How to Blend Massage Oils at Home, A Simple Guide

DIY Massage Oils, Carrier Basics, Safe Ratios, Mood Blends

Simple carrier plus essential oil blends for face, body, and scalp, with clear drop counts.

 

Image of beautiful bottles filled with carrier oil for use with essential oils for massage.  Slightly out of focus and tranquil looking.


Most essential oils are too strong to use neat on skin. You need a carrier oil to dilute the essential oil and create a comfortable glide for massage. Begin with a carrier you like, then add a small number of essential oil drops to suit the area you are treating.

Choosing your carrier oil

  • Lighter feel: grapeseed, sweet almond, sunflower.
  • Richer feel: jojoba, avocado, coconut, vitamin E (as a booster).
  • Special care: rosehip for face blends.
  • Avoid strong aromas that can dominate your blend, olive oil is skin friendly but can overpower the scent.
  • Blend texture: combine a light oil with a rich oil to get the slip you prefer.
Dilution basics
Body, 20 ml carrier oil plus 10 drops essential oil, about 2.5 % total.
Face, 10 ml carrier oil plus 5 drops essential oil, about 2.5 %. For very sensitive skin reduce to 1 % total.

Self massage, simple technique

  • Gentle and regular movements are effective, massage does not need to be firm.
  • Breathe with the rhythm, focus on the motion to clear the mind.
  • Reflex points can help where you cannot reach, the instep reflects the spine.

Someone giving a self massage of the feet - no head or face - just torso and hands . Using essential oils.  Calm relaxing environment.

Targeted blends, ready to mix

Exhausted, quick lift for the face

Area: face

Technique: cleanse, then use fingertips to trace the contours for 5 minutes, breathe the aroma.

Essential oils: 1 drop rose, 1 drop mandarin, 1 drop sweet orange.

Carrier: 5 ml rosehip oil.

Stress, shoulders and neck

Area: shoulders and neck

Technique: firm upward strokes along the neck with alternate hands, trace the shoulder bone with fingertips.

Essential oils: 3 drops chamomile, 3 drops sweet orange, 4 drops rose geranium or palmarosa.

Carriers: 10 ml sweet almond oil plus 10 ml grapeseed oil.

Aching all over, sleep support

Area: feet

Technique: small circles over the whole foot, including between toes, every bone gets attention.

Essential oils: 3 drops basil, 3 drops frankincense, 3 drops nutmeg.

Carriers: 10 ml coconut oil plus 10 ml jojoba oil.

Cannot get started, energy for legs

Area: legs

Technique: both hands around the leg, work up to the thigh and down again, about 5 minutes each leg.

Essential oils: 4 drops lemon verbena or lemongrass, 3 drops rosemary, 3 drops lemon.

Carriers: 15 ml grapeseed oil plus 5 ml vitamin E oil.

A case of the blues

Area: scalp and back

Technique: make fists and use knuckles to massage up the back and through the scalp, open hands at intervals, about 10 minutes.

Essential oils: 3 drops clary sage, 2 drops bergamot, 4 drops tangerine or orange. Alternative, 3 drops nutmeg, 4 drops verbena or lemongrass, 3 drops pine.

Carriers: 10 ml sunflower oil plus 10 ml avocado oil.

No time to massage Add 7 drops essential oil to a warm bath. Stir first into a spoon of milk to help disperse in water.
Safety For healthy adults only, avoid use if pregnant, nursing, or if you have medical conditions unless advised by a professional. Keep away from children and pets. Some citrus oils can be phototoxic on sun exposed skin, patch test first, do not ingest, avoid eyes and mucous membranes.

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