Massage Mediums

Massage Mediums

Written By: Rose Hannigan

Oils: Oil is normally the medium of choice for holistic massage. It acts as a lubricant allowing good glide and slip for tissue manipulation. Grapeseed oil is commonly used because of its fine texture, and not being too sticky or greasy. It can also be blended with other oils such as sweet almond, wheat germ or jojoba etc…. Which ever oil the therapist chooses, it should be vegetable in origin. Baby oil for example is a derivative of the petroleum industry. It acts as a barrier so therefore the skin cannot absorb it. It has no beneficial ingredients and can lead to congestion in the pores. Grapeseed oil however, is fine in texture, free flowing and is high in linoleic acid. It also contains vitamin E which is nourishing for the skin, anti-aging and gives it a good shelf-life. The only real disadvantage of using grapeseed oil is that it’s usually produced by hot extraction, leading to the loss of a lot of its beneficial properties. But its advantages are its easily absorbed by the skin, allows good slip, good smooth texture to work with, and its suitable for all skin types and areas of the body. It is also cheap and easily available. Mixing with some of the other oils mentioned above will allow for more of the beneficial properties to be included in treatment. Choice of blend depends on client and any allergies or disorders they may have, eg. Wheatgerm can’t be used with celiac disorder; Macadamia cannot be used on clients with nut allergies.

Creams : These are a lubricating product with a creamy formula. They are most suited to dry skin conditions, but are not suitable on a hairy body. Some clients will prefer cream for facial massage. Many creams contain mineral oil which is of no benefit to the skin, other then acting as a barrier, so it’s worth trying to source one that is vegetable oil in origin, such as safflower. This will be more expensive, but it melts and liquefies on contact with the skins warmth. It will also provide a smooth non-drag medium for massage with beneficial prosperities for those clients whose preference is cream. All creams used should be perfume-free/fragrance free as it’s the biggest cause of allergies.

Talc : talc is the traditional medium for Swedish massage. Again it should be perfume free. It should not be used on or near the face due to the possibility of inhalation and blocking of pores. It’s also not a good choice of medium for client with a lot of body hair. It is however useful for deep tissue massage of specific, small areas and also for foot massage where a client has particularly sweaty feet.

Essential oil pre-blend : In aromatherapy massage, unless qualified to mix your own oils, a pre-blend must be used. These are generally safe but client consultation will determine which pre-blend can be used. Pregnancy for example would be a contra-indication to a lot of essential oils. There are a wide range of conditions that would restrict the blend of oils that could be used, so knowledge of essential oils is desirable if not essential. Pre-blends are usually produced to help specific states and can be categorised as “relaxing”, “stimulating”, “detoxifying” etc….. Again, a thorough consultation will determine which will be most beneficial to client. It is essential to allow the client to smell the oil (blend), as sense of smell is individual to each person, they may find it repulsive. Essential oils have excellent benefits and therefore during homecare advice, advise client to leave on as long as possible. Ideally recommend not showering or bathing until the following morning.

BEAUTY TIPS FOR WOMEN

Women who wear make-up should carry out a routine of cleansing, toning and moistening each evening, as well as washing the face in the morning. Cleansing will remove old make-up and the grime and grease that have been accumulated during the day.

Eyes Right
If eyes are the window to your soul, make sure they stand out. Instead of applying that same jet black liquid eye liner on the upper lid of the eye, try something different. Invest in a dark blue eye pencil and line your eyes all around with it.

Water Water
Want to lose weight but just can't seem to stop eating? Try drinking at least 2 glasses of water before your meal. Drinking subdues the appetite and tricks your stomach into feeling satisfied with less. You're definitely not starving yourself, and neither are you overeating. Perfect, isn't it?

Steaming
Steam your face once a week to open pores, so it can be cleansed more effectively. Add a few herbs like basil (tulsi) for extra advantage. Don't steam face directly over the burning stove - too hot! Instead, remove the boiling water from the stove and form a tent with your towel

OOOO..!
Though you can't prevent those tiny lines from forming around your mouth and eyes, you can certainly delay their onset. Try this simple exercise. Stretch your mouth into a wide grin and say 'eee' and then into a circle saying 'ooo'. Oh, and do this in the privacy of your room if you don't want to be shipped to the funny farm.

Soft And Silky
For a deep, moisturising skin treatment apply olive oil to your skin Care once a week. Let it soak in while you take a steamy shower, and blot out the excess with a tissue.

You Better Not Pout..!
Lipstick applied to dry lips does not last long. Moisturise lips with lip balm or Vaseline and let it get absorbed before applying lipstick. For a final touch, add a bit of glitter to lips. It's dynamite, but do keep it subtle!

Cheating Mother Nature
The general rule of thumb is that light colours bring things forwards, while dark colours make them recede. So hide that prominent jawbone by brushing a dark shade over it. You could also brush a dark colour in the hollow of your chin for a flirtatious cleft! Who said you needed plastic surgery?

Ice Ice Baby
Keep skin looking young and fresh by splashing your face with ice-cold water.. This rejuvenates the skin and delays the onset of wrinkles. (Don't try this if you are prone to broken capillaries. )

Lime N' Lemony
For a great shine to hair, squeeze the juice of one lemon into a mug of water and give your hair a final rinse with this mixture, after shampooing. You could also use a tablespoon of vinegar instead of a lemon.

AND SO TO BED
Never, ever go to sleep without washing off your make-up. That's a surefire step to a disastrous complexion.

Fun In The Sun
The sun's warmth may make you feel good but it's ultraviolet rays over time cause at best, dry wrinkly skin and at worst, skin cancer. Don't step out without loading on that sunscreen. In the summers, avoid stepping out between 12:00 to 2:00 when the sun is at its peak.

Blackheads
To remove blackheads, steam for 5 mins and exfoliate immediately.

Shiny & Strong Hairs
To make your hair shiny and strong, after taking a shower apply olive oil into damp hair. It will make your hair shiny and much stronger.

Eye Makeup
Use foundation on your eyelids before applying eye shadow. It helps the eye shadow stay on longer.

acne prone skin
Use a gentle soap like Dove for acne prone skin. It makes your skin Care a lot less oily because its PH balanced.

Clay Mask
A Clay Mask works wonders on oily skin!

eyelash curler
Use a hair dryer for a few seconds on your eyelash curler.

remove stubborn eye makeup
Use petroleum jelly or cold cream to remove stubborn eye makeup. its cheap and it works (even on waterproof mascara).

remove stubborn eye makeup
Use petroleum jelly or cold cream to remove stubborn eye makeup. its cheap and it works (even on waterproof mascara).

blotting oily skin
Instead of buying expensive oil blotter papers, buy a box of perm papers. Very cheap and works great for blotting oily skin.

reduce redness
Spray your face with cold water or stand with your head in the air from the freezer for a few moments to reduce redness.

lighter shades of eyeliner
Line deep set eyes with lighter shades of eyeliner to emphasize them!

Drink 8 glasses of water a day and use a moisturizer
Nothing ages a person more than worry. Try to be positive and love every day as a new adventure and get joy from all the little things (so many cost nothing). Drink 8 glasses of water a day and use a moisturizer.

Keep lashes smooth
Keep lashes smooth and supple by brushing them with petroleum jelly before going to bed at night. It is also a good way to emphasize natural-looking lashes in the daytime.

Lips
Apply carmex on your lips before putting on lipgloss or lipstick, it helps it stay on longer, keep it moisturized, and sometimes makes your lips "juicier" looking.