A little touch of luxury
MASSAGE oils are no longer confined to the murky world of Amsterdam’s red light district at 4am. They’re now very sleek, very slick and very beautifully scented.
Of course, massage works best if you can get someone else to do it. This ancient art of manipulating muscles can even be done with out any oils. (Thai massage anyone?), but if you’re planning to do it at home, then a fancy product works a treat.
Massage oils also work as moisturisers so you’ll be doing your skin good, as well as your muscles.
First up are the poshies: massage oils that will put a dent in your wallet. At the top of the scale is the award-winning Aromatherapy Associates Renew Rose Massage and Body Oil, €46.80.
You’d want to be pretty committed to massage to spend this much, but what you’ll get is extracts of rose absolue, nerolu and evening primrose oil. The scent is magnificent, and the oil is very effective at conditioning the skin.
Dr Hauschka’s Birch Arnica Body Oil, €20.40 (healthmatters.ie) doesn’t have “massage” in the title, but it’s a body oil and any body oil can be used as a massage oil. As well as claiming to “activate the skin’s metabolic rate and increase circulation”, this oil is great to use as a sports massage oil thanks to the birch and arnica which can help tired muscles.
Great for massaging into the skin to help treat issues such as cellulite, Clarins’s “Anti Eau” Body Treatment Oil, €44, uses pure plant extracts of broom, geranium and marjoram. It’s got a great scent and works particularly well massaged into tired calves and feet.
But while there are lots of excellent pricey products out there, you’ll still find a great selection at the mid-range of the market. Neal’s Yard is a superb hunting ground for the best massage oils around. I particularly like their Organic Aromatic Massage Oil, €14.82.
Or try their Organise Base Massage Oil, €7.38 (bathandunwind.com) and add a few drops of whatever essential oil you fancy. It’s a great way of making your own perfect oil.
The Sanctuary Daily Escape Massage and Body Oil, €9.50, is a riot of rosehip, sunflower, cranberry, sweet almond and grape seed oil and smells really gorgeous.
Or, if you want to get frisky, then our money’s on The Body Shop Sensual Massage Oil, €15.95, inspired by traditional Polynesian massage rituals. It is, as its makers say, “ideal for couples”.
The British company Lush can be ridiculously over the top in terms of scents, but their massage bars are just the ticket, especially if you’re looking for something natural, effective and well priced.
They smell divine and can be used over and over (get a ‘massage bar tin’ also from Lush to keep them in, otherwise they tend to go all gooey).
Try the zingy Bewitched, €8.54, with chamomile, violet and jojoba; Ego, €10.05 (both only available online at www.lush.co.uk), with herbal oils of rosemary, tarragon and lavender - perfect to send you off to sleep; and Wiccy Magic Muscles, €8.90, with Aduki beans to relieve muscle pain and tension, and peppermint and cinnamon to soothe aches and pains.
Clarins body oils really are the business. Whenever my skin is in need of a treat, they’re exactly what I reach for and whether you want to use them for massage or not, they’re ideal. If you’ve got lumpy, bumpy cellulite-type skin, then try massaging the oil into your legs (after using a body brush pre-shower). It won’t get rid of your orange peel but it’ll definitely go some way to helping.
Wonderfully soothing, this is exactly the type of massage oil you want to come home to after a long day. In a soft smooth base of sunflower, almond and wheat-germ oil, you’ll find the calming aromas of geranium, lavender and marjoram. It’s Soil Association approved, and suitable for vegans, too.
Most massage oils are designed to relax and soothe, but this product from Lush has the opposite effect. Zingy and refreshing, it has quite a strong citrus scent thanks to lime oil. Added in is chamomile, violet and joboba and it has lots of bobbles to get to work on those muscles. Only available online at www.lush.co.uk.
Having trouble sleeping? Then you need Badger’s lavender massage oil, and a loved one to do some work on your shoulders. Sweet almond oil is blended with calming, soothing Kentish lavender, English chamomile and neroli to create a very chilled-out massage oil.
Want something different? Try this skin-smoothing beeswax, soybean and coconut oil natural candle. Light it up, wait a while and your room will come alive with the gorgeous scents of rose de mai. Later, you’ll have a warm, relaxing oil that can be poured straight on the skin. A real treat.
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