After a long day, everyone seeks a way to relax their muscles and get the tension out of their bodies. Getting a massage is a perfect way to end your long day. Of course, you can’t always afford to pay for a massage session, so here in this article, we will recommend homemade massage oil for relaxation to be used at home.
Massage helps reduce levels of depression, anxiety and cortisol and decreases heart rate leading to a feeling of relaxation. Also, massage can be an effective remedy for chronic stress if you do it regularly.
Aromatherapy Massage Oils
Aromatherapy is one of the oldest and most natural methods to promote relaxation. This type of massage can help the body relax and improve the mood. When you add essential oils to massage therapy, it can help in muscle recovery, relieving pain and relaxation. In the aromatherapy session, you can add essential oils either in a diffuser or add some drops of the essential oil to the massage oil and apply it to the skin.
There are many essential oils that people use in aromatherapy and some of the most popular ones are bergamot, chamomile, eucalyptus, geranium, ginger, lemon, peppermint, and tea tree essential oils.
You can check Vivnaturelle’s wide range of aromatherapy products and find the one that matches your needs!
Essential Oil Massage Benefits
Essential oils have components that help relieve pain and stress, promote sleep and reduce depression. Besides other benefits including antioxidant, anti-microbial and anti-inflammation properties. The most common essential oils are lavender, chamomile, and bergamot essential oils which have anxiolytic effects.
1. Relieves Stress and Anxiety
As we discussed earlier combing aromatherapy and massage can work in synergy to maximise levels of relaxation by reducing stress and releasing muscle tension. Massage releases endorphins, which are hormones that are known as “feel good chemicals” because they have natural pain relief and stress reduction benefits.
2. Improves Circulation
The applied mild pressure of massage strokes boosts blood flow to vital organs and muscles. Some essential oils such as wintergreen, eucalyptus and ginger can help in boosting circulation.
3. Relieves Headaches
Aromatherapy massage can help in relieving headaches or migraine pain. People with chronic headaches seem to turn to traditional medicine, especially massage, to relieve pain. If you combine massage with aromatherapy with essential oils such as peppermint, which has an analgesic effect, they have a synergistic effect to relieve painful headaches.
4. Reduces Pain and Inflammation
Several research studies showed that massage is powerful in decreasing muscle soreness and fatigue. Massage counteracts inflammation that has caused discomfort in the body. As soon as the tissues are stimulated and circulation is increased, the body will start feeling much better and muscle pain will go away.
5. Promotes Relaxation
Massage can release tension in your body and make you feel relaxed. By adding essential oils of your preference to the massage oil, you can create an amazing relaxing experience. The gentle pressure applied during massage and using tension-releasing massage strokes can help you relax after a long stressful day.
Oils For Massage Session At Home
1. Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil is in fact a wax, which comes from the seed of the jojoba plant, native to North America. This oil is added to cosmetics and beauty products and can moisturise your body without clogging your pores. Moreover, it has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits and can be used for acne and eczema. It doesn’t irritate the skin and can help in wound healing. You can use jojoba oil directly onto your skin without diluting and it won’t stain your sheets.
2. Sweet Almond Oil
Sweet almond oil has nourishing benefits as it is high in Vitamin E and essential fatty acids and it is also easily absorbed. It comes from the sweet almond tree and has a delightful aroma. You should bear in mind that it has a pale-yellow colour, which can stain your sheets and you should avoid it if you have any nut allergies.
3. Avocado oil
These days avocado is widely known for its use in cosmetics because of its great benefits to the skin. Avocado oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and A, D and E vitamins which are very healthy for dry skin. According to a research study, avocado oil can increase collagen production and speed up wound healing. You should be careful due to its colour not to stain your sheets. It is quite viscous so you can dilute it with another massage oil such as almond oil.
4. Olive oil
Coming from the Mediterranean region, virgin olive oil is used in many skin products and it is also an option for massage. It isn’t a very popular oil in body massage, due to its heavy and greasy consistency, but it can be very beneficial to the skin because it’s rich in vitamin E and antioxidants. Therefore, you can use it in gentle massage such as Swedish or classic massage. It is also great for muscle recovery so it can be used in sports massage.
