Where do they sell massage oil?

December 1, 2011 5:49 PM

Where can I buy massage oil in Toronto (actually Richmond Hill)?

I've read about it for years in all the sex manuals. I've always assumed it was out there -- readily available.
But I went shopping for it today and couldn't find it. I assumed The Body Shop would carry some. Also tried a fairly big pharmacy. All sorts of lubricants -- but nothing called massage oil. I'm talking about a fragrance-enhanced oil for body rubbing. I bought some baby oil, which has a nice smell, but would like a few other choices.
Do I have to go the obvious place - a sex store? (Duh!) Will I get good quality there?

posted by feelinggood to Grab Bag (5 answers total)

Best answer: Lush carries massage bars, which are basically bars of solidified massage oil that melts with body heat. If you want something that's super-slippery a massage bar wouldn't work, but if you're just looking for something to enhance a back rub, the massage bars are quite nice and much less messy than a bottle of oil. (Lush has lots of different scents, too.)
posted by enlarged to show texture at 6:04 PM on December 1, 2011

Best answer: Yup, Lush massage bars rock. I'd avoid the Wiccy one; the Adzuki beans start falling out of it after a while and it's kinda annoying. The Mange Too is my fave; smells so delightfully sweet.

If you want more slipperiness than the bars will give you, Escents also carries bottled massage oils. Locations in Ontario.

Also, Bath and Body Works.
posted by oceanview at 6:31 PM on December 1, 2011

I don't know about Toronto, but the Body Shop does indeed carry massage oil in the US. You can also try a Bath and Body Works if you have them locally - the 'aromatherapy' line for skin use. I looked up that neighborhood and if you're talking about stores in the Hillcrest Mall, the 'Fruits and Passion' also lists massage oils in their online store, and the places that carry hair and makeup products may have some too.

Often times these places mix their massage oils in with the lotions - they're sorted by fragrance and not product type.

(And Lush is such a dangerous place for my wallet, so I guess I third them.)
posted by cobaltnine at 6:36 PM on December 1, 2011

Grocery store: olive oil - refined, please. Drug store: sesame oil, baby oil. Don't get hung up on expecting it to be labeled for massage.
posted by megatherium at 7:35 PM on December 1, 2011

For the grocery store, I was going to recommend almond oil over olive oil. I cook with olive and sesame too much, so it smells like food to me, but almond is so mild I don't notice it. Bonus, if you have any aromatherapy oils, perfumes, etc that you like, just add a small amount to the bottle and shake it up. For massage, the oil shouldn't smell super strong - the goal is more to make the oil pleasant-smelling than it is to have the recipient feel like they rolled in perfume.
posted by aimedwander at 9:31 PM on December 1, 2011