Making your own massage oil: base oils, blends, shelf life

Homemade massage oil is cheaper than ready-made oil, and you know exactly what is in it. But it is also easy to overdo it: too much scent, the wrong oil for sensitive skin, a bottle that stands in a warm bathroom for months. This article shows the basic rules, three simple blends and the limits.

The base oil: what actually carries the massage

The base oil makes the massage. It lets the hands glide without sticking and does not soak in immediately. Proven choices are:

• Sweet almond oil: The classic. Mild, glides well, hardly any smell of its own. Not for people with a nut allergy.
• Sunflower oil: Inexpensive, neutral, from the supermarket. Choose a cold-pressed oil or a cooking oil without additives.
• Jojoba oil: Strictly speaking a liquid wax. It hardly goes rancid and is suitable for the face and sensitive skin. On its own it is somewhat expensive, but mixed with sunflower oil it lasts a long time.
• Grapeseed oil: Light and thin, soaks in faster. Good for massages on the neck and shoulders after which a shirt goes back on.
• Fractionated coconut oil: Unlike normal coconut oil, it stays liquid in the cold, hardly smells and feels light.

Less suitable are olive oil, which smells strongly and is sticky, and mineral-oil-based baby oil, which stays on the skin. For most massages, two to three tablespoons of oil are enough for the whole back.

Essential oils: a little is enough

Essential oils are highly concentrated. A single oil consists of a large number of substances. A review of the chemistry of essential oils found 100 to 250 components in most of them, and as many as 450 to 500 in lavender, geranium and rosemary oil. Limonene, a fragrance substance from citrus peel, was present in almost all the oils examined.

The rule of thumb for blending:

• Body massage: five to ten drops of essential oil to 50 millilitres of base oil.
• Sensitive skin, face, older people: half that, so two to five drops.
• Never apply undiluted to the skin, not even “just one drop”.

Do a test before the first use: a little of the blend in the crook of the arm, then wait 24 hours. Redness, itching or burning mean: do not use this blend.

Three simple recipes

Neutral for every day

30 millilitres of sunflower oil and 20 millilitres of jojoba oil. No scent. This blend suits almost everyone and is the right choice if you do not know how the other person's skin reacts.

Calm in the evening

50 millilitres of sweet almond oil and five drops of lavender oil. Lavender is the most widespread evening scent. But it is also an oil with a very large number of individual substances. Stick to the low dose.

Fresh for neck and shoulders

50 millilitres of grapeseed oil and four drops of orange oil. Citrus oils change particularly quickly on contact with air, more on that below. So make this blend in small amounts and use it up quickly. Skin freshly oiled with citrus oils should not be exposed to strong sun.

How best to use the blend is shown in Partner massage at home and Back massage at home. If you want to get to know oils from the Indian tradition, read Ayurveda massage: procedure, oils and abhyanga.

Shelf life and storage

Plant oils go rancid over time, and essential oils change on contact with air. This is more than a smell problem. A review on the fragrance substance limonene shows that on contact with oxygen, breakdown products form which sensitise the skin much more strongly than the fresh substance. In skin tests, a striking number of people reacted to these breakdown products, although some of these reactions are likely to be irritation rather than genuine allergies.

• Store in a dark glass bottle, tightly closed, cool and protected from light.
• Only mix as much as you will use in a few weeks. 50 millilitres is a good supply for most people.
• Stick on a label with the contents and date.
• If it smells rancid, sharp or different from the start: throw it away.

How to recognise bad oil is explained in detail in Can massage oil go off?

Who should be careful

• Small children: No oils with peppermint, eucalyptus or camphor near the face. They can affect breathing in small children. For babies, a pure plant oil without scent is enough.
• Pregnant women: Essential oils only after consulting a midwife or doctor.
• Allergies and eczema: If you react to fragrances, stick to pure base oil.
• Nut allergy: no almond or peanut oil.
• Pets: Some essential oils are problematic for cats. Do not leave blend bottles standing open.

If an itchy, red rash appears after a massage, wash the oil off with mild soap. If it persists or spreads, or if the lips or eyes swell, see a doctor, and in case of breathing difficulties go to an emergency department immediately.

Oil and massagers

Massagers and massage chairs do not need oil, they work through clothing. Oil on faux leather and fabric covers leaves stains and can damage the material. If you still use a device after a massage with oil, put a shirt on first. You will find a selection of devices for the neck, back and feet under Massagers. How to clean a cover if something does go wrong is explained in Cleaning a massage chair properly.

Frequently asked questions

Which oil is best for a massage?

For most people, sweet almond oil or a blend of sunflower and jojoba oil. Both glide well, hardly smell and are well tolerated. With a nut allergy, almond oil is ruled out.

Can I use normal cooking oil as massage oil?

Yes, a neutral sunflower oil from the kitchen works. It should be fresh and contain no additives such as herbs or garlic. Olive oil is less pleasant because of its smell.

How long does homemade massage oil keep?

With essential oils, a few weeks if stored cool and dark. Pure jojoba oil keeps much longer. A date on the label helps you keep track.

Sources

• de Groot AC, Schmidt E (2016): Essential oils, part III: chemical composition. Dermatitis. doi:10.1097/DER.0000000000000193
• de Groot A (2019): Limonene hydroperoxides. Dermatitis. doi:10.1097/DER.0000000000000465

This article does not replace medical advice.