Massages offer relaxation and can relieve muscle tension, but the cost of high-quality massage oils can add up. Creating your own massage oil at home is a cost-effective and customizable alternative. This article provides a comprehensive guide to crafting your perfect DIY massage oil blend, complete with recipes, tips, and safety considerations.
Introduction
Making massage oils at home allows you to control the ingredients and tailor the scent and texture to your preferences. While using a simple carrier oil like coconut or olive oil with a few drops of essential oil is a good starting point, experimenting with different combinations can elevate your massage experience.
The Basic DIY Massage Oil Recipe
This recipe provides a foundation for creating a massage oil with the right balance of slip and drag.
Ingredients:
- 4 oz carrier oil, such as olive oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, or avocado oil
- Castor oil
- 30-45 drops essential oil or essential oil blend
- 1/4 teaspoon Vitamin E oil (optional)
Instructions:
- Blend the carrier oil (olive, almond, or coconut oil) with castor oil in a 9:1 ratio.
- Place half of the carrier oil in a dark-colored glass pump bottle or dark-colored plastic squeeze bottle, then add the essential oil and add Vitamin E oil, if using. Add the remaining carrier oil.
- Slowly tilt the bottle up and down to gently blend oils and store in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months if you used Vitamin E or up to 1 month if you didn't use Vitamin E.
- Shake gently before each use.
Castor oil is a unique ingredient that adds viscosity to the blend, providing a feeling of "drag" that is ideal for deeper tissue massage. If you prefer a massage oil with more drag, increase the amount of castor oil, but be careful not to overdo it, as it can be sticky.
Vitamin E helps prevent oxidation of oils, so it extends the life of your massage oil. However, it's definitely optional.
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Choosing Your Carrier Oil
The carrier oil forms the base of your massage oil and contributes to its texture and properties. Here are some popular options:
- Olive Oil: A readily available and affordable option, olive oil is rich and moisturizing.
- Sweet Almond Oil: A light and easily absorbed oil, sweet almond oil is suitable for most skin types.
- Jojoba Oil: Technically a liquid wax, jojoba oil closely resembles the skin's natural sebum and is known for its moisturizing and balancing properties.
- Avocado Oil: A rich and emollient oil, avocado oil is particularly beneficial for dry or mature skin.
- Coconut Oil: A heavier oil that provides a luxurious feel, coconut oil can solidify at cooler temperatures. If this happens, simply warm the bottle in a bowl of warm water to return it to a liquid state.
If you want a richer blend, use heavier oils like coconut. Note that coconut oil will solidify into a butter in the winter or in the fridge. Don’t panic, this doesn’t affect the blend’s efficacy in any way. Just place in a bowl of warm water (taking care that the water doesn’t enter your oil container) and it will melt into a liquid.
Creating Your Perfect Scent Blend
Essential oils add fragrance to your massage oil and offer therapeutic benefits. When blending essential oils, consider the top, middle, and base notes to create a balanced aroma.
Understanding Top, Middle, and Base Notes
Essential oils evaporate and release their scent at differing rates, so thus creating a blend is a really wonderful idea so that you can enjoy the aroma throughout your massage, not just right at the beginning when it's first applied. Thus, your goal is to create a blend that you enjoy throughout all of the stages of evaporation. It's the art and science of perfumery and aromatherapy, but at home! To do so, you'll want to use a mix of oils that each release their scent at different times, often called top notes, middle notes, and bottom notes.
- Top Notes: These oils have strong aromas that evaporate quickly. Examples include citrus oils (lemon, sweet orange, grapefruit) and mints (peppermint, bergamot, eucalyptus).
- Middle Notes: These oils have more subtle, longer-lasting fragrances. Examples include floral oils (chamomile, lavender, geranium, neroli, ylang ylang) and herb oils (anise, cardamom, clary sage, thyme).
- Base Notes: These oils have lingering aromas and help to blend the other notes together. Examples include woody scents (sandalwood, frankincense, patchouli, cedarwood, myrrh) and heavy floral scents (rose, vanilla).
It is recommended to use oils from each category, it's certainly not required. Use your nose and your intelligence to decide what YOU like!
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Experimenting and Blending
Before creating a large batch, experiment with small amounts of essential oils to find your preferred ratios. Drip a few drops of each oil onto a cotton ball in the desired ratio, and smell it to determine if you like the blend. Check to see if your conclusion is still the same. If so, then using that same ratio, blend the two together in a larger volume for your DIY massage oil.
Scent Blend Recipes
Here are a couple of essential oil blend recipes to get you started:
Blend #1
- 20 drops geranium
- 15 drops vanilla
- 10 drops ylang ylang
Blend #2
- 15 drops rose otto
- 15 drops neroli
- 15 drops sandalwood
I usually add lavender and sweet orange in a ratio of 5:1.
Essential Oil Safety
Always rub the massage oil on a small, inconspicuous area first before applying any essential oil blend to large areas of the body. Remember that not all allergic reactions are immediate. Wait at least twenty minutes, then check the test site for redness or swelling. In case of allergic reaction, do not rinse with water! The best way to remove oil is to apply liquid dishwashing soap to dry skin where the oil is present. Rub gently until you are certain that the oil has been removed before rinsing, usually at least 30 seconds.
It is strongly recommended that pregnant or breastfeeding women consult with a professional physician or aromatherapist before using essential oils or other herbal remedies. You may also consult the searchable database in our Safe Essential Oils for Children and Babies article, but keep in mind that that's no substitute for consulting a knowledgeable healthcare professional who can evaluate how particular herbs and essential oils will interact with YOUR body.
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Also, remember to wear sufficient clothing to provide sun protection if you must be exposed to sunlight after applying essential oils to your skin. Some essential oil blends (especially those containing citrus oils) have the potential to make skin more sensitive to UV damage.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store your massage oil in a cool, dark place to prevent it from turning rancid. Direct sunlight or heat can degrade the oils. Oils don’t usually need the same level of germ-controlling preservatives as water-based products like creams do. But it’s best to give your oil a little sniff before you slather your partner with it. If it smells “off” or changes texture, toss it.
The shelf life of your DIY massage oil will depend on the carrier oils and the inclusion of Vitamin E. In general, massage oils made without Vitamin E last up to one month, while those containing Vitamin E can last up to six months.
Beyond the Recipe: Enhancing Your Massage Experience
Pairing your DIY massage oil with the gift of massage makes this gift extra-special.
Melt: Massage for Couples
Melt: Massage for Couples is an online course that teaches you step-by-step how to give your partner exceptional massages, with the focus being to massage safely, massage well, and nurture and celebrate being with your spouse. It's a GREAT way to learn basic massage techniques you can use again and again. The instructor, Denis Merkas, who has been a professional massage therapist for nearly 20 years, makes it beautifully pleasant and downright simple with clear demonstrations and calm encouragement. Namely, Melt is everything you want in a gift: it's classy, it's thoughtful, it SCREAMS “I want to spend time with you,” and it’s the type of gift that keeps on giving. It's also ready for you instantly, so it's a perfect last-minute gift as well!
Alternative: Pre-Made Massage Oils
If you don't want to make your own massage oil Through the years, I have been super-impressed with Mountain Rose Herb's pre-mixed massage oils. They're affordable, very pleasantly scented, and effective.