Essential oil massage techniques: gliding strokes, kneading, and massage techniques for various body parts.

Essential oil massage for slimming (continued)

massage

Essential oil massage refers to the method of applying massage oil (a blend of carrier oil and essential oils) to the desired areas and massaging the body. This massage can help relax the mind and relieve stress. This type of massage is not difficult; anyone can easily do it if they want to. You can do it yourself or help family or friends. It can be done with your hands or with the help of massage tools.

DIY essential oil massage is best done twice a day. Before massaging, wet your body and brush towards your heart. Just 5 minutes can accelerate blood circulation. The best time is after showering, or you can do it while showering. As for massage tools, any tool with a little pressure will do. A tool with uneven, textured bumps is often used for patting; although it may hurt a little, it can enhance the therapeutic effect. You can choose wood or plastic materials, but avoid essential oil seeping into the wood, which can make cleaning difficult. Plastic tools are a good alternative. Each area usually needs about 5-10 minutes, until the skin is slightly red.

1. Basic massage techniques

(1) Gliding and stroking. This is probably the most useful technique in essential oil massage. It involves a series of gentle, gliding, and soothing movements that allow the essential oils to penetrate the body, relaxing and calming the whole body. Use your entire palm, not just your fingers, and keep your hands relaxed. The pressure can be strong or gentle, and the movements can be large or small. This will relax the muscles, increase blood circulation, and relieve tension and stress.

(2) Kneading and pinching. This technique is similar to kneading dough. You can apply slight pressure with your thumb, but the movement should be slow and moderate. These movements are very helpful for areas with thick fat and the back, as they can relax muscles, promote blood and lymph flow, and help eliminate toxins from the body.

All massage techniques must be performed towards the heart. For young children and the elderly, gentle gliding and stroking motions should be used.

2. Massage techniques for different body parts

(1) Head. Apply massage oil to your fingertips and massage the entire scalp with your fingertips. When you have a headache, massage around the base of your neck and massage upwards to the base of your scalp. Use a sliding massage motion with strong pressure to allow the essential oil to penetrate the body.

(2) Neck. The technique is to make small but strong circular motions, dividing the cervical spine into two sides, and massaging from the bottom of the neck upwards to the bottom of the scalp. Massage in circles on both sides of the cervical spine with both hands.

(3) Shoulders. Use a sliding, stroking, and kneading technique, using your thumbs and palms to massage back and forth from the shoulders to the neck.

(4) Back. Use gliding and kneading techniques, with varying pressure, but never massage the spine. Start from the inner side of the lower back, using smooth, continuous movements of both hands, massaging upwards to the shoulders, and then downwards to the outer side of the back. Repeat this massage action multiple times; the longer you massage, the more relaxed your body will feel.

(5) Abdomen. Use a gliding, gentle stroking motion. When massaging yourself, use a clockwise circular motion; when massaging someone else, use a counter-clockwise motion. Because the abdomen is quite sensitive, the massage pressure should be gentle, and the number of repetitions should decrease gradually. Try to avoid massaging within one hour before or after meals to prevent stomach prolapse. You can also pat upwards in a spiral motion, but the force should be light, otherwise it may worsen the condition of people with pre-existing uterine problems. Afterwards, massage the abdomen with the fleshy part of your palm; you can also rub the area from side to side until it feels warm.

(6) Arms. Use a sliding, stroking, and kneading motion to massage from the bottom up to the armpit.

(7) Legs. Use a sliding, stroking, and kneading motion to massage from the bottom up to the thighs. When massaging, you can push the flesh upwards, or pat it with a hollow palm, or knead the excess flesh. As for the more difficult-to-treat excess flesh on the back of the thighs, simply lift and push it upwards.

(8) Feet. Massage from the toes to the heel, with the thumb on the top of the foot and the other fingers on the bottom. Repeat the massage.

Aromatherapy bath

Blood Circulation and Slimming Bath

Essential oil blend: 5 drops geranium, 5 drops grapefruit.

Usage: Add a few drops of essential oil to a bathtub filled with warm water (approximately 39–41°C). Stir the oil with your hands, then enter the bath. The warm scent of geranium has warming and blood-circulating effects, while the diuretic properties of grapefruit make it a good choice for weight loss.

(1) After taking a bath for 5 minutes, get up for 1 minute and wash and apply a face mask. The warm water will open up the pores of the body, making it easier to remove dirt and expel waste, sebum and sweat from the pores.

(2) Soak in the bathtub again for about 10 minutes. Repeat this process to promote blood circulation in the body and increase metabolism and basal metabolic rate in a hot and cold environment. This will help consume calories and burn fat. In particular, taking a bath before bed can help burn excess calories while you sleep.

(3) Do some simple stretching and massage movements while taking a bath to fully stretch your muscles and limbs and relax your body and mind.

(4) After you leave the bathroom, you feel refreshed. Don’t rush to do anything else. Wrap yourself in a bathrobe and rest on the bed for 10 minutes. Let your body gradually stop sweating and your cardiopulmonary function gradually improve before you get up and move around.

Milk essential oil slimming bath

Essential oil recipe: about 300 ml of milk, 4-5 drops each of fennel, sage and geranium essential oils.

Usage: It's best to use warm milk, as this makes the essential oils dissolve more easily. Add a few drops of fennel, sage, and geranium essential oils (which have slimming effects) to the milk, and gently stir with your hand to prevent the oils from floating on the surface, which could cause skin irritation due to excessive surface concentration. Pour the mixture into the bathtub. The essential oils have slimming effects, and the milk helps soften the stratum corneum.

After cleaning your body, soak directly in the bathtub. For a truly relaxing bath, water temperature is crucial. Extremely hot water can trigger a defensive reaction in the skin and impair blood circulation. Therefore, a bathwater temperature of 37-39℃ is ideal for the human body and best balances the autonomic nervous system for relaxation. The soaking time for this essential oil slimming bath should be limited to 15 minutes or less, and it's best to only soak up to the chest area to avoid causing significant reduction in chest size. More importantly, soaking above the chest can put strain on the heart and cause chest tightness.

Essential oils should not be taken orally unless under the guidance of a professional.

Do not apply essential oils to the skin undiluted unless recommended by a professional or by performing a patch test on a small area of ​​skin before use. Avoid contact with eyes and areas prone to allergies.

Avoid using plastic, easily soluble, or oil-painted containers to store essential oils. When diluting essential oils, use glass, stainless steel, or ceramic containers. Essential oils must be stored in dark glass bottles, sealed tightly, away from sunlight and high temperatures. Keep out of reach of children to prevent accidental use. After use, the bottle cap must be tightly closed to prevent evaporation and reduction of efficacy.

Some essential oils are highly flammable and must be kept away from flames. Citrus essential oils (bergamot, lemon) can cause skin allergies to sunlight's ultraviolet rays. Therefore, avoid sun exposure for 8 hours after use.

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