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.