Joseph
This week’s recipe is essential oil for muscle massage.
Essential oils can help soothe sore and painful muscles in a number of ways – especially when used during a massage. They can help:
- Reduce inflammation
- Encourage blood circulation
- Free the tension knot
- Relieve spasms (convulsions)
This muscle massage oil recipe includes five essential oils to cover all of those important points!
Each essential oil in this recipe also has a distinct note of pepper or spice in its scent. First, I’ll share the recipe, then I’ll share why I chose to include each oil.
Pepper Muscle Massage Oil
- 1 oz (30 ml) jojoba oil)Simmondsia chinensis)
- 5 drops of elemi essential oil (Canarium Losonicum)
- 5 drops of black pepper essential oil (black pepper)
- 4 drops of sweet basil oil (Osimium Basilicum Ct. Linalool)
- 2 drops of Play Essential Oil (Ginger Casomonar)
- Two drops of anise essential oil (Pimpinella anisum)
Make this mixture in a 1 oz (30 ml) bottle. Mix jojoba and the essential oils, then gently shake the bottle until blended.
Massage your sore and tight muscles as needed!
This combination is especially soothing on cold days when your muscles feel tense and cold. It can help warm them up and loosen them.
About the ingredients in this essential oil are muscle massage oil
Elemi essential oil
Canarium Luzon
Elemi has a scent of lemon and pepper. It is distilled from the resin that is expressed when the Elemi tree sprouts with its broad evergreen leaves. The resin hardens on contact with air, and is distilled to produce this wonderful essential oil!
Elemi is rich DrLimonene In studies, Dr-Lemonene has been shown to calm inflammation and release stress.
Black pepper essential oil
black pepper
Black pepper essential oil is distilled from sun-dried peppers, and it smells like kitchen spice!
Black pepper oil is full Beta caryophylline. This is one of the reasons why it is so useful in relieving muscle spasms and soothing pain and tender spots. The heat of black pepper stimulates a new flow of energy as it is used up – perfect for relaxing muscles!
Sweet basil oil
Osimium Basilicum Ct. Linalool
Sweet and grassy with gentle hints of pepper, Sweet Basil Oil contains over 50% Linalool.
We have a lot of research on linalool! It is a very calming ingredient, both physically and emotionally. In peppery muscle massage oil, linalool helps relieve stress, calm inflammation and relieve pain.
Plai essential oil
Ginger Casomonar
Plai essential oil is a member of the ginger family.
Where ginger oil soothes pain by bringing warmth to an area, Plai actually cools down. It adds balance to the mix. Plai also contains Sabinin, Hence some of the anti-inflammatory talents.
Anise essential oil
Pimpinella anisum
The sweet smell of anise and licorice-like spice is unmistakable!
Just a few drops of anise pack a powerful punch – it can relieve cramps and inflammation like magic! This is largely thanks to the ether component, Trans-Anthol.
However, there are a few safety considerations you should be aware of regarding transanthole.
at Essential Oils Safety, Second EditionTisserand and Young recommends avoiding anise essential oil if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or if you have endometriosis, estrogen-related cancer, or a bleeding disorder.
Also, do not use anise if you are taking anticoagulant medications. It is very powerful for sensitive skin and children under the age of five.
If you want to leave anise oil out of the mix, go for it. You can also substitute it for one of the three stress reliever oils in this blog post: What are the essential oils that help in tightening muscles?
Enjoy!
Quotes
Hirota, R., Roger, NN, Nakamura, H., Song, H.-S., Sawamura, M., and Suganuma, N. (2010) The anti-inflammatory effects of limonene from yuzu (Citrus Junus Tanaka) essential oil on eosinophils. Journal of Food Science 75, 87-92.
Baylac S, Racine P (2003) Inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase with essential oils and other natural aromatic extracts. International Journal of Aromatherapy 13 (2/3): 138-142
Peanna, AT, D’Aquila, PS, Panin, F., Serra, G., Pippia, P. and Moretti, MD (2002) The anti-inflammatory activity of the linalool and linalyl acetate components of essential oils. Plant medicine 9, 721-726.
Albuquerque AA, Sorenson AL, Lille Cardoso JH (1995) Effects of Essential Oil Croton Zentenery, Anethole and estragole on skeletal muscles. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 49 (1): 41–49. Cited by Bowles EJ (2003) The Chemistry of Essential Oils 3rd Edition. Crows’ Nest: Allen and Unwin
