Lavender Essential Oil

Proper Usage of Essential Oils

• Do not take essential oils internally.
• Do not use essential oils undiluted. Dilute the recommended number of drops in the recommended amount of carrier oil before using on the skin.
• Do not apply aromatherapy oils on broken skin or sensitive areas of the body.

Dosage Guidelines

• Remember: less is more. Use ONLY the recommended amount for each type of oil and treatment. Using more than the recommended dose or frequency can do harm rather than good.
• Test the oil first on a small patch of skin. Watch for a reaction before using on a larger area of skin.
• If you notice any signs of irritation, stop use immediately.


Relaxation Blend Oil

• Be aware that each client may react differently to a particular essential oil or blend, both physically (for example, a negative reaction such as a headache) and emotionally (for example, due to memories associated with a particular smell).

Medical Precautions

• Know the contraindications for each essential oil that you use.
• Use extreme caution when practicing aromatherapy on pregnant women or clients with high blood pressure. Unless you have extensive training in using essential oils with clients with these health conditions, you should not use essential oils with these clients.
• Know the precautions for each essential oil, such as photosensitivity, mucous membrane irritation, and level of toxicity.

Storage Guidelines

• Store your essential oils properly. Unless otherwise directed, store the oils in a cool, dry place.
• Essential oils (along with all other oils) are flammable and should be stored away from open flame sources and potential fire hazards.

Related Posts:

• How to Get Started with Aromatherapy
• Lemon Essential Oil Benefits
• Eucalyptus Aromatherapy

1. Fleece Table Warmer

   This fleece warming pad is perfect for warming up before bedtime or snuggling up on the couch on cold winter days. It comes with 5 adjustable heat levels, multiple timer settings, and an automatic cool down safety feature.

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2. Teal Massage Table

   On sale now! The Elite Series Portable Massage Table comes in a complete package with everything you need to get started with massage at home. It even includes 2 bonus massage bolsters for better positioning and comfort.

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3. Massage Cream or Lotion

   Professional massage creams and lotions make giving and receiving massages better by increasing glide, reducing the number of times the lotion needs to be reapplied, and infusing moisture into the skin. Bon Vital’s Naturale product line is completely organic and natural to accommodate even the most sensitive skin.

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4. Essential Oils

   A touch of aromatherapy can go a long way in calming the senses, lifting the spirits, and improving mental clarity, among numerous other benefits. Following the basic guidelines for the use of essential oils, you can use aromatherapy at home with oils such as lavender, lemon, and eucalyptus or blends such as Relaxation and Hartland.

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5. Electronic Massage

   Who wouldn’t enjoy a gift that helps them relax and de-stress? The Variable Speed Muscle Massager is a handheld device that vibrates deep into the muscles to help them relax. The Chi Swing Machine, featured on The Doctors, is an electronic massager that simulates a gentle rocking motion designed to relax the entire body and promote overall health.

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6. Relaxing Music

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Every massage session should have a goal, even if it’s something as basic as relaxation. Agreeing with the client on goals is essential to satisfying your clients and getting the most out of a massage. Before the client gets on the table, ask what he or she would like to get out of the session. Is it primarily relaxation? Pain relief? Is the client complaining of tight shoulders? A sore hamstring? Listen carefully to what they want; then offer your own suggestions based on their requests. The goals you come up with may stay the same for the client over a period of time or they may differ from session to session.

During the session, use these goals to meet the client’s needs. Give extra attention where the client requests (such as tight shoulders), even if you notice that another part of the body (such as the lower back) may need more attention. If this is the case, mention to the client after the session that you noticed some very tight muscles in the lower back (even though the client complained about tight shoulders) and suggest that you concentrate on that area during the client’s next session.

If the client has no specific requests, you’re free to follow your typical routine. If you notice a problem area, give extra attention to it but not at the expense of completing a full-body massage.

If you feel that you need more time to finish your work (say, 10 minutes or so) and your schedule allows for it, ask the client if it’s all right with them (they may have somewhere else to be after the massage) before extending the massage session beyond the original time limits. Most clients will appreciate the extra attention, but some may not have scheduled the extra time into their agenda, so be conscious of your clients’ time (as well as your own). Also, make it clear whether or not the client will be charged for the extra time you spend on the massage.

Don’t feel like you have to get every knot out and fix every problem area. Address the client’s complaints and the major problem areas and let smaller problems go. If the amount of work that needs to be done within the time limit feels overwhelming, identify the most important needs and work with slower, more deliberate moves, making every single move count.

There’s a wide variety of professional massage lubricants available on the market today: oils, lotions, gels, creams, body butters, analgesics, and more. Some lubricants are specially formulated for specific modalities, while others work well for a number of different modalities. The following table includes general guidelines for matching lubricants to their respective modalities. As always, check with the client for allergies and sensitivities before using any massage lubricant.

