What type of oil is best to use for massage? Can you just use any old oils from the cupboard?
Most of you know my passion for toxic free skin care and cosmetics.
It all started back in Hobart in 2000 when, during my Certificate of Massage training, we were educated on what oils to use during treatments.
The first thing we learnt was not to use Baby Oil.
Baby Oil is derived from petrochemicals as its main ingredient is mineral oil. Not “nice” mineral as in vitamins and minerals but mineral as you would associate with the mining and petroleum industries.
Johnson & Johnson used very clever marketing by calling it Baby Oil, because, why wouldn’t you use it if it’s safe to use on babies? And their Vaseline, well it has Petroleum Jelly written right underneath the name! Not even trying to disguise what it is.
It takes seconds for anything applied to the skin to be absorbed into the lymphatic system and then the blood stream, so wouldn’t you want it to be safe, non-toxic and beneficial for your body?
So if you are after an oil to use with massage, look for a cold pressed vegetable oil. Cold pressed means the oil has been extracted without the heating process. Heat extraction causes the oil to break down and you lose a lot of the lovely natural properties found in the oil.
And when an oil is advertised as light, it generally means light in colour and flavour because it’s been heat treated within an inch of its life, not light due to less calories.
Most vegetables oils are suitable, except for the highly refined ones such as canola. Look for something as close to the original product as possible.
Health food stores stock a wide range of oils that can be used for massage or beauty treatments. They don’t have to be scented.
We use Almond Oil at Restore. Safflower oil, Grapeseed oil and Macadamia nut and Jojoba oils are also great oils to use.
So do are bit of label reading when you purchase your beauty products. If it contains “mineral oil”, don’t buy it!
Blog by Selena Hagan