The more people get busy, the more the body and mind feel tension and stress. This is why many people tend to look for ways to relax, destress and take a break from their busy schedules.
Aside from many recreational activities available, massage therapy is one great way to ease the heaviness that our daily lives bring us.
Common Types
Massage is a well-known term that involves pressing, rubbing and manipulating skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. From light touch to deep pressure, there are also different styles of massage. However, the common types include the following ones:
Swedish massage
This gentle style of massage is the most commonly used and uses kneading, vibration, long strokes, deep circles and tapping to help the patient feel more energised and relaxed.
Sports massage
This style is similar to Swedish massage and helps relieve muscle soreness, prevent or treat injuries in athletes and people involved in sports activities.
Trigger point massage
It is a soft tissue technique that helps relieve painful tension in the fascia and muscles that you would typically experience as a knot in a muscle.
Deep tissue massage
This massage works on the deeper layers of connective tissue and muscles with slower, stronger movements. The style is often used to treat muscle damage caused by injuries.
Benefits of Massage:
- Provides relaxation;
- Reduces anxiety and depression;
- Eases pain;
- Reduces muscle tension;
- Improves blood circulation;
- Reduces stress hormones;
- Increases joint mobility and flexibility;
- Improves skin tone;
- Improves recovery of soft tissue injuries;
- Heightens mental alertness;
- Stimulates the lymphatic system.
Popular Massage Oils
In addition to different types of massage therapies, various styles include the use of certain substances. If you’ve tried massage, chances are you’ve been asked if you prefer a lotion or oil. These substances not only warm the therapist’s hand but also help their hands glide over the skin and ensure relaxing strokes. Since oils tend to be the most commonly used, here are the different types of carrier oils and their potential benefits.
Sunflower oil
The oil is known for its many skin benefits. It hydrates, soothes, protects, and unclogs the skin. It also has antioxidant and anti-ageing properties. And can also even the tone and texture of the skin. Sunflower oil is not only used for general skincare but also as a carrier massage oil.
Argan oil
This oil is packed with essential nutrients, such as vitamin E, omega-6 fatty acids, CoQ10, melatonin and sterols, which aid in providing powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. While argan oil is non-greasy, it also can help to moisturise the skin, smooth wrinkles and promote better wound healing.
Grapeseed oil
The oil is not just a by-product of grapes used in making wine. It also has great benefits to the skin because it is abundant in vitamin E, which is an essential nutrient that helps heal the skin and fights wrinkles. It is also lightweight and can be easily absorbed by the skin, which makes it a great carrier of massage oil.
Jojoba oil
Jojoba oil is one of the favourite oils used in massage oils, bath oils and facial moisturisers because it doesn’t clog the skin pores. Aside from its powerful moisturising effect, it is also said to help reduce the skin’s oil production, especially in acne-prone people, because it has the ability to mimic sebum, making the skin think that it has produced enough oil.
Olive oil
While you might think that olive oil isn’t just for healthy eating and cooking, it is also widely used in the beauty industry due to its potential beneficial effects on the skin. The oil contains fatty acids and sterols that provide a great moisturising effect on the skin.
Other Useful Additives
Essential oils
The addition of various essential oils to the massage oil can deliver both relaxing and soothing effects. It also works as aromatherapy during your massage therapy, as many oils are thought to be pleasing to the senses.
Common essential oils added to massage oils include lavender oil, which can help enhance the onset, duration and quality of your sleep; peppermint oil, which is beneficial for alleviating migraine headaches, muscle aches and pains; chamomile oil, which is great for wound healing and pain relief, sandalwood oil, which is very effective for joint pain and inflammation; and geranium, which is known for its relaxing and uplifting qualities.
CBD oil
Although it is sourced from the Cannabis plant, this all-natural compound does not cause psychoactive effects. In fact, nowadays, many people use CBD massage oil to help in relieving pain and easing stress and anxiety. What’s more, cannabidiol (CBD) can also be beneficial for various skin issues.
Turmeric oil
This famous spice isn’t just limited to flavouring your food. Turmeric is best known for its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which have been used since ancient times. In massage therapy, adding this oil to a carrier oil provides an additional invigorating effect that can aid in the body’s recovery process and relieve topical discomfort. It also can benefit the skin by enhancing its elasticity and firmness.
Shea butter
This massage oil additive provides hydration and anti-inflammatory effects to the skin. It is packed with fatty acids and vitamins that can also diminish inflammation, blemishes and acne. Not to mention its rich and luxurious texture.
