THE 13 GOLDEN RULES
1. Wash your hands thoroughly before AND after any aromatic massage.
Even small and short! Before, for hygiene, and after, to avoid keeping essential oils on your hands. You may forget and then bring your fingers to your eyes. Unpleasant !
2. Security testing.
You have sensitive skin, you don't know how it will react to an aromatic massage? Have you heard of essential oil allergies and are you worried about a skin reaction? …Some epidermis, more reactive than others, deserve to be tested by applying a small “sample”. Just put 2 drops of the mixture concerned on the inside of the wrists or in the crook of the elbow. Some recommend then covering with a bandage and removing it after 12 hours: in the absence of redness, there is no danger in using your aromatic massage oil on larger areas of the body. But in reality, the bandage does not bring much, especially if one is more reactive to his "glue"! It's up to you: with or without, the important thing is that your skin is not irritated, red or itchy. This is called the safety test.
3. If you prepare your mixtures yourself, use only raw materials (essential oils and vegetable oils) of excellent quality.
For essential oils:
Not all are of equal quality. Aim for “100% natural, 100% pure and 100% total”. These mentions guarantee an undenatured essential oil, not "mixed" with other substances - synthetic or natural - of lesser quality: you are sure to take full advantage of the active ingredients. “Organic” (ecological and organic cosmetics) goes even further, provided it is controlled by a recognized certifying body, such as Ecocert, for example. Another interesting detail: the mention HEBBD (Essential oil botanically and biochemically defined) proves that the variety, species and botanical chemotype of the essential oil are known, referenced and analyzed. Preferably buy your essential oils and vegetable oils in pharmacies or drugstores, where control guarantees can be provided on request and where traceability is total. Beware of less secure circuits, such as the Internet (unless it is a brand known for its quality such as Puressentiel) or street vendors.
For vegetable oils:
Extracted cold and organic, it's ideal. Your skin deserves no less. It would be illogical to offer him quality essential oils in a mediocre medium...
4. As a matter of safety, it is not recommended to use essential oils for pregnant women and young children.
In reality, this employment restriction mainly concerns the internal route, and only a few essential oils could really be dangerous. But, in the absence of advice from a specialist, comply with this "prohibition".
In particular, no belly massages for pregnant women or chest massages for a breastfeeding mother! On the other hand, you can use specific products for children without any risk (for example the balms " Baby Relaxation " Where " RESP OK® "), they are specially designed with essential oils that are as gentle as they are active. And alleviating a future mother's back pain with the help of an aromatic lavender massage can only do good!
Warning !
Avoid essential oils containing a high content of terpenes, responsible for seizure disorders in young children. This is the case with lemon, cinnamon (as well as many spices), pine, clove, anise, fennel, thymol thyme, oregano, essential oils "with camphor”, mint.
5. The atmosphere and building confidence count as much as the precision of the gesture.
If you are massaging a loved one, a child, a friend... you will easily be forgiven for an approximate movement, but not a room that is too cold, too bright or noisy, for example. Take your time, install the "receiver" comfortably, listen to the other (or to yourself in the case of self-massage), provide soft music if necessary, think of nothing other than what what you are doing.
6. Warm up your hands before you start massaging.
And be sure, likewise, to warm your oil, either in your hands or by immersing the bottle in lukewarm water. Nothing worse than icy hands and cold oil on the skin! Obviously, it must not burn either: do not heat your bottle in the microwave!
7. Whether you are massaging your own body or that of someone close to you,
If you no longer know which way to put your hands or make your gestures, slowly continue to massage in the direction of the muscle, following the natural muscle curvature; for example, for the calf, along the leg from bottom to top, not perpendicular. And let your instincts guide you!
8. During the massage, avoid removing your hands from the body.
Always keep in contact with the massaged person. If you need to take more oil, grab the bottle with one hand, but leave the other flat on the skin of the person being massaged.
9. Never apply essential oil to mucous membranes.
The mucous membranes are all the body areas lined with a thin layer of moist skin (eyes, nostrils, mouth, genitals).
10. A massage should NEVER hurt or make pain worse.
In all cases of chronic illness, very old or weakened person, seek advice from a health professional before embarking on aromatic massages.
11. If essential oil splashes in the eyes, rinse quickly and gently with vegetable oil.
Especially no water (unless that's your only option in the absence of vegetable oil). The principle is to dilute the essential oil as much as possible in the vegetable oil. However, an essential oil cannot be diluted in water!
12. Never force a massage.
A person who does not wish to be massaged will probably not derive any benefit from their session.
13. After an aromatic massage, you don't rinse!
We wrap ourselves in a warm and cozy bathrobe for at least 10 minutes, then we get dressed or… we go to bed depending on the time of day.