Recommended Massage Oils

 

Coconut oil

Often associated with Hawaiian massage, coconut oil has a light, silky smooth texture, which makes it an ideal base oil. In its cold pressed form (virgin coconut oil) it has long been used to treat damaged skin and is now known to have anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant qualities. It is unique among vegetable oils in that it contains large amounts of stable, saturated fatty acids.

 

Jojoba oil

Known to native Americans for many hundreds of years, jojoba oil is used for its healing, soothing, moisturising and conditioning qualities. It is actually a liquid wax and very similar in its nature to the natural sebum secreted from sebaceous glands in our skin. For this reason, jojoba oil is a highly recommended massage oil, widely believed to be of great benefit in reducing wrinkles, scars and stretch marks and lubricating both skin and hair.

 

Sesame oil

Favoured by the Chinese and in Indian Ayurvedic Medicine for many centuries as a massage oil and as a treatment for damaged skin, sesame oil is now known to have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant qualities. It soothes and moisturises and contains linoleic acid (an omega-6 unsaturated fatty acid) and lecithin, which are beneficial to the body's nervous system. It also contains vitamins A, B and E* as well as the minerals - iron, calcium, magnesium, copper and phosphorus.

 

Sunflower oil

A light, smooth, non-greasy oil, sunflower oil has softening and moisturising qualities and is recommended for all skin types. It contains high quantities of vitamins A, D and especially E*. Sunflower oil also contains beneficial amounts of oleic acids (omega-9 unsaturated fatty acids) and lecithin which are beneficial to the body's nervous system.

 

* Anti-oxidants such as Vitamin E can neutralise oxygen radicals which are associated with ageing and with cancer. The need for these anti-oxidants in your diet is the major reason behind the '5 a day' campaign urging us all to eat fresh fruit and vegetables. Use of oils rich in anti-oxidants can be especially beneficial to the skin. It is thought to be a protective measure before and after radiation treatments.