WellnessCouncil The hot oil massage has been around a while and it can feel incredibly relaxing. According to the ancient Indian Ayurveda tradition, abhyanga or self-massage is referred to as a tenet of health and an act of love. In Ayurveda, it is a crucial practice.
Its benefits include balancing your doshas, grounding your nervous system, calming the body, and steadying the mind.
Anointing your body with warm oils lubricates your joints, strengthens muscles, counters dry skin, reduces inflammation, and nourishes your nerves.The massage, coupled with warm oil, increases the oil’s penetrating capability. When done with consistency, abhyanga improves elimination, digestion, and circulation.
Choose Your Oil
You do not necessarily need a beauty oil. The best oils to use for a massage are high-quality food-grade oils. For dry skin, use warm and heavy oils such as almond, sesame, and avocado.
For overheated or sensitive skin, use a neutral and cooling oil such as sunflower, olive, ghee or clarified butter, castor, and coconut. For very oily skin, use a stimulating oil such as mustard or use a light oil such as canola, flaxseed, safflower, or corn.
Here are four ways of warming your oil to guarantee a warm, not extra hot, oil massage that you can make part of your daily routine.
Use a Massage Oil Warmer
If you love massages, you might have a massage oil warmer. One of these is probably the most straightforward and most efficient techniques.
What you need
- Massage oil
- Massage oil warmer
Instructions
Transfer your oil into the oil warmer container. Plug the oil warmer into an electric socket. You do not have to regulate the oil temperature as the warmer automatically regulates it for you.
Once the oil is warm enough, or after a few hours, unplug the warmer. You can leave the oil to warm overnight if you intend to have your massage in the morning. Ensure you check the oil’s warmth before proceeding to use it.
Use a Candle Holder
If you do not own an oil massager, get yourself a massage oil warmer bowl and use tea lights to warm your oil. This technique makes use of an open flame, so you must be super careful.
What you need
- Massage oil warmer bowl
- Massage oil
- Tea lights
- Candle holder
Instructions
Light the candles and put them in a container under the warmer bowl. Place the warmer bowl on top of the container and pour the oil into the bowl. Monitor this process by occasionally checking the temperature of the oil.
Using the Double Boiler Technique
If you do not have a massage oil warmer or warmer bowl, worry not. You can always use the double boiler technique, which is effective and efficient and warms the oil to the desired temperature.
What you need
- Massage oil
- Two ceramic or glass bowls of different sizes (that can nest one into the other)
- Hot water
Instructions
Put the smaller of the two bowls inside the larger one. Pour enough boiling water into the larger bowl to allow the smaller bowl to touch the bottom of the larger bowl.
Make sure the water does not overflow. Pour the oil into the small bowl and let the oil warm for a couple of minutes, swirling it with your finger, after which it should be ready for use.
Use a Mug of Hot Water
This is the safest and most straightforward technique of all. You need to remember that this method might overheat the oil, so you need to ensure you remove the bottle of oil from the mug in time.
What you need
- Massage oil
- Hot water
- Ceramic mug
Instructions
Fill the ceramic mug with hot water and submerge the massage oil bottle into the water. Leave the massage oil in the hot water for about five to ten minutes, then remove the bottle. Be careful as sometimes the water inside the mug can still be scalding hot.
Safety Tips for Warm Oil Massages
Now that your warm oil is ready to use, you need to use the oil safely. You test the oil by doing a skin test. Apply a tiny amount of oil, the size of a dime, inside the forearm or back of your hand.
If the oil proves to be too hot, allow it to cool down before using it. If it is not warm enough, reheat it. If the temperature is okay, let the oil sit on your skin for at least ten minutes.
If your skin shows signs of irritation such as inflammation or redness or feels itchy, wipe the oil off immediately. Because these are symptoms of an allergic reaction, you should look for a different massage oil.
Conclusion: A Word From the WellnessCouncil
A hot oil massage is among the most relaxing therapies, but you need to exercise caution while using warm oil. Be careful that the oil heats up to the right temperature to avoid oil burns.
