DIY Hydrating Massage Oil for Sensitive Skin
Self-massage is a wonderful way to enhance your self-care and provide a deeper connection to your body. Or it can be a beautiful way to unite with your spouse or partner by giving and receiving compassionate and sensual touch. Massage benefits include stress reduction, helping to ease anxiety, muscle tension, and pain. The mechanical stress created by massage causes minor trauma to skin cells and may elevate autophagy–boosting your cells ability to repair, which keeps you looking and feeling younger.
Use this DIY hydrating massage oil if you have sensitive skin and want to promote nourishment and healing through its autophagy activating ingredients. The polyphenols in tea seed oil and bergamot provide natural antioxidant protection, reduce inflammation and shield you from the effects of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. Ceramides from wheat germ oil act as a natural lipid barrier, helping your skin to retain its youthful, vibrant glow. If you are sensitive to gluten look for certified gluten-free wheat germ oil or use vitamin E instead. Be sure to get ceramides through your diet in foods like sweet potato, rice, whole wheat, butter, chicken, cheese, eggs, tofu, and yogurt. Taken internally, ceramides will offer even more protection and keep your skin looking supple and beautiful. Lavender essential oil is a perfect addition to any DIY skincare product, providing anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and immunity-boosting effects.
Topical usage of citrus essential oils like bergamot are considered phototoxic. When they are exposed to UV radiation from sunlight, certain compounds within the oil undergo chemical changes that cause photosensitization of the skin. This can result in redness, irritation or temporary hyperpigmentation of the skin. For this reason, only use this massage oil at night or when you know you won’t be exposed to direct sunlight. I use it after my evening bath to create even deeper relaxation before bed.
DIY Hydrating Massage Oil for Sensitive Skin
- 2 capsules (or about ½ teaspoon) Cold pressed wheat germ oil or Vitamin E oil (optional)
- 1/2 cup Tea seed oil
- 2-4 drops Bergamot essential oil
- 2-4 drops Lavender essential oil
Puncture wheat germ or vitamin E oil capsules (or measure out) into a small bowl. Mix in the tea seed oil, bergamot, and lavender essential oils until thoroughly blended. Transfer to a small jar for storage. Makes about 8 applications.