I have been working as a massage therapist in the French Alps for the last 10 years and I have tried a lot of different types and amounts of oils (branded and natural) and I have come up with the list of my favourites to work with.
1. Grapeseed Oil
Grapeseed oil is number one for several reasons. It absorbs perfectly. Its light in consistency and absorbs nice and easy leaving enough grippes to perform the perfect massage.
It's odourless - so its perfect for adding essential oils.
It's colourless - which is perfect if you work with white towels.
It also has lots of healthy benefits whilst applied to your skin!
Some studies suggest that grapeseed oil has anti-bacterial, antioxidant, and wound healing properties. It may have possible anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects too.
Grapeseed Oil health benefits:
treats acne outbreaks
makes skin softer and more elastic
helps the vitamin E and vitamin C in your skin to be more efficient and effective at preserving your skin.
evens out skin tone
can protect your skin from sun damage /1/
2. Argan Oil
Argan has a thicker consistency than grapeseed oil and has a dark brown colour, which could stain towels, however I rank it number two on my list because its most beneficial for your skin.
I have been using Argan Oil in my treatments often. I'm using it on sore muscles, micro torn muscles and bruises caused by skiing, snowboarding, cycling and other sports. I help my clients using Argan oil and specialised massage techniques to recuperate faster after all day on the mountain.
Argan oil is a popular skincare oil that can help with skin barrier repair. Studies suggest that it has anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects. Topical application has also been shown to have an anti-aging effect on skin by improving skin elasticity.
Other Argan Oil health benefits:
Protects from sun damage
Moisturises skin
Treats a number of skin conditions
Argan oil contains a large number of healing properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Both help reduce symptoms for a number of different inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis and rosacea.
Treats acne
Heals skin infections
Improves wound healing
Soothes atopic dermatitis
Has anti-aging effects
Reduces skin’s oiliness
Prevents and reduces stretch marks /2/
3. Sweet Almond Oil
Sweet Almond Oil is light coloured, light consistency and its odourless. I love to work with Almond oil for those reasons and the following health benefits.
However I massage a lot of people so there is a risk of encountering someone with a food allergy (almond allergy) so I've stopped using it in last few years. That said, if almond oil is specifically requested by the client then I am happy to use it.
There are two types of almond oil: sweet and bitter. Sweet almond oil is the kind that’s better suited to your skin. It contains the following nutrients:
Vitamin A: The retinol in vitamin A has the ability to stimulate the production of new skin cells and smooth fine lines.
Vitamin E: This nutrient has antioxidant properties that may help prevent cell damage and help reduce ultraviolet (UV) damage to the skin caused by the sun.
Omega-3 fatty acids: These nutrients may help prevent premature aging and safeguard against sun damage.
Zinc: This is an essential nutrient for healing acne or other facial scars. However, it’s worth noting that zinc is more effective for this purpose when taken orally.
Sweet Almond oil health benefits:
Reduces puffiness and under-eye circles.
Improves complexion and skin tone.
Treats dry skin.
Improves acne.
Helps reverse sun damage.
Reduces the appearance of scars.
Reduces the appearance of stretch marks. /3/
4. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is very good for your skin. I'm using it personally as a body scrub and in other homemade cosmetics (you can find great homemade ORGANIC NETTLE SEED FACE AND BODY SCRUB RECIPE here ) however I don't work with it because:
It becomes very firm and difficult to use in cold temperatures - most of my massage work is in the winter so it takes a lot of effort to warm it up and store it in the warm).
Its hard to spread all over the body during massage due to its solid consistency.
It has a strong smell of coconuts which doesn't go well with some essential oils.
Coconut oil benefits
Research has found that coconut oil may be just what your skin needs. Its benefits include:
reducing inflammation
keeping skin moisturised
stopping the damage caused by free radicals
helping to prevent infection
antimicrobial properties
helping to heal wounds.
can help treat acne /4/
5. Olive Oil
Good old Olive oil. I'm using it personally in my home made cosmetics as a body oil.
However for professional use in massage I would rather use the oils I have mentioned above.
Olive oil has a dark green colour and can stain my towels. It's has an odour and doesn't absorb well when applied because of its thickness.
According to animal and human studies, olive oil may have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and wound healing effects when applied topically.
Olive oil health benefits:
It’s rich in vitamins, including A, D, and K, as well as vitamin E.
It has antioxidant properties
It moisturizes and fights bacteria /5/
6. Sunflower seed oil
I have used Sunflower seed oil a couple of times at work however it's better to use in cooking. It has a strong odour and I found it leaves the feeling of oiliness. Its hard to wash it off after the massage treatment.
Sunflower oil contains several compounds that have benefits for skin. They include:
• oleic acid
• vitamin E
• sesamol
• linoleic acid
Sunflower seed oil health benefits:
Antioxidants
Non-comedogenic - which is absorbent, and won’t clog pores. It’s non-irritating for most people, and can be used on all types of skin, including dry, normal, oily, and acne-prone.
Skin-protecting barrier
Wound healing /6/
Summary:
The most important considerations for oils I use in my massage treatments are that the oils are natural, they are light in consistency. odourless and colourless.
So my number one choice of all natural oil is GRAPESEED OIL.
In my Luxury massage treatments I use a well known brands of DRY OILS because they absorb amazingly well and don't leave the feeling of oiliness. They also consist of natural ingredients which I love about them.
Thank you very much for reading.
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Reference
/3/ https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/almond-oil-for-face#how-to-use
/6/https://www.healthline.com/health/sunflower-oil-for-skin#how-to