Where is your massage career headed?

With massage therapist Lauren’s Massage Career Guide, you can get advice from other therapists who have “been there, done that.” Learn from their mistakes, ask questions in the forums, and find tips on everything from choosing the best massage certification program to starting your own massage business.

Lauren’s site also includes massage school reviews, business plan templates, sample resumes, and salary expectations for massage therapists—all the tools you need to launch a successful massage career!

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Massage tools allow you to accomplish more with less effort.

Save Your Hands

Even with the best body mechanics and techniques, full-time massage can be hard on your hands. Massage tools take some of the pressure off of your hands and allow you to keep up with your massage schedule without making you vulnerable to overuse injuries.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Learning to use a massage tool effectively starts with practice. Before using massage tools on your clients, practice on a willing friend or therapist. Ask for feedback, adjust your technique, and then ask for feedback again. It’s also a good idea to ask another therapist to use the massage tool on you so that you know exactly how it feels for your clients. You may not even be able to tell the difference between the massage tool and the therapist’s hands.

Trigger Point Work

If you incorporate any type of trigger point work into your technique, the benefit of massage tools will immediately become transparent. Trigger point tools can reach places that your fingers can’t, and they do so with pinpoint accuracy.

Sensing the Tissue’s Response

Massage tools are not a substitute for human touch but rather an extension of the hand and a stabilizer. The more familiar you become with using a massage tool, the more effectively you will be able to sense the response of the tissue and convey the subtleties of human touch through this extension of your hands.

Natural Organic Massage Cream by Bon Vital

Since massage cream offers both lasting glide and ample resistance for a wide range of massage techniques, there’s no need to switch lubricants if you change your technique in the middle of a massage.

You can move seamlessly from light touches to deeper, more penetrating techniques, concentrating on areas of the body that need specialized attention while gliding easily over others.

Massage cream is an all-in-one lubricant that fits the varied needs of your clients and your techniques. If you’re looking for a multipurpose massage lubricant for your practice, this may be it.

Clients appreciate the non-greasy texture and the added hydration, leaving their skin refreshed and moisturized. These features are especially important for clients who don’t have time to shower immediately after the massage or who suffer from dry skin.

Most therapists also appreciate the non-greasy, moisturizing properties of massage cream, since it makes cleanup easier for your own skin and for your linens.

Consider using an all natural and organic massage cream that is unscented to accommodate clients with sensitive skin. Then add a few drops of essential oils to a small amount of massage cream for clients who appreciate the aromatherapy experience and whose skin is tolerant of fragrance. Using an unscented massage cream as the base allows you to customize the aromatherapy oils for each client.

The expense of owning your own business can be overwhelming, but there are ways to cut costs and reduce your overhead. Here are a few tips for saving money as a massage therapy business owner.

Buy massage oil in bulk to save on business expenses.

• Once you find a massage oil or lubricant that you like, buy it in bulk. Purchase laundry detergent in bulk as well.
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• Purchase massage table sheets and face cradle covers in bulk. Think of other supplies that you use on a regular basis (towels, washcloths, cleaning supplies, bottled water for clients, etc.) and purchase them in large quantities as your storage space allows.
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• Watch for sales and specials. Stock up on products that you use regularly when they’re on sale. Look for other ways to save, including signing up for newsletters. For example, OneTouch Massage offers exclusive discounts and coupons to their e-mail subscribers on a regular basis.
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• If you buy online, compare prices and include the cost of shipping in your total purchase. What might seem like a great deal at first can change once you see the shipping and handling fees.
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• Share office space with other independent therapists or health practitioners to cut down on the cost of rent. Another option is to work from home or take your business to the client’s home and avoid the need for office space altogether.

Eucalyptus oil is one of the most popular aromatherapy oils.

Scent:

Medicinal, woody, earthy

Uses:

Eucalyptus oil is well known for its anti-inflammatory and healing properties and has a long history of use in liniments and salves. It is often used to aid in clearing the sinuses, soothe inflammation, and provide relief from colds, hay fever, asthma, coughs, throat irritation, and other respiratory ailments.

Eucalyptus oil is also good for headaches, fever, flu, skin irritations, sore muscles, and swollen joints, along with other ailments. Eucalyptus has antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties

Precautions:

Toxic if taken internally. Not recommended for individuals with high blood pressure or epilepsy.

Preparation:

As with other essential oils, eucalyptus oil should be diluted in a carrier oil before applying to the skin. Some therapists use the oil neat; however, as eucalyptus is a powerful essential oil, it should be used with caution when not diluted.

Oil Blends:

Eucalyptus blends well with other essential oils. Some suggestions include lavender essential oil, lemon oil, marjoram, pine, bergamot, orange, benzoin, thyme, and lemongrass.