Why Aromatherapy Oils Can Enhance Your Massage

Any massage will help you relax, de-stress and re-charge. But choose the oils to enhance a mood and you could be getting even more out of the treatment.

A popular choice by many clients visiting this salon in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, an aromatherapy massage gives you everything that you expect from a great massage, plus the benefit of the essential oil you have chosen. In this way, the treatment is able to affect the wellbeing of both the mind as well as the body.

What happens during an aromatherapy massage

During your massage, your usual massage oil is used as a carrier for the essential oil. Those who have been on an aromatherapy massage course will have studied the different essential oils and their properties. These oils are extremely potent and have to be heavily diluted with the carrier and are plant-based oils extracted in a still by pressurized steam, which breaks down the structure of the plant which holds the essential oils, thereby releasing the compounds from the herbs, trees or flowers as desired. Each oil has its own unique properties and its related therapeutic benefits. Thesesweet-smelling essential oils are selected according to the client’s requirements for relaxation, or invigoration, or to ease breathing amongst others benefits. These oils are absorbed through your skin and inhaled during the massage and impart their benefits to both mind and body. Clients choose an aromatherapy massage to improvet heir mood, help with pain or to detox the body, and choose the oils advised by the therapist accordingly.

An aromatherapy massage course introduces the therapist to unique benefits

Essential oils such as lavender or bergamot are recognisedas beneficial for anxiety, depression and insomnia and can be used to alleviate these issues when used during an aromatherapy massage. Oils extracted from the citrus fruits are known to energize and enliven the mood and  of courselavender has more uses than perhaps any other essential oil, but primarily is used for  its calming effects, whilst peppermint is instantly refreshing. A trained therapist understands that as you inhale and absorb the essential oils the aroma taps into your emotions, bringing the client the effects they are seeking to calm and relax, or energise, and impact on their wellbeing. Many clients comment on the immediate improvement in their sleep patterns following an aromatherapy massage.As the client inhales the aromas released by the essential oils, nasal sensors connected directly to the limbic system of the brain kick in and the aromas directly influence the emotions. 

The massage technique helps the oils

The massage technique used for an aromatherapy massage is the Swedish massage, often known as a classic full body, as this is the technique most conducive to the aims of the massage. During this treatment the Swedish technique uses different levels of medium pressure and long strokes designed to release tension in the body and address any issue in the muscles such as knots or lesions. This style of massage is not too robust and ideal for relaxation and stress relief, especially if this is for new massage clients who may not handle a deep tissue session easily as their first introduction to massage. Many of our therapists are available to give clients an aromatherapy massage that will leave them refreshed and renewed.

Essential oils commonly used during a Swedish massage include geranium, lavender, sweet orange, patchouli and cedar wood.