Choosing a massage lotion can be overwhelming but using the wrong lotion can really affect a massage by becoming sticky, staining clothing or sheets, creating too much friction, being uncontrollably slippery, or causing skin problems for your client. Dealing with those issues isn’t relaxing, whether you’re a professional massage therapist or someone giving a tension-relieving shoulder rub at home.
And don’t forget to upgrade your lotion or massage oil warmer at the same time for true luxury.
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If you’re a professional, you’re likely very familiar with Biotone. It’s the brand of choice for many spas, for good reason, and I’d be remiss in not including it.
Biotone’s Massage Creme is a thick, rich middle ground between an oil and a lotion. It has glide that lasts while still allowing you to get good traction for deeper modalities.
For lubrication this creme uses coconut oil esters, almond oil, aloe vera, kukui nut oil, cetyl alcohol, and glycerin. Coconut and almond are some of the most recommended oils for massage oil so it’s nice to see them included here in this creme meant to replace massage oils.
The extra slip makes this one a good choice for hairier clients and longer sessions. There’s no greasy residue and some people even use it as lotion.
Arnica and ivy extracts improve skin and muscle health. Not everyone loves the fragrance of the lotion but it’s light and fades.
The Biotone Dual Purpose Massage Creme comes in several sizes including a four ounce jar, seven ounce tube, gallon, and five gallon bucket.
I love that Bon Vital’ creates different formulations of their lotions catered to particular types of massage allowing you to easily match your modality with the right lotion.
All of their lotion choices use a majority of certified organic ingredients and most include botanical extracts like arnica, mallow, ivy, and cucumber, (depending on the formulation) to nourish the skin and encourage healing of muscles.
Each oil used in massage has its pros and cons and Bon Vital’s Original uses a combination of grapeseed oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, safflower oil, olive oil, and soybean oil to get the benefits of each resulting in nice glide that doesn’t need much reapplying.
You can pick up their lotions in either eight ounce pump dispensers or half-gallon jugs refills.
Their line includes their lightly scented Original (all modalities), Coconut (absorbs slower), Naturale (absorbs quicker, skin health), Organica (organic, all modalities), Swedish (more glide), and Deep Tissue (deeper modalities).
This massage cream by Sacred Earth Botanicals is a wonderful compromise between massage oil and lotion. It’s much thicker and richer than Bon Vital’ lotion and I would say it has a body butter type of consistency.
Sacred Earth was kind enough to send me a sample and I can tell you it’s thick enough that you can hold the open jar upside-down and nothing happens. This makes it easy to manipulate and apply because when you put a dab of the cream somewhere, it won’t run off.
The only issue with being so thick is that it can be hard to use in pump bottles.
It has a smooth glide to it that lasts longer than most lotions and I can see this even working for Swedish massage. You can get more friction for deeper modalities by using a little less cream. While it does it slowly, this cream absorbs well and hasn’t left any greasy residue in my experience.
I love that it’s vegan, cruelty free, nut oil free, and doesn’t use synthetic dyes or fragrances. I wouldn’t say it has a fragrance but there is a light scent to this cream. It’s a very clean smell and fades quickly.
Aloe is the second ingredient and for extra lubrication this cream uses hemp oil, sunflower oil, and glycerin. Organic botanical extracts of arnica, chamomile, calendula, and white tea leave the skin feeling healthier than before.
This cream is available in this eight ounce tube, half-gallon, and gallon.
They also make a thinner Vegan Massage Lotion in a pump bottle.
Soothing Touch uses Jojoba oil which is one of the best oils in moisturizers because it absorbs so well and has been shown in research studies to reduce inflammation. Soothing Touch uses jojoba oil, aloe vera, and vitamin E to create a smooth glide that works for all modalities.
This lotion is non-staining and water-dispersable. While it’s an unscented lotion, it does have a fragrance to it that is a little eucalyptus-y.
Where this one stands out from the pack is its targeted use of botanicals. It contains arnica for muscle health but also chamomile, valerian, kava kava, and St. John’s Wort for relaxation and improving circulation. The first three herbs are used as mild sedatives and the last to treat depression.
While there likely isn’t that much effect from absorption in the skin, it’s something to keep in mind as well as the fact that these herbs, when taken internally, can interfere with certain medications.
If you prefer something not as oily, go with the SpaMaster Massage Cream. It’s water-dispersable is it is easy to wash off of skin and to wash out of fabrics. The lotion has decent slip for most types of massage but it absorbs into the skin well which is great for the client leaving without feeling greasy. As a result, the cream doesn’t have the same glide as oil so if your modality needs a high level of slip, this likely isn’t for you.
It uses aloe vera and fractionated coconut oil to provide its satiny smooth glide. The lotion is also packed with loads of botanicals to enhance the benefits of the massage including extracts of arnica, chamomile, white willow bark, bergamot, cinnamon, cat’s claw, and clary sage. It’s an unscented lotion as there is no fragrance added but the botanicals give the cream a pleasantly warm, herbal smell.
The SpaMaster Massage Cream is hypoallergenic and doesn’t contain any nut oils. It’s also free of petroleum products and parabens. I love that it’s made in America and is cruelty-free.
Culturally when we think of massage we think of massage oil, but there are times when it makes much more sense to go with a specialized lotion.
The amount of glide you want depends on the type of massage. Massage oil can be too slippery for deep modalities and not allow you to get the kind of traction you need to properly apply pressure. A lotion has water content and will absorb more into the skin giving you better traction while still allowing your hands to smoothly glide.
Massage oils are great for something like Swedish massage where you want a lot of slip. Luckily, there are lotions formulated to mimic this saving you from the difficulties that come with oils.
The problem with massage oil is what it does once the massage is over. If your clients will be showering off after their treatment, then oils aren't an issue, but if they can't the leftover oils can stain fabrics and leave your client feeling uncomfortably greasy.
Even if they do shower, massage oils can occlude their pores causing body acne. This is especially an issue for massage therapists who work on location in offices, at events, or for disabled or injured clients who have difficulty showering.
Lotions don't tend to have these issues because they are meant to stay on the body and be absorbed, improving skin health.
Very. Always be sure to ask about allergies and sensitivities before beginning a massage and be aware of what's in the products you're applying. Many oils and lotions use ingredients like sweet almond oil which can cause adverse reactions. Massage Magazine has a nice article on considerations around this.
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