Massage oil lubricates the skin and helps the masseur's hands glide easily. Oils rich in nutrients such as vitamin E and essential fatty acids also nourish the skin. They're useful as carrier oils for essential oil blends because they easily penetrate the skin, carrying the beneficial essential oils with them. While numerous plant oils are appropriate for massages, the scent, consistency and chemical makeup of certain oils puts them among the top choices.
Sweet Almond Oil
Although better known for the nutty flavor it adds to baked goods, sweet almond oil is also among the best oils for massage. A light, moderately quick absorbing oil, it lubricates the skin without leaving a greasy residue. Its skin-softening properties make it ideal for use with infants, too. Those with nut allergies should avoid this oil, though.
Sesame Seed Oil
Sesame seed oil is one of the oldest oils known to humankind. Practitioners of Indian Ayurvedic massage use the oil in relaxing and detoxifying massages like abhyanga and shirodhara. This oi is also antimicrobial and effective against staphylococcus and streptococcus, as well as the athlete's foot fungus. With the highest antioxidant content of any food oil, it not only protects the skin, but also has a long shelf life. On the downside, it's heavy and slow-absorbing.
Fractionated Coconut Oil
Unlike thick pure coconut oil, fractionated coconut oil is a clear to light-yellow free-flowing liquid. Next to almond oil, it's one of the best for massages, note bodywork experts at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts.This oil may also have health-giving properties. Pre-term babies who received coconut oil massages gained weight significantly faster than babies massaged with mineral oil or powder, reported a study published in the September 2005 issue of Indian Pediatrics.
Apricot Kernel Oil
Apricot kernel oil's pale color and light consistency are similar to that of almond oil. These properties make it popular in cosmetics, suntan lotions and hair conditioners, as well as for massages. The oil's faint apricot aroma makes it ideal for aromatherapy massages, especially if you add a few drops of relaxing essential oils like chamomile or ylang ylang.
Jojoba Oil
The nut of the desert-growing jojoba plant contains a liquid wax, rather than a true oil. This substance, called jojoba oil, is chemically similar to human skin oils.The Tohono O'odham people of the Sonoran Desert use jojoba nut paste to treat wounds and burns. Some clinical research suggests jojoba oil may also help with psoriasis and minor skin irritations, note medical professionals at Drugs.com.
References
- Southwest Institute of Healing Arts: Courses
- Fragrant World: Children and Aromatherapy
- Al Nabad Magazine: Sesame Seeds
- Academic Journals: Differential Antimicrobial Activity of the Various Crude Leaves Extracts of Sesame Radiatum Against Some Common Pathogenic Micro-Organisms
- PubMed.gov; Oil Massage in Neonates: An Open Randomized Controlled Study of Coconut versus Mineral Oil
Member Comments