Coconut oil.
Surprised? It may sound simple but coconut oil is essential to a great massage and since summer is here, the sweet tropical smell makes me imagine I am on a sandy beach with the sun on my back and a breeze fluttering the leaves of a nearby palm tree… but I digress.
Coconut oil has many uses. People use it for their hair, skin care, weight loss, digestion and their immune system. It can be used for many types of health remedies, from helping those with kidney problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer. It contains powerful anti-microbial agents like capric acid and lauric acid to protect skin against infection.
But there are many reasons I use it as an essential oil in my massage therapy sessions. It is very healthy and adaptable. Coconut oil has wonderful vitamin E properties and it soaks well into the skin so you absorb its healthy essence during your session. Vitamin E helps to keep your skin young, healthy and rejuvenated.
It is also solid at room temperature and when warmed up it smells like the tropics. Such a lovely scent! It is completely natural and doesn’t have any chemicals or petroleum or glycerin. I also like it because it does not stain the towels and sheets.
Compared to other oils, coconut oil is the best quality to use. I have tried many different types of essential massage oils over the years and feel that this is the best quality. It has a very high level of saturated fats in it that makes it very stable. This means that after I rub coconut oil into your skin, and it is absorbed for a few hours, it will not damage your skin or invite infections. And it will not let moisture escape, so it keeps your skin nice and hydrated.
Did you know that coconut oil is also known to help fight aging? This is one of the things I like to share with my clients. There are many antioxidants in coconut oil. They actually help to prevent the skin from wrinkling, sagging, peeling or discolouring. It’s like the skin’s fountain of youth!
And when I use it to massage into your skin, I prefer it because it absorbs very well and works well when I use it with other essential oils or herb extracts. And well, I think I mentioned this already… but its distinctive smell makes me imagine we are on a tropical beach somewhere. It is like taking a little mental holiday together!
Come in for your next massage session and we can enjoy the sweet scent of the tropics while keeping your skin young and healthy.