Carrying out massages at home with luxury massage oils in tow is a guaranteed way to elevate your next self-care evening or date night. Forget what you thought you knew: massages don't just have to be carried out in-salon – and they aren't just an indulgent pastime saved for those once-in-a-blue-moon occasions that you have a little extra money to spend on self-care and a few-too-many knots in your shoulders.
Massage oils are great for relieving tension and helping your body recover, especially if you’re active and workout regularly. What's more, massages also boast countless mental health benefits. According to Nadege Louvet, Urban's Global Head of Community and a Quality and Massage Therapist with more than fifteen years' of experience, massages can "reduce the symptoms of anxiety, stress and insomnia by reducing the levels of our stress hormone cortisol, and increasing the production of endorphins which gives your mood a boost.
“Massages can stimulate the autonomic system,” she continued, “which regulates our involuntary body functions by lowering down the heart rate, digestion, and breathing rate. A massage can also boost blood flow and support your lymphatic system that fights infection and illness.”
What’s more, whether you’re in the honeymoon stage of a new relationship or have been with your partner for years, introducing at-home massage therapy into your pampering plans will help you feel closer to your partner, both physically and emotionally. Especially if your love language is physical touch or acts of service.
The moral of the story? If you can't afford to spend on massages at your local spa on the reg, massages at home is something we should all be getting on board with. And the best massage oils will help to take things to the next level.
Meet the experts:
- Nadege Louvet: Urban's Global Head of Community and a Quality and Massage Therapist with more than fifteen years' of experience.
- Gigi Engle: an award-winning author, leading sexologist and sex expert at Sextoys.co.uk.
The best massage oils at a glance:
- Best Overall: My Viv Massage Oil Bergamot, £12
- Best Aromatherapy Massage Oil: Aromatherapy Sensual Massage Oil for Couples, £11.95
- Best For Relaxation: Gya Labs Relaxing Massage Oil, £17.99
- Best Fragrance: Botanics Massage Oil Ylang Ylang & Mandarin, £10.50
- Best For Stretch Marks: WELEDA Stretch Mark Massage Oil, £19.95
What are the benefits of using a massage oil?
Whether you’re practising self-massage or massaging your partner, having a massage oil on hand is key to an enjoyable experience for all involved. “A massage oil helps the hands to glide without friction on the muscles,” Nadege told us, helping you achieve smooth movements over the body without any pulling or tugging of delicate skin. Gentle or deep-tissue massage helps to relieve sore muscles or act as foreplay, while the rich fragrance of massage oils will instantly soothe your senses, helping you de-stress into the experience and boosting your mood.
What is the best oil to use for body massage?
When it comes to choosing the best oil for body massage it’s all down to personal preference. But Nadege suggested opting for organic oils. “These are always a good option,” she added. “Things like grapeseed oil are natural, safe for people with nut allergies, and not too expensive.” Noted!
But, what are the professionals using? “Urban pros will often use oils with different essential oils depending on the treatment," Nadege explains. "For something like our Relaxing massage, they might use an oil with lavender, sweet orange, ylang ylang, chamomile, rose, jasmine or frankincense for the ultimate calming treatment. For our Energising massage, they might opt for something citrusy to help boost your energy.”
“Sweet almond is really great for nourishing and protecting the skin. If you have sensitive skin, massage oils containing Jojoba are a good choice. Bear in mind that lots of massage oils contain nuts, so always check the ingredients before buying, and if you do have a nut allergy, opt for Grapeseed oil.”
“To create a relaxing atmosphere, lavender, sweet orange, ylang ylang, chamomile, rose, jasmine, frankincense are always a really great option. If you’re shopping for your own oils, we always recommend buying pre-blended massage oils that have the exact right amount of essential oil in them.”
What massage oils are best to use with a partner?
Planning a date night in and want to treat your partner to a luxurious body massage? We’ve got you covered. Gigi Engle, leading sexologist and sex expert at Sextoys.co.uk, suggested opting for a lightly fragranced massage oil (her fave is vanilla).
“Always make sure that your massage oil is glycerine and paraben-free, too,” said Gigi. She always advises patch testing the oil on your partner's arm or leg when you first use it to make sure it doesn’t irritate their skin or cause a reaction.
Gigi suggested also looking for massage oils with a creamier texture that melts on the skin to give you plenty of playtime with the product and a longer massage. “I also love massage candles, like this one from Lelo,” Gigi reveaed. “It heats up to just the right temperature and smells amazing.”
After more sexual wellness content?
Ahead, shop GLAMOUR's edit of the best massage oils – pre-blended – for every hydration level, budget and scent.
1. Best body massage oil overall
Why we love it: Made from 98% natural ingredients and scented with bergamot essential oils, this My Viv massage oil is all you need for a luxurious, non-greasy massage. Simply pour a small amount into the palm of your hands and you're ready to use alone or with a partner. It also contains Jojoba, Bitter Orange and Ylang Ylang.
Fragrance: Bergamot, Jojoba, Bitter Orange and Ylang Ylang.
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2. Best aromatherapy massage oil
Why we love it: An Amazon bestselling massage oil with over 70% of its reviews being uploaded as five-star, this product can be used for back, leg, neck or full-body massages. It contains a blend of jojoba, lavender and almond oil – plus vitamin E – to stimulate the whole body. It tingles slightly on application (which is actually very pleasant) and smells divine.
Fragrance: Jojoba, Lavender and Almond Oil.
