Have you ever wanted to make your own massage oil, but didn’t know where to start? Making massage oils at home is not as hard as you think! In this blog post, you’ll see 15 DIY recipes that use essential oils. These essential oil blends are great for all occasions and can be used with anyone. You’ll never have to buy a pre-made massage oil again!
Why massage with essential oils?
Essential oils have been used for centuries for their therapeutic properties. Not only do they smell amazing, but they also provide a host of benefits that can improve your health and wellbeing.
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When used in massage oil, essential oils can help to soothe muscles, reduce stress and anxiety, improve circulation and more.
Basic Ingredients
Before you get started, there are a few basic ingredients that you will need:
- Carrier oil: this is the base oil that will dilute the essential oils. Any vegetable oil such as olive, grapeseed or almond oil will work well. Different carrier oils will have different properties and smells. Make sure you choose one that you’ll like.
- Essential oils: these can be purchased from health food stores or online. Be sure to use only a high quality brand of essential oils.
- Amber glass bottles: you’ll want to store your essential oils in a safe way. These bottles will help to keep sunlight and oxygen away from the oils.
- Dropper & Labels: You’ll also need a pipette or dropper for measuring out the essential oil drops, a glass bottle with an eyedropper top or a funnel (for pouring) and some labels for your containers if you want them look pretty.
Now that you have all of your supplies, let’s quickly discuss dilution rates before it’s time to make some massage oil!
Dilution Rates
Most essential oils should be diluted before use on the skin. That means, never apply essential oils directly onto your skin. Use a carrier oil to protect your skin.
Dilute your essential oils before massaging them onto the skin.
The general rule of thumb is to mix three drops of essential oil with one teaspoon of a carrier oil.
For generally healthy adults, the recommended dilution rate for topical use of essential oils is 2%. This means that for every 60 ml (2 oz) of carrier oil, add 36 drops of essential oil. This can be increased to up to four percent for acute problems or skin sensitivities.
How to make massage oil blends with essential oils
We’ll start with a basic recipe that can be used for any situation. This recipe includes almond oil, grape seed oil, and lavender essential oil.
Ingredients
- 1/8 cup almond oil
- 1/8 cup grape seed oil
- 36-40 drops lavender essential oils
Instructions
- For best results, use a glass bottle or jar to store the massage oil.
- Add ingredients into bottle.
- Shake well before each application.
- Gently massage into skin as desired.
Use DIY essential oil blends for a gentle massage at home.
To maximize your homemade massage oil recipes, only make a small batch at a time. The oil smells best when made fresh.
How long does it take? It will take just 2-3 minutes to create your massage oil blend. This is perfect for creating the exact blend you wish to use, on any occasion.
Now that you have a basic recipe, let’s explore some different blends that can be used for various occasions. The following recipes are just a few examples of how you can create your own homemade massage oil blends.
15 DIY Massage Oil Recipes with Essential Oils
The first step to making your own massage oil is to choose a recipe. There are hundreds of options out there, so you’re sure to find one that suits your needs!
Each recipe is for approx. one full body massage. You can substitute other carrier oils as you need. I’ve simply chosen the oils I’d use for each application.
If you’re looking for more variations or other oils to use, please start with these best oils for massage at home.
I’ve included 15 recipes below for different occasions and skin types:
Relaxation
- 1/4 cup almond oil
- 20 drops lavender essential oil
- 6 drops cedarwood essential oil
- 10 drops sweet orange essential oil
Sleep
- ¼ cup sweet almond carrier oil
- 15 drops each of lavender and chamomile oils
Romance
- ¼ cup sweet almond carrier oil
- 15 drops each of rose, ylang-ylang and jasmine oils.
Stress and Anxiety
- ¼ cup fractionated coconut oil (or another light carrier oil)
- 12 drops each neroli, palmarosa and lavender oils
Muscle Aches
- 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
- 15 drops each of eucalyptus, rosemary, and peppermint essential oils
Sinus Pressure
- ¼ cup sunflower oil or light olive oil
- 20 drops thyme oil
- 20 drops rosemary essential oil
Energy
- ¼ cup grapeseed oil or light olive oil
- 15 drops each of lavender, orange, and peppermint oils
Sensitive Skin
- ¼ cup fractionated coconut oil (or another light carrier oil)
- 25 drops chamomile essential oil
- 10 drops geranium essential oil
Dry Skin
- ¼ cup jojoba oil
- 25 drops frankincense essential oil
- 15 drops palmarosa essential oil
Cold Feet
- ¼ cup sunflower oil or light olive oil
- 15 drops eucalyptus oil
- 15 drops black pepper essential oil
- 10 drops lemon essential oil
Uplifting
- ¼ cup fractionated coconut oil
- 20 drops bergamot oil
- 10 drops tea tree oil
- 6 drops lavender oil
Post Workout
- ¼ cup sweet almond oil
- 15 drops each of cedarwood, cypress, lime essential oils
Goddess
- ¼ cup jojoba oil
- 10 drops rose essential oil
- 20 drops palmarosa essential oil
- 5 drops ylang-ylang essential oil
Focus
- ¼ cup sweet almond oil
- 20 drops clary sage essential oil
- 10 drops frankincense essential oil
- 6 drops lemon essential oil
Pain
- ¼ cup evening primrose oil
- 15 drops each copaiba, frankincense and lavender essential oils
Precautions
Do not use these recipes on children under the age of two years old, or if you are pregnant (unless directed to by your doctor). Do a small patch test before using any body care products containing essential oils directly onto skin. If redness or itching occurs, discontinue use immediately.
Final Thoughts
The Relaxation Set from Plant Therapy is an easy place to start with oils for a relaxing massage at home.
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Massage is an individual therapy. There is no one perfect recipe for massage oil – it all depends on your situation and preferences. Adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil to any carrier oil can create a personalized massage oil perfect for many occasions.
The recipes provided above should give you a good place to start. Be sure to experiment with different combinations of oils until you find the perfect essential oil massage recipe for you!
Now that you know how to make your own massage oil, there’s no excuse not to enjoy a relaxing and rejuvenating massage at home any time you need it!
Ana A Martinez
Thank you so much for the information, it is greatly appreciated.
Korin
Hi, im new here, I made peppermint oil with fresh garden peppermint, using half and half grapeseed and sweet almond oils. My question is, now can I add essential oils to that mixture as a carrier, or do I treat that mixture as essential and add drops to another carrier. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks :)
Emma Carter
Hi Korin, welcome! Glad to have you here. I am really not familiar with essential oils made at home. My hunch is that I wouldn’t add any more essential oils to your mixture, as you’ve essentially already distilled your own peppermint. But really, I can’t advise on safe dilution rates or percentages, as I wouldn’t know how much you’ve distilled and what the exact ingredients of your homemade oil are. I do have a guide on essential oil dilution rates here, but it assumes that you have commercially distilled essential oils and regular carrier oils. Apologies & all the best!
Carrie McCormick
This is excellent information! Not overwhelming! You make it sound simple and inviting!
Linda Ortega
Thank you for all the information and great oil recipes. I recently contracted poison oak and I was thinking of using oils for the itching. I would like to know which oils to use. It is literally driving me up the walls….
Thank you!