There are a number of things you can use for massage, but what is most commonly used by professionals is massage oil. There are tons of options available. While there are many products designed for massage professionals, here we will focus on the products that you can find in your local adult boutique. Because there are so many scents and it is such a personal preference, being able to go in to a store and smell them from the samplers is a good idea.
I am amazed how many people try to do massages with regular skin lotion. Lotion is not generally designed for massage (although there are some that are specifically designed for massage). It dries much too quickly, making the massage become frictive and less pleasant. You want your hands to constantly and smoothly glide across their skin.
Massage oils, by their very nature, are not intended to be used as a sexual lubricate. They are not condom compatible. For genital massage, you should use a sexual lubricant. Oils are not a good thing for inside vaginas.
There are two companies that we have relied on over the years to provide quality and consistent massage oils. We are regular users of both the Kama Sutra and the Shunga brands, and have never had problems with them. They wash off easily, are less likely to stain sheets (but still I would lay down something over the bed to protect the bedding, like a blanket I did not care about), are hypoallergenic, and provide a quality massage experience.
Kama Sutra Aromatic Sensual Massage Oil
There are a lot of massage oils on the market, but for pure luxuriousness and sensuality, one of our favorites are the Kama Sutra oils. They come in 8 oz. bottles and are made with high quality ingredients. They are very light, and include vitamin E, which is good for the skin.
The available scents include Sweet Almond, Harmony Blend, Serenity, Pleasure Garden, and Soaring Spirit. Our favorite is the Almond, which is light and fresh and will not conflict with perfumes, scented candles, or other wonderful smells. In our testing, Sweet Almond was the hands down favorite. As to the other scents, testers had a wide variety of opinions. As we say over and over, your best bet for products like these is to find a good reliable local retailer that has samplers so you can smell them and see what you like. Guessing whether you like a particular scent just from the name is probably not going to really help you.
Kama Sutra also makes a Naturals line of oils. They come in Tropical Fruits, Strawberry Divine, Coconut Pineapple, Vanilla Sanalwood, and Island Passion Berry. The hands down favorite with our testers was the Coconut Pineapple.
Kama Sutra Naturals
Scent preference is a very personal thing, and it can change with your mood. I like to have a selection of scents to offer my massage partner, and let them smell them and pick their favorite for that moment.
The bottles have an easy open flip top so you can open and close them with one hand. Convenient, yes, which is why so many massage oil products (including Shunga) have lids like this. They also share a common problem with leaking. Take a tip from the pros and transfer your massage oils to a pump bottle. Massage professionals often wear a holster that holds their massage pump bottle upright and where they don’t have to hold it and it is always within easy reach.
You really do want to avoid stopping during a massage to fiddle with the bottle. You want to have as much continuous contact with their skin as possible. When I need more oil, I turn my hand over on the area that needs more oil, palm up, while still maintaining skin contact. I then pour the oil into my upturned palm, rub my hands together briefly to warm the oil, and then turn my hand over to apply.
Aromatics: Serenity: glycine Soja (SOYBEAN) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (GRAPE) Seed Oil, Pistacia Vera Seed Oil, C 12-15 Alkyl Benzoate,Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (SWEET Almond) Oil, Fragrance (PARFUM), Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Eugenol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool. Pleasure Garden: Glycine Soja (SOYBEAN) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (GRAPE) Seed Oil, Pistacia Vera Seed Oil, C 12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (SWEET Almond) Oil, Fragrance (PARFUM), Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool. Sweet Almond: Glycine Soja (SOYBEAN) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (GRAPE) Seed Oil, Pistacia Vera Seed Oil, C 12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (SWEET Almond) Oil, Fragrance (PARFUM), Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Coumarin, Limonene, Linalool. Harmony Blend: Glycine Soja (SOYBEAN) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (GRAPE) Seed Oil, Pistacia Vera Seed Oil,C 12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (SWEET Almond) Oil, Fragrance (PARFUM), Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Benzyl Benzoate, Eugenol, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool. Soaring Spirit: Glycine Soja (SOYBEAN) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (GRAPE) Seed Oil, Pistacia Vera Seed Oil, C 12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (SWEET Almond) Oil, Fragrance (PARFUM), Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool.
Naturals: Passionate Pomegranate: Glycine Soja (SOYBEAN) Oil, C 12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Vitis Vinifera (GRAPE) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (SWEET Almond) Oil, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fragrance (PARFUM), Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, Linalool. Tropical Fruits: Glycine Soja (SOYBEAN) Oil, C 12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Vitis Vinifera (GRAPE) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (SWEET Almond) Oil, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fragrance (PARFUM), Limonene. Strawberry Divine: Glycine Soja (SOYBEAN) Oil, C 12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Vitis Vinifera (GRAPE) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (SWEET Almond) Oil, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fragrance (PARFUM), Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Benzoate. Coconut Pineapple: Glycine Soja (SOYBEAN) Oil, C 12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Vitis Vinifera (GRAPE) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (SWEET Almond) Oil, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fragrance (PARFUM), Limonene, Linalool.
Shunga Erotic Massage Oil
These come in a very close second. The scents include Aphrodisia (Roses), Desire (Vanilla), Euphoria (Floral) Excitation (Orange), Libido (Exotic Fruits), Passion (Apples), Sensation (Lavender), Stimulation (Peach), Romance (Sparkling Strawberry Wine), and Serenity (Monoï – made from soaking the petals of Tahitian gardenias in coconut oil). They come in 8.4 fluid ounce bottles.
They also have an organic line called Organica. It comes in Exotic Green Tea, Intoxicating Chocolate, and Almond Sweetness.
Erotic Ingredients (I.N.C.I.): Sweet Almond Oil/Huile d’amande douce (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil), Grape Seed Oil/Huile de pépin de raisin (Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil), Sesame Oil/Huile de sésame (Sesamum Indicum Oil), Avocado Oil/Huile d’avocat (Persea Gratissima Oil), Safflower Oil/Huile de carthame (Carthamus Tinctorius Oil), Vitamin/Vitamine E (Tocopherol), Ylang Ylang (Cananga Odorata), Fragrance, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Citral, Eugenol, Isoeugenol, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, D-Limonene, Geraniol, Lyral, Farnesol, Lilial, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Aldehyde, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone
Organic Ingredients (I.N.C.I.): Cold Pressed Sunflower Oil/Huile de tournesol pressée à froid (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil)*, Rapeseed Oil/Huile de colza (Brassica Campentris Seed Oil)*, Grape Seed Oil/Huile de pépin de raisin (Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil), Sesame Oil/Huile de sesame (Sesamum Indicum Oil), Avocado Oil/Huile d’avocat (Persea Gratissima Oil), Natural Vitamin E/Vitamine E naturelle (Tocopherol), Flavor/Saveur (Aroma).*Certified Organic/Certifiés biologiques.
The truth is, both companies offer massage oils that test very well with our testers, and it really comes down to which scents you like the best. If your local store does not have testers, you might choose to get a sampler. Kama Sutra offers a Massage Tranquility Kit that has five 2 0z. bottles of different scents. Currently, Shunga does not offer a sampler. Whether you go with the Shunga or Kama Sutra, you’ll be getting a quality product that will help you deliver a delicious massage.