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3. Best massage oil on Amazon
Why we love it: Another Amazon bestseller with over 2,500 ratings (!), this relaxing massage oil comes in under £20 and is totally natural and organic. Formulated to help you soothe stress and relax the body after a long, active day, it contains ylang ylang plus rose geranium and lavender to moisturise the skin. Warm a few pumps between your hands and get to work.
Fragrance: Ylang Ylang, Rose Geranium and Lavender.
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4. Best-smelling massage oil
Why we love it: From the Boots nature-inspired Botanics range, this vegan and cruelty-free massage oil balances a blend of ylang ylang, mandarin and vetiver essential oils to soften the skin, restore the mind and soothe tension in an instant. Plus, it's guilt-free, because everything in the Botanics range has been formulated taking steps to reduce environmental impact.
Fragrance: Ylang Ylang, Mandarin and Vetiver.
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5. Best baby massage oil
Why we love it: If it's a massage oil for babies you're after (which you can steal, too), make a beeline for Aurelia Probiotic Skincare (and their Little Aurelia range). Proving that wonderful, effective products can be formulated without the need for a single chemical, this massage oil is entirely synthetic, paraben and additive free. It blends natural oils with delicate flower essences to calm and settle your little one – and your mind – before bed. Coconut hydrates, sweet almond nourishes, starflower smells divine and chamomile calms.
Fragrance: Lavender, Chamomile, Angelica and Linden Blossom.
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6. Best massage oil for stretch marks
Why we love it: One of the best massage oils to use during pregnancy, Weleda's all-natural formula nourishes skin and helps to prevent the development of stretch marks when you're carrying and feels soothing on skin.
Fragrance: Almond oil, Jojoba, Wheat Germ Oil and Arnica.
7. Best luxury massage oil for a sensual night in
Why we love it: Coco de Mer, a brand that has been shining a light on the importance of female pleasure for the past 20 years, knows a thing or two about sexual wellness products that help you take your satisfaction into your own hands. Case in point: the Enraptured Figment Massage Oil which – housed in a beautiful, illustrated bottle – can be drizzled over your body to moisturise the skin and help you reconnect with yourself, or your partner.
Fragrance: Fig and Orange blossom.
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8. Best lavender massage oil
Why we love it: The secret to long-lasting massage, the vitamin-rich Dona Relax has been formulated to add glide during sensual massages. Perfect for soothing sore and tired muscles too, it has a lovely lavender and Tahitian vanilla scent which promotes ultimate relaxation.
Fragrance: Lavender & Tahitian Vanilla.
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9. Best massage oil under £10
Why we love it: The perfect romantic gift, Lovehoney's affordable cherry massage oil can be used to elevate foreplay. Infused with essential oils, it'll nourish the skin while ensuring your limbs remain supple and moisturised. The best part? It comes in a 30ml bottle, so you can easily pack it in your suitcase and take it away on holiday.
Fragrance: Cherry.
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10. Best body oil for massage
Why we love it: A moisturising body oil which can absolutely be used for massage, Susanne Kaufmann's Marigold Body Oil is suitable for irritated skin and sensitive skin types. With the goal of hydrating, protecting and strengthening the skin barrier, it's enriched with jojoba, rose-hip seed oil and marigold extract to leave you feeling hydrated and supple. You can layer it underneath body cream for a natural glow on holiday, or wash it off post-massage.
Fragrance: Jojoba, Rosehip and Marigold.
11. Aesop massage oil
Why we love it: Another body oil which can be repurposed for massage, Aesop's vegan Breathless oil is weightless, hydrating and calming. It's enriched with Blood Orange, Laurel Leaf, Jojoba Seed and Vitamin E – which all aid in moisturising dry patches of skin.
Fragrance: Blood Orange, Jojoba Seed, Laurel Leaf.
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12. Best massage oil for muscle tension
Why we love it: Running, gym classes and playing sports is tough on your muscles, but this oil works to soothe tightness and tension in an instant. With a lovely, aromatic fragrance, it contains apricot oil to help regenerate skin cells, lavender to soothe the body and mind and rosemary to cool your skin.
Fragrance: Apricot, lavender and rosemary.
13. Best spa-grade massage oil
Why we love it: From the brand's Professional Range, this Neal's Yard massage oil balances a blend of organic sunflower with almond and wheatgerm oil to uplift your senses and keep your skin soft and supple. It helps to boost circulation too, and is suitable for all skin types – particularly dry skin.
Fragrance: wheatgerm, organic olive and sunflower oils, with geranium and sweet orange.
14. Best body massage candle
Why we love it: Made from an all-natural soy wax, when sex expert Gigi revealed Lelo’s body massage candle was one of her all-time faves, we knew we had to try it out. Formulated with shea butter and apricot kernel oil to nourish the skin, it’s the perfect date night companion. Once the wax melts down into a pool of oil, blow out the candle and use it on your skin at your leisure. Plus, we can’t forget the rich scent of fruity snow pear and woody cedarwood that instantly soothes the senses. Bliss!
Fragrance: snow pear and cedarwood.
15. Best nourishing massage oil
Why we love it: Enriched with sweet almond oil, this skin-loving massage oil from L'Occitane not only smells delicious but is ultra-nourishing too. The spray bottle makes it easy to apply and massage into skin, offering an instantly silky-smooth feel. Formulated with omegas 3 and 6 it deeply moisturises too, while a silicium derivative leaves skin looking firmer and tighter.
Fragrance: Almond.
For more from Glamour UK Commerce Editor Sophie Cockett, follow her on Instagram @sophiecockettx.
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