How To Use Olive Oil For Body Massage: Step by Step Guide

The health properties of olive oil make it one of the most versatile oils you can have in your home. Its therapeutic properties are especially beneficial for body massage.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to use olive oil for body massage and its benefits for the body and for the skin.

How To Use Olive Oil For Body Massage

Here is a simple guide where you can learn how to use olive oil for body massage. I’ll try to keep it simple, so even if you’re a complete beginner, you can follow it without any problems.

1. Preparing Olive Oil For Body Massage

Before you can benefit from olive oil as a massage oil, you should prepare it. Here’s how:

• Mix the extra virgin olive oil with an essential or carrier oil of your choice. Some options are mint, chamomile, tea tree oil, sweet almond oil, or jojoba oil.
• Heat the oil mixture in a double boiler to a temperature that you can withstand. This will lighten it and make the massage more pleasant.

2. Preparing Massage Area

Now that the oil is ready, you should prepare the massage area. Of course, you can skip this step if you want just a simple massage, but I highly suggest that you follow these steps because it’ll improve the overall massage experience a lot.

Steps to do:

• Prepare a relaxing massage area by dimming lights, lighting scented candles, and turning on some soft music.
• Cover the massage bed with towels to absorb any dripping olive oil during the massage.
• Turn on the heat in the massage area to keep the place warm for a comfortable feel.
• Keep the bowl of warm olive massage oil, clean towels, and a basin of warm water on a side table next to the massage bed.
• Make sure you keep the massage area enclosed away from others for privacy and to prevent any accidents.

Now that all the preparation steps are properly done, you can proceed to body massage with olive oil.

3. Proper Application and Massage Techniques With Olive Oil

Here, I’ll show you some tips you should follow in order to massage with olive oil successfully.

• Start by warming the oil between your hands to lighten its consistency.
• Rub it over the area you are massaging in an upward motion, directing your strokes toward the heart while applying firm pressure to the skin.
• When massaging the limbs, rub the olive oil over the arms or legs in an up-and-down motion.
• You can also use olive oil to massage the abdomen by applying light pressure in upward, circular clockwise motions.
• Once the massage is over, wipe off any excess olive oil with a warm cloth or take a hot shower. This is because olive oil has a distinct yellow-green color that can stain fabric. It is also a refreshing way to complete a body massage.
• Olive oil can also be used for facial massage. It’s mild and penetrates the skin easily, leaving it supple and moisturized.
• When performing an olive oil facial massage, use your fingertips to work a few drops of the oil into the skin in an upward motion, starting from the jawline and moving toward your forehead.

There’s only one type of body that shouldn’t be massaged with olive oil, and it’s acne-prone skin. So, I suggest using olive oil for dry or normal skin massages.

What’s The Best Olive Oil For Body Massage?

The best olive oil for body massage is cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. It does not undergo processing; therefore, it retains all the polyphenols and vitamins you can extract from fresh olives.

I highly recommend using Kosterina Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is one of the best olive oils out there. It comes directly from Greece, it’s full of polyphenols and is pretty affordable when compared to other similar oils.

However, if you don’t want to struggle with ordering Kosterina olive oil, you can buy any extra virgin olive oil. Just make sure that it’s a high-quality product. Here, you can find out how to recognize high-quality extra virgin olive oil.

3 Best Olive Oil Body Massage Recipes

Here are my three favorite olive oil body massage recipes that you can use.

1. Extra Virgin Olive Oil With Essential Oils

This simple recipe should be used to ease joint and muscle pain, especially for people with arthritis.

2. Olive Oil Exfoliating Body Massage

This recipe is best for overall body relaxation and brightening of the skin.

3. Olive Oil Stretch Marks and Cellulite Massage

This recipe should be used if your ultimate goal is to fight stretch marks and cellulite.

Benefits of Using Olive Oil For Body Massage

Here are some benefits of olive oil for body massage overall.

It’s Healthy For The Heart

During an olive oil massage, the therapist focuses on working the oil through the muscles in the direction of the heart. This boosts circulation, enhances heart health, and can relieve symptoms of ailments such as blood pressure.

1. Relieving nerve pain. The gentle motion used to massage olive oil into the skin can alleviate the tingling and pain associated with nerve issues. This is especially helpful in cases of Diabetes, where nerves can easily get damaged or lose sensitivity.
2. Improving Metabolism. A deep-tissue olive oil massage can boost metabolism as it increases blood circulation and heats up the body. This is an excellent way to enhance the effects of exercise, as a massage is a perfect way to end a strenuous workout.
3. Preventing Injuries and Healing Muscles. When used as a post-exercise treatment, olive oil massage can warm the joints, making them more flexible. This prevents stiffness which can lead to unwanted injury due to immobility. Olive oil massages also treat sore muscles by increasing blood flow throughout the body.

Health Benefits of Olive Oil For Skin

Here are a few benefits the skin will have from olive oil massage.

1. Hydration For The Skin. Olive oil is a natural humectant that can infuse dry skin with moisture, leaving it supple and plump. It also has a thick consistency that forms a protective barrier over the skin, preventing unnecessary moisture loss. This is why it leaves skin dewy, nourished, and with a healthy glow.
2. Soothing Irritation. Olive oil has a calming effect on problematic skin, such as eczema or rosacea. Its anti-inflammatory compounds alleviate symptoms associated with these skin problems, such as redness, dryness, and irritation. Its nourishing and moisturizing properties also soften skin, making it smoother and easier to manage.
3. Making The Skin Youthful. Olive oil’s nourishing and conditioning properties can impart a natural radiance to the skin. This is because it contains enriching vitamins that revitalize skin cells and enhance elasticity by stimulating collagen production. Its antioxidant content also fights off free radical damage, which slows down skin aging by preventing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
4. Reducing Stretch Marks and Scars. Regularly using olive oil for the skin can fade scars and minimize stretch marks. The polyphenols and vitamins A, K, D, and E in it encourage skin regeneration by nourishing it through the dermis. Therefore, using olive oil for the skin can hasten the turnover of healthy skin cells, resulting in visibly even-toned, smooth, and beautiful skin.
5. Exfoliating Skin. Olive oil is an excellent ingredient to use in a natural skin exfoliating balm. Just add a few spoons of sea salt or sugar to it to make a nourishing and moisturizing skin scrub. This olive oil scrub will gently slough off dead skin cells and unclog pores, giving your skin a smooth feel and radiant appearance.
6. Improving Circulation. Olive oil has a calming effect on the nerves, which improves circulation, encourages detoxification, and boosts energy levels. This effect also relieves stress build-up in the muscles and joints, having an overall relaxing effect on the mind and body. In this way, olive oil massage also enhances sleep quality.
7. Fighting Cellulite. As we age, cellulite makes it difficult for us to wear the clothes we like. It gives skin an unpleasant bumpy appearance and uneven skin tone. However, regularly massaging the skin with olive oil can reduce cellulite by boosting circulation and energizing the skin cells, thereby improving skin tone and texture.
8. Relieving Sun Damage. Olive oil contains lots of antioxidants, such as vitamin E, that can heal skin damage caused by excessive sun exposure. It also contains squalene and linoleic acid, substances that hydrate skin and seal it to prevent moisture loss. Therefore, applying olive oil after sunbathing is the best way to rejuvenate and keep supple.