An aromatherapy massage is considered the ‘ultimate’ aromatherapy treatment because it combines the healing power of touch with 100% pure, therapeutic essential oils and carrier oils. There are many physical and emotional benefits of massage that can be further enhanced by the oil you choose. It can help relieve fatigue, pain, tension, stress and anxiety, improve circulation, eliminate toxins, promote sleep, strengthen the immune system, promote feelings of calm and relaxation and create an overall sense of well-being.
Basic massage techniques
- Efleurage is the movement that should first be used on the body and then repeated during the massage. It involves long, slow, stroking movements that progress from light to firm. These movements help coat the body with oil, warm the muscles and promote relaxation. Use both hands side by side and keep them flat with fingers loosely touching.
- Petrissage is a kneading movement used to train the muscles. It should only be done on fleshy, muscular parts of the body – never on the bone. It involves gently, rhythmically lifting, stretching or squeezing the muscles with the hands or fingertips – a bit like kneading dough! This is a deeper movement that relieves muscle tension and stimulates circulation.
- Friction is a firm, rubbing movement that works deeper into tight, tense, knotted muscles. It should only be used after effleurage (and perhaps some petrissage) has warmed the area. The fingers and thumbs are used in a circular or backward and forward direction. The movement should begin gently, gradually increasing pressure to avoid pain or resistance. Friction should not be applied for too long, nor on recently injured muscles, areas of inflammation, or scar tissue.
- Feathering is a wonderful, soothing way to end the massage. The fingertips are used to stroke very gently in a slow rhythmic style (with only the lightest pressure), for example along the sides of the spine.
Now that we’ve covered the basic techniques, it’s time to get started. Follow our top 10 tips below to help you get the most out of your aromatherapy massage.
Top 10 massage tips
- Safety first. Massage is generally considered a safe, non-invasive treatment for most people, but there is a long list of contraindications that may mean you shouldn’t perform a massage at all or it should be applied to certain areas of the body adapted or avoided. Please ensure that you are familiar with all forms of contraindications and that, if applicable, appropriate medical clearance has been given.
- Create the right environment. Ideally, the room should be a few degrees warmer than normal, as oiled skin can cool down more quickly. You can even place an electric blanket under a clean towel on the massage table for a really warm and cozy feeling. Make sure you have some extra towels (heated ones are great) to cover the parts of the body that aren’t being massaged. Provide dim lighting and perhaps light some candles to create a relaxing atmosphere. You may also want to play some soft music and diffuse some essential oils to complement the treatment.
- Good practice. Check that your fingernails are cut short, rings and other jewelry are removed, and long hair is tied back.
- Prepare your massage oil. For body massage we generally use a dilution of 1.5% to 3%. This means that you use 6-13 drops of essential oil per 15 ml of carrier oil. Alternatively, you can also use one of our pre-blended aromatherapy massage oils or waxes that are expertly blended and ready to use. The hydration level of the skin and the size of the person make a difference in the amount of oil you need to mix, but as a general rule you need 15-30ml for a full body massage. The amounts quoted are guidelines only – you may wish to adjust the amounts up or down to a limited extent, as long as you test first and avoid oils known to be too stimulating for sensitive skin (such as citrus oils ), you can give an effective aromatherapy massage. If you like to experiment, always make a note of which essential oils you used and in what quantities so that you can identify the most effective essential oils for your future treatments.
- Warm your hands. Touch by cold hands causes the muscles to contract and worsen the pain. Warm hands help relax and calm down.
- Keep your hands relaxed and flat. With the wrists loose, bring the thumbs up in line with the rest of the hand, which should be flat but relaxed. Skin contact should be maintained over the entirety of the hands and fingers, but the most important areas are the fingertips, the fleshy pads of the hands and the heels of the hands. Before you start conducting an imaginary orchestra or making waves with your hands, loosen your hands.
- Keep it slow. If the massage movements resemble car cleaning movements, instead of relaxation the recipient will experience skin irritation and increased sensation of pain. To help you slow down, put on some slow music and encourage feedback, or ask the recipient to breathe deeply and then match the speed of the massage to the speed of breathing.
- Always maintain contact with the skin. Hands removed from the skin between strokes again heighten the senses and pain awareness. There is always an element of surprise when the hands make contact with the skin again. It is often described as “setting the nerves on edge”. Contact should always be maintained – just gently slide the hands into position without ever losing contact – even if this means stroking clothes or hair.
- Ensure good pressure. Stroking or tickling instead of massaging can have a huge irritating effect. Encourage feedback so that you apply the right amount of pressure to the recipient. Most masseurs are surprised to find that the pressure required is significantly greater than you would expect. To help prevent fatigue, use your body weight where necessary, i.e. lean into the massage with your back straight. Performing standing massage is often a lot easier because the body weight can be controlled and used more easily.
- Do not apply too much oil. Too much oil or synthetic oils such as baby oil causes excessive slipping, i.e. hands sliding over the skin, which is irritating. Our advice is to use a good quality 100% natural carrier oil such as sweet almond or grapeseed oil. This is easily absorbed through the skin and ‘carries’ the therapeutic essential oils to the body. At the same time, it still leaves a thin layer on the surface, which prevents the hair and skin from being “dragged”. For example, if you massage upwards over the muscles with long strokes, you should be able to see the muscle rolling in front of you like a small wave, indicating that your pressure is such that you are helping the muscles relax. If there is too much slip or too little pressure, this will not happen and you will probably find your subject tense and uncomfortable. If after ten minutes they are very still, lost in a trance as if in a daze and breathing slowly and deeply, don’t say a word – just continue with confidence knowing that you “have the hands” as we therapists say!
Basic formula
Disclaimer and safety advice