvic injury, or a constant tightness in your pelvic region,
and you keep putting off having professional massage work done.

Often the clients who find me through referral or word of mouth are ready for the type
of healing pelvic and groin work I do, and are eager to feel a significant improvement
in their bodies. They may have hit a wall in treatment with other therapists and know
something was missing, and are ready to try again.

A big part of feeling better is getting massage therapy for the problem areas you know
about, and having bodywork done so you’ll prevent future problems.

Groin and pelvic massage helps to open up and create space in hip joints, and relieve the stress that’s been building up.

In Seattle and our surrounding communities, people have the same stresses and problems that everyone else does in other parts of our country.

We just happen to live in a city surrounded by nature and are constantly reminded that we’re a part of nature.

I believe it’s in our nature to be smart creatures that solve problems.

Now is the best time to discover how much better your body will feel when you’re good to it and get the massage therapy you need.

Quick Guide: What Massage Is Right For Me?

Massage is an art form which is thousands of years old, and it has been practiced extensively in a wide variety of cultures to heal the body and soul. The increasingly global nature of human interactions has led to a widespread dissemination of massage techniques, and most massage therapists offer massage techniques from places like Thailand, Sweden, Indonesia, and Africa in their practices. For clients, the wide range of available massage styles can be somewhat confusing, especially since many massage therapists will integrate several techniques into one session. The following overview of common massage techniques is by no means exhaustive, but it should help you distinguish between myofascial release and craniosacral therapy at your next dinner party.

The type of massage that comes to mind when most people hear the word is Swedish or Esalen style massage. Both forms incorporate a great deal of touch with the body, long, flowing strokes, and specialized strokes designed to penetrate areas of deeper tension and pain. For general relaxation, this type of massage is an excellent choice, and will leave your body with an all over good feeling; if you have worked with a good therapist, you may also feel more emotionally balanced as well.

For deeper massage, there are styles like Rolfing, myofascial release, lymphatic drainage, and deep tissue. All of these types of massage incorporate much deeper muscle work, and require more training on the part of the therapist. In most cases, these therapists prefer to work with clients several times, identifying problem areas, releasing tension, and teaching the body to hold strong, healthy postures. Deep work can be intense, as the therapist manipulates muscles and tendons, but is also highly beneficial when performed well.

Other types of massage and bodywork focus more on spirituality. These include craniosacral therapy, Reiki, reflexology, and other types of energy work. The guiding principles behind these styles of bodywork are often rooted in Asian tradition. Energy workers look at the energy of the body and the ways in which it is distributed, searching for areas of blockage, tension, andweakness. Often an energy work session will involve minimal skin to skin contact, but may be accompanied by feelings of intense emotional release.

Some spas are also offer Asian style massages such as Thai, Shiatsu, and acupressure. Thai massage, also called “lazy man's yoga,” is a style of massage in which the client remains fully clothed on a floor mat while the therapist manipulates his or her body into deeply relaxing poses. Shiatsu and acupressure both focus on pressure points related to the energy fields of the body, and seek to release blocked energy to leave the client feeling renewed and healthier. Some spas also incorporate massage rituals, like Lulur, a traditional Javanese body care session with takes place before a wedding.

More exotic massage options include chai qiao, a Chinese style massage in which the therapist walks on the client's back with the assistance of a stabilizing frame, and warm stone massage, which uses strategically placed heated stones to deeply relax the body. Many practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine offer tui na, a Chinese massage tradition which is thousands of years old, and includes rolling motions, deep kneading, pushing, grasping, and drumming on various parts of the body. Another type of exotic massage is Lomi Lomi, a Hawaiian massage holistic massage technique.