Massage is an incredible therapeutic technique that can work to stimulate both the mind and body to provide an alleviation of pain, stress, and anxiety. You don’t have to be struggling with any issues to take advantage of it either, neither do you have to spend a lot of money to have the technique applied to you.
It is easy to apply massage techniques at home, and it is even easier to make your own massage oil that is both beneficial to the body and to the mind. If you have wondered how to use essential oils for massage, the following DIY recipe blends show just how easy this can be.
Benefits of Massage
Massage is highly beneficial and is the practice of manipulating muscles, ligaments, and tendons through repetitive rubbing and pressing upon the skin. These movements are best done with the use of a lubricant to allow the hands or other products to move more smoothly over the skin to avoid pinching or friction.
It increases blood flow and helps bring blood to the surface of your skin while allowing respiration and heart rate to drop. This can work towards healing and triggers a relaxation response to decrease stress hormones. Together this blood and lymph circulation relaxes muscles to release deeper blood flow penetration and allows nerves and connective tissues to heal.
The reduction of pain, support of healing, and mental clarity that accompanies the practice can be further enhanced with the use of aromatherapy if essential oils are used. Many oils provide beneficial relaxation through inhalation and also work as antioxidants, antibacterials, and anti-inflammatories upon your skin.
Why Make Your Own Massage Oils?
There is nothing complicated about a massage oil as it is designed to provide a smooth movement over your skin without pinching or rubbing uncomfortably. It’s simple to make your own and control the ingredients to ensure you are getting a nourishing, natural oil that is beneficial to healing and health.
Massage oil uses are many since certain oils are an excellent addition to your skin and are considered gentle and healing. The addition of essential oils can change the experience completely as well as it adds an aura of aromatherapy that fills your senses with a scent that also works to help calm, focus, and relax. Many of these oils are incredibly beneficial to your body also and can help combat illness, skin issues, and reduce inflammation.
What You Need
To get started with this DIY massage oil tutorial, all you need are some very simple, and easy to find ingredients. The following is my favorite mixture to use with a selection of possible essential oils to treat a variety of mental and physical ailments. You can also use other carrier oils, such as Olive, Jojoba, Grapeseed, and Almond if you desire.
Fractionated Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is an excellent option to use because it is nourishing and easy to work with. Fractionated oils have had the long-chain triglycerides removed to allow it to stay in a liquid state without solidification. This makes it a drier option, does not have the scent often associated with coconut oil present, and also will not stain clothing or sheets. It is light and non-greasy and works as an excellent carrier for other oil additions.
Coconut oil also acts as a natural preservative so you have a long shelf life.
Vitamin E Oil
Vitamin E oil is slightly thick and greasy, which makes it perfect to pair with coconut oil to allow it to more evenly distributed over the skin. It is an amazingly nourishing oil that is popular to help soothe skin, heal rough, dry, or chapped skin, and strengthens hair and nail cuticles – making it perfect for head massages.
Selection of Essential Oils Safe for Topical Application
There is a huge variety of oils available for you to choose from that are skin safe. All have various properties to ease the mind and body, so pick and choose at your discretion. If you plan on trying out any new oils, it is suggested to always first do a skin test to check for sensitivities as they can exist.
Some of my favorite options include peppermint to soothe, cool, and heal; Lavender for relaxation; pain blends for deep tissue healing; Geranium, due to its revitalizing properties; and Frankincense as it lends an empowering aroma that is amazing at revealing healthier-looking skin.
A Glass Bottle
If you can use a dark glass bottle all the better, but I find oil and oil blends are best stored in glass to help keep the integrity of their properties and scent. If you only have a clear glass just be sure to store in a dark, cool area.
Directions
Honestly, the making of this recipe couldn’t be easier. I use a specific ratio of coconut oil to vitamin E of 12:1 – or to explain more simply:
¼ cup of coconut oil
1 teaspoon vitamin E Oil
Essential oil is very specific to the user to enhance both scent strength and effects of the oil on the body. A basic dilution is 20 drops per ¼ cup of oil, but you can easily adjust this.
Step 1: Add Coconut Oil to the Bottle
Because a little oil goes a long way I don’t like to make too much all at once and only start with ¼ cup of coconut oil. I strongly suggest using a funnel to pour your oil into the bottle if you don’t want to end up with oil down the side and floor…whoops!
Step 2: Add Vitamin E oil to the Bottle
You’ll notice that the Vitamin E is thicker than the coconut oil, but not by much and they blend easily into one another. Even though Vitamin E oil is a yellowish color, it doesn’t show when diluted. I used one teaspoon to my ¼ cup of coconut oil.
Step 3: Add Essential Oils to the Bottle
For a strong scent that isn’t overwhelming, I suggest approximately 20 drops of essential oil. Be sure to use a pure oil that is not premixed with a carrier to get the full concentrated effect. As you can see from my pictures, I don’t discriminate from one company brand to the next as long as what I purchase is quality.
Suggested Essential Oil Blends
Although many of these work well on their own, they also blend well together to create various effects. Consider some of these favorites to find your favorites.
Stress Relieving:
Lavender, Peppermint, and Eucalyptus
Sweet Orange and Rose Geranium
Valerian and Sandalwood
Pain Relieving:
Lavender and Bergamot
Myrrh and Roman Chamomile
Frankincense and Sweet Orange
Energizing:
Clary Sage and Grapefruit
Ylang Ylang and Jasmine
Bergamot and Ylang Ylang
Conclusion
The idea of making your own massage oil is such a simple concept it is easy to completely forget you can do so with very little effort. With your choice of carrier oil and a wide range of essential oils to choose from, you can both nourish your skin and help soothe your mind and body.
We’d love to hear below of your own experiences with various oil blends and which are your favorite. And, as always, please share!
The post How to Make Massage Oils With Essential Oils appeared first on Better Mind Body Soul.
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