Aromatherapy Massage Oil for Self-Love

Create a Space for Intimacy and Self-Love

With Valentines day almost at our doorstep and our options for date nights limited during this time of covid and lockdowns, we would like to highlight the power of creating your own space of romance, intimacy and self-love. If this past year has taught us anything, it’s that we can make the most out of what we’ve got. So, it’s time to spice up your home-space and heart-space with this DIY aromatherapy massage oil, infusing the sensual aromas of rose, ylang-ylang, and frankincense.

Get to Know Your Ingredients

• Rose Essential Oil

This recipe for self-love includes the healing powers of rose flower and rose essential oil. Rose has long been celebrated for its symbolism of love, romance, and beauty. Rose has been highlighted as the embodiment of love through various great literatures of our time. From Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, to Ancient Greek mythology, where Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, created the red rose out of her tears and the blood of her lover, Adonis, rendering this sensual flower a symbol of love until death. Beyond folklore and symbolism, rose essential oil is a soothing and calming aroma. According to a study, the inhalation of rose otto essential oil showed anti-depressant and mood uplifting properties.

• Ylang-ylang Essential Oil

Ylang-ylang essential oil is uplifting and relaxing, making it a wonderful aroma for self-love. In Indonesia, ylang-ylang is a flower associated with euphoria and sexuality. Ylang-ylang flowers are traditionally laid out on the beds of newly weds as it is believed to promote happiness and sexuality by relieving sexual anxiety (Tarumi, Wataru, and Kazuyuki Shinohara., 2020). According to a study, the compound β-caryophyllene in ylang-ylang was shown to increase the salivary testosterone concentration in women, which may be helpful in understanding female sexuality and awareness. Although more research is needed to understand the aphrodisiac properties of ylang-ylang, its sensual and fragrant aroma will surely leave you feeling calm and relaxed, making it a lovely addition to your aromatherapy massage oil for self-love.

• Frankincense Essential Oil

Frankincense essential oil is a grounding and warming fragrance that will beautifully blend rose flower with ylang-ylang’s aroma. Frankincense resin is a staple ingredient for ceremonies and rituals in various traditional practices. Especially within muslim customs of prayer, catholic and orthodox churches, sufi ceremonies and perhaps within your own household. The burning of frankincense resin has long been seen as a way of releasing negative energy and bad omens from the energetic space.

Folklore and traditional practices all have an element of truth in them, some way or another. For example, science tells us that frankincense is antimicrobial and anti-depressant (Lorena R. Lizarraga‐Valderrama, 2020). If depression and microbes aren’t considered as negative energy and bad omens, then what is? Science, symbolism and mythology are not so different, the latter are only exaggerated concepts developed out of culture and tradition, but still have elements of truth within. Long story short, frankincense essential oil is a wonderful aroma to add to your aromatherapy massage oil for self-love, due to its soothing, stabilising, body and soul-tending properties.

Anoint Your Body with Love

DIY Aromatherapy Massage Oil for Self-Love

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sweet almond oil (caution for those with nut allergies)
• 1/2 cup jojoba oil
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup rose petals
• 2 drops rose absolute essential oil
• 2 drops ylang ylang essential oil
• 2 drops frankincense essential oil
• Optional: 2 ml vitamin E

Directions:

1. Prepare your herb-infused oil by one of the 2 methods: Option A: grind rose flower in a mortar and pestle, then place the flowers in a sterilised canning jar. Top the jar with your carrier oils, then cover with a lid and mix the ingredients together until blended. Label and store the jar for 3 weeks to 2 months for optimum oil infusion. Option B: for a quicker method, place the canning jar in a makeshift double boiler by positioning the jar in the centre a stainless steel pot. Cover with 1 – 2 inches of water, and gently heat at the lowest temperature for 4 to 8 hours. Make sure water does not enter the jar of oil and flowers whatsoever.
2. Strain the rose flowers from the oil infusion, and discard herbs in your compost.
3. Add essential oils into your oil infusion, stir to combine.
4. Optional: add vitamin E. This protects the oil from rancidity.
5. Pour the oil into an amber glass bottle, label and store in a cool and dark cupboard.

How to Use Your Massage Oil?

Pour the oil onto your hands and massage your body from head to toe (for grounding) or from toe to head (for uplifting). Incorporate long, soothing strokes, and alternate to fast-tapping friction where needed (especially in the heart area). Light some candle in your space, diffuse your favourite sensual oils. Prepare a cup of tea and anoint your body with love.