How to make your own massage wax?

November 12, 2013 6:09 AM

I just started a massage course and I'm looking for a good recipe to make my own massage wax. Any professionals out there that want to share their recipe? Thanks!
posted by Sourisnoire to Health & Fitness (1 answer total)

Best answer: I don't really have a recipe to share as I don't use solids--a liquid is used for performing the Abhyang massage in Ayurveda. So, while I'm not certain that recipe would meet your needs, I'd be happy to share if you were interested.

Also, I wanted to pipe in with advice regarding your base or carrier oil. Since you want a solid bar you'll need to combine solid, semi-solid and liquid oils to achieve that effect. Some oils melt too quickly and fail to remain solid on skin, absorbing too quickly for a massage. This is generally accomplished by combining too-thin-oils with too-thick-oils to find the happy medium. Lots of trial and error is required to find what consistency work best for your tastes.

That said--the more popular oils are:

Jojoba - Very commonly used in massage. It's light (in scent and consistency) and wonderful for sensitive/acne-prone skin. It is a liquid oil that absorbs very quickly into the skin and should be combined with a more solid oil with a higher melting point.

Sweet Almond Oil - Heavier than Jojoba and ideal for mixing. It has a saccharine scent, in my opinion. It too will need to be combined with a higher melting point oil.

Sesame (Untoasted) Oil - One of the most popular oils used for Abhyang massage. Sesame oil is thicker and takes longer to absorb into the skin (compared to say, Jojoba). Avoid Toasted as it causes the oil to have a very particular smell.

Coconut Oil - Not very commonly used in massage. Coconut oil has a melting point that's right around the average body temperature for a human. It melts quickly and into a very liquid state that causes very rapid absorption into the skin. When mixed with other oils or butters, coconut oil offers a great smell and leaves skin feeling soft.

You can expect to need a 'butter' if you want a solid massage bar: shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter, ect. Combined with one of the liquid oils above and essential oils, you could make some great melty massage bars.

Good luck!
posted by stubbehtail at 1:30 PM on November 12, 2013 [1 favorite]