Massage Oil Blend Recipes
Blend #1
120ml carrier oil, such as olive oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, or avocado oil
20 drops geranium
15 drops vanilla
10 drops ylang ylang
Blend #2
120ml carrier oil, such as olive oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, or avocado oil
15 drops rose oil
15 drops neroli
14 drops sandalwood
Directions:
Place half of the carrier oil in a dark glass pump bottle or dark plastic squeeze bottle, then add the essential oil. Add the remaining carrier oil. Close the bottle and slowly tilt it up and down to gently blend the oils then store it in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months. Shake the bottle before each use.
Massage Oil Recipe For Sore Muscles
This massage oil recipe is great if you want to release tension after a workout and relax your muscles.
Recipe #1:
Ingredients:
-1 empty glass bottle with a dropper
-30ml (2 table spoons) Jojoba Oil
-4 drops Cedarwood Oil
-4 drops Basil Oil
-8 drops of Lavender Oil
-8 drops Chamomile Oil
Directions:
Add half of the jojoba oil to the bottle then add the essential oils. After that, add the rest of the jojoba oil and tightly close the bottle and mix the ingredients. Shake the bottle well before each use.
Recipe #2:
Ingredients:
– 10 ml (2 teaspoons) sweet almond oil
-5-6 drops peppermint essential oil
-bowl
Directions:
In a small bowl, blend the peppermint essential oil with the sweet almond oil. Then you can use it to massage sore and stiff muscles.
Homemade Massage Oil Recipe With Olive Oil
Olive oil is beneficial when used with massage. It helps in faster muscle recovery by relieving muscle fatigue, enhancing circulation and increasing skin flexibility.
Ingredients:
-250ml olive oil
-8ml essential oil of your preference
Directions:
Add the olive oil and essential oil to a bowl and mix. You can select from a wide range of essential oils according to your mood and needs. When the oils are fully combined, you can warm them lightly before the massage session. Additionally, you can add vitamin E oil to nourish dry skin. This blend can be stored for 6 months.
Homemade Massage Oil Recipe with Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is considered one of the best natural massage oils and works great for relaxing massage sessions. You can use it either alone or with essential oils. It is easily absorbed and leaves your skin soft. It contains lauric acid and vitamin E which have anti-ageing benefits.
Ingredients:
-1 tbsp. Coconut Oil
-2 tbsp. Sweet Almond Oil
-1 tbsp. Vitamin E Oil
Optional: 10 drops of peppermint essential oil or lavender essential oil
Directions:
Add coconut oil to a small microwave-safe dish or glass measuring cup and microwave for 20 seconds or until the oil melts. Then add sweet almond oil, vitamin E oil and the essential oil drops. Then stir well until all combined. After that, you can transfer the mixture to a small dispenser or squeeze bottle, and store it at room temperature.
Homemade Massage Oil For Relaxation
Ingredients:
–16 tbsp. Fractionated coconut oil (coconut oil in a liquid form which lacks the lauric acid)
–8 tbsp. Sweet almond oil
–4 tbsp. Jojoba oil
–10 drops Ylang ylang essential oil
–5 drops Vanilla essential oil
– 10 drops Lavender essential oil
–5 drops Peppermint essential oil
–5 drops Tangerine essential oil
-clean glass bottle for storage
Directions:
In the glass container add the coconut oil, sweet almond oil and jojoba oil. After that, add the essential oils and mix well and add to a bottle for storage.
Takeaway
Homemade massage oils for relaxation are great after a long day and you can prepare them by using natural ingredients from your kitchen.
Essential oils are highly concentrated, and you should use them with care. You shouldn’t exceed the dilutions recommended for each recipe. It is advised to do a patch test on your skin before using the massage oil blend and if any irritation appears, you should wash your skin and consult a practitioner.
You can read more about homemade massage oils for relaxation here and the benefits of aromatherapy massage!