Massage is one of the most pleasurable forms of touch therapy. This treatment, which involves rubbing, stroking and pressing of the skin and muscles, has also been proven beneficial to health by many studies.
As part of complementary medicine, massage is said to reduce pain and stress,as well as alleviate muscular tension. It has also been found helpful in people who suffer from anxiety, digestive problems, fibromyalgia, migraines, headaches, insomnia, sports injuries, and joint pains.
There are many types of massage—Swedish, shiatsu, trigger point, deep, sports, Thai, cup, and hot stone. All these have different techniques, methods and tools. Some even make use of tools such as cups and basalt stones to help rejuvenate and energize the body.
Interestingly, there’s a new type of massage that’s slowly but surely growing in popularity. It’s called honey massage. Unlike other massage forms, this one does not only provide the usual perks of massage but also throws into the picture the skincare benefits of honey.
What’s in honey?
You’ve probably heard about the long list of honey’s benefits for the health. It has been called many times “the golden liquid” because of its medicinal properties. It’s more than just a sugar. It’s also an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, probiotics, antioxidants and enzymes. It contains B vitamins, vitamin C, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium, among others.
Benefits of Honey Massage
Although it seems like a new idea, the use of honey in massage has actually been around for many centuries. But during the early times, it was known as the Tibetan or Ukrainian massage.
Today, the most popular massage around the world is Swedish, which typically uses oil to help the massage therapist’s hands glide more smoothly onto the patient’s body. It may seem counterproductive to make use of something very sticky like honey. But the truth is, its sticky texture can provide more benefits.
For one, honey is a humectant. According to EpiCraze, this means that it attracts water from the air and promotes moisture retention in the skin. When absorbed by the skin, it becomes softer, suppler and more moisturized. It’s also for this reason that honey is commonly used for skincare as facial cleanser and moisturizer.
Also, honey’s sticky texture helps get rid of skin impurities as well as dead skin cells. It’s actually a fantastic exfoliant that removes old skin to reveal fresher layer underneath. The toxins trapped into honey will no longer be able to cause blemishes and other unpleasant skin issues.
On top of these, there’s no better way to stretch and loosen muscles than with the use of a gluey substance like honey. The result is a tighter and firmer skin that looks young and rejuvenated.
Other benefits of honey massage
- Unclogs and boosts the lymph system
- Promotes proper thermal regulation of skin
- Improves health and functioning of the nervous system
- Helps in relaxation
- Boosts blood circulation
- Promotes weight loss
- Tones down inflammation
- Gets rid of toxins from the body
- Improves body’s metabolism
- Activates stagnant muscles
- Nourishes the skin
- Increases skin elasticity
- Breaks down cellulite
- Tones the skin
- Relaxes the mind and reduces stress
- Fights acne and other skin issues
- Relieves dry skin
How to Incorporate Honey in Massage
According to the National Honey Board, the best way to use honey in massage is to add five tablespoons of it to two cups of almond oil and two tablespoons of rose oil. Adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil can increase the relaxing properties of the massage oil. Lavender is especially helpful in calming the senses while peppermint and eucalyptus are great for easing pain.
Most honey massage sessions start with deep tissue cupping treatment. This involves negative pressure and suction that are designed to boost the circulation of blood and stimulate the peripheral nervous system. The massage therapist will then apply honey onto the skin, and massage it until the honey is spread all over the body.
Using honey in massage may not seem like a good idea at first. But once you hear about honey’s amazing benefits for the health and skin, you would surely want to give this a try.