Aromatherapy Massage

Modern Aromatherapy is the art & science of using plant extracts in the form of “essential oils” or “absolutes” with a holistic approach to aromatherapy massage.

Early man discovered that various leaves, berries & roots they gathered for food made the sick feel better. The twigs of certain bushes or trees that were burnt on the fire could make people sitting close by sleepy or happy & excited, even to the point of “mystic” experiences! The Egyptians used aromatics some 3000 years before the birth of Christ for embalming their dead, with medical & cosmetic uses for the living. These included pills, powders, suppositories & ointments as well as perfumes.

Mediaeval manuscripts contain references to Lavender water & many other infused oils but it was not until the chemical properties of each plant extract was fully documented & understood that Aromatherapy, as it is practiced today, became a widespread form of holistic therapy.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are ready absorbed through the skin due to the size of their molecular structure, whether used through massage, in the bath, as a hot / cold compress or as a skin preparation. In addition certain levels of the actual smell of the oil/s are inhaled, thereby taken down into the lungs & distributed around the body via the bloodstream. This can also have a real effect on the mind as well as the body. How many people can remember the smell associated with, for example, their favourite Aunt as she favoured a particular perfume? Or a particular flower whose aroma would immediately transport you back to your childhood garden?

In aromatherapy massage, a blend of essential oils is structured to the clients’ individual requirements, be it emotional &/or physical. A blend that will be enjoyed & beneficial to one person will be disliked by the next. A client of Asian origins may prefer Sandalwood (a base note), as it has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine & is excellent as an expectorant for catarrh for example; whereas another client may prefer Myrrh, still a base note with similar expectorant properties but is also recommended for arthritis & has a slightly muskier fragrance.

Generally a blend has 3 notes:

• Base notes have a rich, heavy fragrance that lends to emerge slowly & linger longest. A further example would be Neroli, which is obtained from the flowers of Seville or Bitter Orange.
• Top notes are light & fresh & are frequently immediately identified. Examples would be Mandarin or Tea-tree.
• Middle notes are said to “fix” the blend. It is the heart of the fragrance & often has the largest proportion of drops in the mixture e.g. Geranium or Rosemary.

A blend is as individual as the person for whom it is made.

Back, neck & shoulders – ½ hour
Whole body massage – 1 hour