In a simple Swedish or deep tissue massage, the therapist is able to glide over your skin by using some kind of oil or cream that has no scent. In an aromatherapy massage, the oil also contains an essential oil (or a blend of essential oils) derived from plants.
Essential oils can penetrate the body through the skin and have multiple benefits beyond a nice smell. They affect your mood, alleviate pain, help the body detoxify, and a variety of other effects, depending on the essential oil. You can choose something that is relaxing, balancing, or invigorating, based on how you want to feel when the massage is finished.
In aromatherapy massage, essential oils are mixed with a massage oil like sweet almond, jojoba, or grapeseed oil. In the early days, massage therapists might have a few bottles of popular essential oils -- lavender, peppermint, bergamot, rose-geranium -- and add a few drops to the oil they used.
Things got more sophisticated as massage therapists started making their own custom blends, using up to five oils in a mixture, for different seasons and different effects. A relaxing aromatherapy massage might have lavender or bergamot, while a massage for sore muscles might include peppermint and eucalyptus.
Choosing Your Oil
At the beginning of the service, the therapist lets you have a whiff of the various blends, describing what essential oils it contains and what effect they have.
After you choose the one you want, the therapist leaves, you disrobe and lay (usually face down) on the table. The aromatherapy massage usually starts with three deep inhalations of the oil you chose, because that's the quickest way to get it into the body. The three deep breaths also help you become more present to the moment. Sometimes, therapists leave a tissue with some of the essential oil on it, so you continue to be aware of the scent. You can also smell it as it is being massaged into your body.