Rejuvenate Your Skin with Massage Oils and Body Scrub

Skin, the largest organ of our body, faces environmental challenges like UV damage and pollution. It gets weathered, discolored and starts losing its luster due to the lack of daily care and treatment. With the time, it tends to lose its glow, healthy texture and even tone. As skin ages, it produces less sebum (natural oil produced by the skin cells). This results in dryness, loss of youthful glow, and elasticity. In Ayurveda (3000+ year old system of health and well being that originated in India), scrubbing and massaging the skin regularly is considered very beneficial not only for nourishment but also for detoxification of the whole body.

For optimal body care, massage oils should be used in conjunction with regular removal of the outer dead skin cells that build on the top of the skin making it look dull.  A good body scrub promotes exfoliation, which not only reveals the glowing skin hiding under the upper layer of dead cells, but also readies the skin to get maximum benefit from a massage.  The upper layer of dead skin cells can prevent your skin from soaking up the massage oils, and thus your skin may not get the maximum benefit from a massage.

Regular body massages (at least twice a week) can have immense benefits. The physical procedure of massaging increases the blood flow to your skin, which promotes healing and soothes tired muscles. In addition, the therapeutic ingredients in massage oils deeply nourish your skin, promote elasticity and suppleness, and provide a burst of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and natural proteins. With regular use, all of these natural ingredients can repair damage caused due to free radicals, over-exposure to the elements, and loss of health due to neglect or aging.

When choosing massage oil, care should be taken to pick the right one.  Ideal massage oil should be lightweight, made with nourishing base/carrier oils and active ingredients especially suited for your skin type. E.g. Almond oil is excellent base oil for aging and dry skin, while jojoba oil is most suitable for normal skin. Also carrot seed extract in massage oil is great if your skin sagging and aging, while camphor is the right choice for sensitive skin due to it skin soothing properties. Most importantly, massage oil should be free of chemicals and synthetic ingredients. Massage oils with alcohol can cause your skin to become dry and irritated. Alcohol in skin care products has been linked to skin allergies like eczema, dermatitis etc.

A simple recipe to make your own body scrub       

To a cup of olive oil, add 3 tablespoons of powdered brown sugar. Apply this mixture all over your skin and scrub with gentle circular motion. Scrub your skin with this natural and chemical free recipe until your skin feels clean and smooth. Follow with a warm bath.

Make your own massage oil at home

To half a cup of olive oil add half a cup of sweet almond or sesame oil. Mix well, and warm gently. Be careful to not heat this mixture. Hot oil can cause severe burns. Add 5-10 drops of lavender oil for normal skin or 5-10 drops of peppermint oil for sensitive skin. Massage your skin with firm strokes. This preparation should be enough for your entire body. Follow with a warm bath. Both olive oil and sweet almond oil are full of natural nutrition that your skin craves. Lavender promotes relaxation. Peppermint is well known for its calming properties.