If you’ve ever had a relaxing massage done at a spa or wellness centre, you might find out how they tend to use a selection of massage oils.
These can be of varying scents and types.
Naturally, they complete your spa experience.
So, if you’re an avid (or even future) owner of a massage gun, you might be wondering if a part of that experience can be replicated at home.
Let’s find out.
“Can I use oil with a massage gun?”
The simple answer is:
Yes, you can use massage oil with a muscle massager or massage gun. Using oil with your massage gun can enhance your at-home DIY massage experience by allowing the head of the massager to glide smoothly over your muscles by reducing friction on your skin.
Okay, so massage oil can make it glide smoothly over your body.
Massage oil can make your massage a more pleasant experience.
But you might be asking:
“Should I use oil with a massage gun?”
The answer to this is up to your personal taste.
Personally, I like massage guns for the quick and easy convenience of an on-demand massage.
If I’ve been sore sitting at a desk all day at work, the last thing I want to do is some clean-up.
Half a minute hammering my sore shoulders and traps with my massage gun should just take up that half minute.
Now, I’ve tried using massage oil a few times.
While the experience was surely a step up from the usual, it’s not something I’d want to do all the time.
But if you really want that spa experience at home, here are a few things you should take into account before you start incorporating massage oils into your massage gun routine.
Massage Oil Primer
If you’re not familiar with it, what is massage oil in the first place?
Essentially, these are oils used in massages to help the massage go a bit smoother. They are mostly natural oils that reduce friction between the skin and the massage implement (usually the hands.) Some types of massages that use longer movements benefit more from the lessened friction from using oil.
In practical terms, massage oils aren’t really that different from one another, but there are many options depending on what you want to get out of the massage (aromatherapy or skin nourishment, for example.)
Now that you know the basics of massage oils, let’s talk about a few types of oils you can use.
What massage oil can I use with a percussive muscle massage gun?
Here are a few massage oils you can use with a massage gun:
1) Sweet almond oil: You can moisturise your skin quite a bit with this if it’s a bit on the dryer side.
2) Coconut oil: This can help repair the skin barrier and “reduce the severity of mild to moderate symptoms of atopic dermatitis,” among other skin benefits. (Sources: Healthline, Intl Journal of Molecular Science)
3) Essential oils: Use these diluted in carrier oils (like coconut, olive, sweet almond) since direct contact can irritate your skin. Lavender has a soothing effect, though be warned that using peppermint oil is not for those who get cold too easily. (Source: my shivering friend 😊)
The important thing is to use lightweight oils since thick oils may clog the massage gun or make them difficult to work with.
Massage guns move at very high speeds so using too much oil can make it a messy “hits the fan” situation quite quickly.
How to use massage oils with a massage gun
Now get your massage gun and oil out and let’s go through the steps on how to use them together:
- Wash your hands. This ensures that we lessen contamination of the oil with other substances or bacteria.
- Clean the body part you want to massage. Some sweat is okay if you’re doing this after a workout, but if you’re absolutely filthy, that dirt can actually make for a rougher experience, which is the opposite of what we want, so keep clean, please.
- Put a tiny amount of massage oil on your hand. It should be able to cover your desired target body part with a thin film of oil.
- Spread the oil around the desired body part. Use a light touch so you get more of it on the body part and not your hands, unless that’s what you’re after. Feel free to add more if needed.
- Turn on your massage gun and slowly move the head from a non-oiled region to the oiled part. Go slowly so you can ease into it: it’s a night and day difference between using a massager oiled versus not. Creating an unintended DIY oil splashing machine with your percussion massager can easily happen if you’re not used to it.
You may find it much easier now to move your massage gun around to target problem areas in your body.
Don’t forget to clean up the massage gun and head afterwards to keep it bacteria-free.
Definitely keep this in mind since some massage oils can also turn acidic and sour if you just leave them exposed after use since they are mostly all-natural and organic.
Summary
In summary, yes, you can use massage oil with a massager gun, provided the oil is light and that you use a small amount. Always remember to start slow if it’s your first time, and to clean up afterwards to make sure your massage gun lasts long.
Our Musclegun easily provides a smooth massage experience with or without oil, with its speedy 3200 RPM maximum speed and 12 mm massage depth. Comes with a carrying case, a Samsung 3400mAh battery for up to 8 hours of massaging use—delivered overnight straight to your door NZ wide.
See also: Our guide on how to take care of your massage gun.