Aromatherapy Massage for the Face and Hands

Here are some easy massage techniques for you to start with.

Here is a simple facial massage that will affect you in different ways at different times of the day or night depending, on what oil combination you use.
Begin by making blends of the following essential oils:

• Orange.
• Lavender.
• Peppermint.
• Rose.
• Chamomile.

To Blend Your Choice of Essential Oils

Take some sweet almond oil and fill some 10 ml bottles. Make sure the bottle is amber or blue glass to protect the contents from sunlight, with a dropper dispenser to allow accurate measurements. You can obtain these bottles from many pharmacies quite cheaply.

Use the 10 ml of carrier oil (e.g. sweet almond oil) with 5 drops of essential oil or a blend of up to 5 drops of different essential oils. (Note: maximum 2 drops of peppermint essential oil).
Now that you have the oil, here is how you can do the massage:

Facial Massage

• First drop a small amount of your blended (massage) oil onto your index fingers, lubricate them well.
• Slide the fingers of both hands gently in opposite directions across your forehead, starting from the centre.
• Stroke the contours of your face from the centre outwards.
• Next, stroke below your eyes, along your cheeks, covering your nose and lips.
• Use "chopping" movements along the chin and jaw (be firm in this area). Chopping movements are the same type of movement you use when tapping the desk, but with the top part of the fingers flat.
• Under the jaw line use the back of your fingers for "flat tapping".
• This massage will refresh and invigorate. You only need to spend about 30 seconds doing this facial massage. You can apply it at work, at home, in fact in most places (if you don't mind people watching).
• Repeat every hour if you have time but even just a few times a day will benefit you. Be careful not to get the oils in your mouth, not only can this be risky, they don't taste nice! And naturally, avoid getting the oil in your eyes.

Hand Massage

• Lubricate your fingers with a small amount of (massage) oil, as before.
• Start from your wrist, working towards your fingers.
• Follow the contours of each hand with stroking movements.
• Gently, slowly squeeze and stretch your fingers one at a time from the left little finger over to the right little finger.
• Always rub "up" the fingers from the knuckle to the nail.
• Use friction on each of your finger joints both back and front.
• Use your thumb to stroke your palm in a circular motion adding a little pressure.
• These massage techniques are great for people who spend a lot of time on a computer or in an office environment.