You know that warm, limber feeling you get right after a really good massage? When you float out of the salon, smelling delicious with your aches and pains all but forgotten? Well, what if we told you, you could extend that light-as-a-feather feeling for days to come with the right post-massage body oils? From stress busting, to fighting fatigue, to cleansing the body of nasty toxins, this little lot will enhance the effects of your favourite massage and keep you in a state of just-massaged bliss for longer.
By Rebecca Hoffnung
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1 Aromatherapy Associates - Inner Strength Body Oil, £42
Best after: an aromatherapy massage
Part of their new Inner Strength collection, this body oil by Aromatherapy Associates smells and feels like a little slice of heaven. Formulated with a unique blend of rose, clary sage, frankincense and cardamom essential oils combined with skin conditioning jojoba and peach kernel oil, this heavenly scented concoction is designed to help you relax, unwind and destress. Renowned for their expertise in the world of aromatherapy healing, Aromatherapy Associates use only the purest natural ingredients to create luxurious, therapeutic products that deliver amazing results. Apply this oil to your pressure points after a soothing massage to both extend and enhance that ‘just massaged’ feeling.
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2 Clarins - Huile ‘Relax’ Body Treatment Oil, £40
Best after: a therapeutic massage
Described as the perfect product to help you take that pampered spa feeling home with you after a well-deserved massage, the Huile ‘Relax’ Body Treatment Oil by Clarins is perfect for relieving stress and fatigue, and creating a feeling of total well-being. Also great for soothing tired muscles after exercise, this delicious smelling oil is created with 100% pure plant extracts including geranium, petit grain, camomile and basil, which all help to lock in moisture and leave skin feeling silky soft. A few drops of this oil on your joints before bed will boost the benefits of a massage tenfold, helping you to wake up the next morning feeling ache-free and totally refreshed.
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3 Elemis - Cellutox Active Body Oil, £35
Best after: a lymphatic drainage massage
Combining the power of sea buckthorn, sea fennel, lemon and juniper essential oils which are well known for their anti-inflammatory, cleansing and detoxifying properties, the Cellutox Active Body Oil by Elemis not only smells amazing, but is also designed to be used as part of an anti-cellulite and body cleansing programme. Perfect for all skin types, we recommend using this body oil after a lymphatic drainage massage, as it will work alongside the specialised techniques of your masseuse to help boost circulation and eliminate toxins from under the skin.
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4 Espa - Fitness Body Oil, £33
Best after: a sports massage
Deeply warming and restorative, the Fitness Body Oil from Espa helps to speed up recovery and soothe aching joints before and after exercise. Ideal for sore, tired muscles, this invigorating oil combines indian bay and clove bud to warm and relax the body, lavender to help ease the mind, and sweet almond oil to nourish and soften the skin. The perfect antidote for anyone who hits the gym regularly, apply this body oil after a deep tissue or sports massage to help further sooth tired muscles and eliminate exercise-related aches and pains.
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5 Liz Earle - Superskin Dry Oil, £35
Best after: a Swedish massage
If you’re looking to supercharge your massage and achieve supermodel skin while you’re at it, then add Liz Earle’s Superskin Dry Oil to your beauty cabinet, asap. Formulated to leave skin with a gorgeous, radiant glow, as well as melt away muscle tension with its botanical blend of cranberry, borage and rosehip seed oils, this lightweight and fast absorbing dry oil is the perfect all rounder product to apply after any kind of massage. Leaving you divinely scented and stress free, lightly massage this oil into your neck and lower back area once you’ve left the massage table for a relaxing and deeply penetrating effect.