There are many different kinds of massage oils and massage lotions you can use for a massage, whether a Zeel Massage or a self-massage.  You might even have some of them in your kitchen. Keep in mind that non-professional grade massage oils may stain your massage sheets.  If you use a set of dedicated sheets (like the ones that come with the premium Massage Zeelot member set), then oil away!

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is super-popular, not just for Paleo eating, but for skin care and hair care as well. So it’s natural that you might want to use coconut oil as a massage oil. Coconut oil smells great (if you like the smell of coconut) and it’s solid at room temperature. That makes coconut oil less messy but a little stickier to work with.

Olive oil

Olive oil is one of the most popular cooking oils. It’s also a great oil to use for body treatments. Olive oil is very moisturizing  and has a fruity smell that most people find pleasant. It can stain if your massage therapist isn’t careful . Olive oil is best for people with dry skin –  if your skin is already oily, it can cause breakouts.  (Remember to save some for the pasta!)

Safflower oil

You may have a bottle of safflower oil in your kitchen as a neutral, flavorless oil. The qualities that make safflower oil a good cooking oil for a variety of dishes also make it a great carrier oil for massages. A carrier oil is a neutral oil that absorbs well and can “carry” the benefits of other oils –so, for example, you may choose to infuse your safflower oil with some of the Vitamin E or tea tree oil you bought at Trader Joe’s.  Vitamin E is good for healing, lavender oil is calming, and tea tree oil is great for to a massage to soothe breakout-prone skin. Just remember not to use your infused oil to fry up your eggs in the morning.

Most Zeel Massage Therapists will use a hypo-allergenic, non-staining massage lotion, unless you request something else (or have another lotion or oil available at home). Experiment with massage oils and have fun!