An Aromatherapy Massage Reset My Body and Mind—Here's How

Do you ever go through the week feeling like you need a reset? Me too, which was why I’m always looking for alternate ways to get through that inevitable midweek funk. After trying a barrage of ideas—think everything from meditation to a technology detox—a friend recommended trying an aromatherapy massage. According to her, it completely changed her mindset and is now something she tries to do every few months—in the interim, she practices aromatherapy at home. Needless to say, I knew I needed to try it. 

Would an aromatherapy massage help reenergize me to tackle my midweek funk? Is it actually worth trying? Read on to find out all about my experience and what some of the benefits are, according to an expert. 

Meet the Expert

• Kerri Nau is the head of spa of the Americas at Aromatherapy Associates.

What is an Aromatherapy Massage?

Aromatherapy is often added into regular massage treatments, so it only makes sense that aromatherapy massages would emerge. They are pretty similar to regular massages, except they involve more aspects of aromatherapy. Different essential oils used during the treatment provide you with different aromatic benefits.  For instance, eucalyptus helps you detox, caffeine energizes you, and lavender helps you sleep. The results will be different—like unwinding, resetting, the like– depending on the essential oils and type of treatment that your masseuse performs. “The treatment is designed specifically for those looking to revive your body, nourish your skin, and reset your mind,” explains Kerri Nau, Head of Spa Americas at Aromatherapy Associates. It can be in many different forms—detox massages, body wraps, and more—but is generally selected based on your personal preference. 

Benefits of Aromatherapy Massage

• Reives body 
• Nourishes skin 
• Resets mind 
• Removes dead skin cells
• Increases circulation 

Nau explains that aromatherapy massages, specifically this restorative detox wrap treatment, bring about a slew of benefits. The essential oils used in the massage can help detox your cells, refresh your mind, add a sense of calmness, and rejuvenate your mind and body. Plus, the oils add an intense amount of hydration to the exfoliated skin, too. 

On the other hand, you’ll also garner the benefits of sloughing away dead skin cells to reveal smoother skin and better absorption of the essential oils due to exfoliation. The massages rigorous movements, explains Nau, increase circulation to bring fresh blood to your tissues, refine skin, reduce muscular tension, and flush out toxins.

How to Prepare for an Aromatherapy Massage

Before the treatment, Nau advises increasing your water intake. You should also ensure you don’t have any areas of sensitivity on the body, she says. Arrive as you would any other massage and make sure you at least try to relax. 

What to Expect During an Aromatherapy Massage

For my aromatherapy massage, I opted to go for Restorative Detox Wrap Treatment. “This complete, full-body detox treatment has five different key treatment stages,” explains Nau. It begins with dry body brushing that’s immediately followed by an exfoliation using the Aromatherapy Associates Revive Energizing Exfoliator, a mixture of sea salt (purifies the cells), and green coffee oil (helps reinvigorate you) to get rid of dead skin cells. 

After you rinse off the scrub, a full-body mud mask and wrap are applied with a delicious scent of juniper (known to help calm and ground you) looming in the background. “It’s intended to brighten and refine the skin,” mentions Nau. Following the mask was a vigorous massage using the Aromatherapy Associates Revive Massage Body Oil with juniper, rosemary, and grapefruit to refresh and reenergize. This advanced treatment is completed with this oil to infuse the skin with a 3-stage regime packed with a barrage of high-power essential oils, says Nau.

As a whole, it was relaxing, but it’s worth noting that this treatment involved a lot of vigorous movements during the massage portion. It wasn’t bothersome, but it made the experience feel more intense. For me, that looked a bit to get used to, but it wasn’t painful at all—it just caused a little redness. Another thing to note is that different products used during the massage cause both cooling and warming sensations. For example, the oil was heated, yet the mud mask was cold. Neither of these things were dealbreakers, but it’s something you should keep in mind to expect during the treatment. 

At-Home Vs In-Office

Although you’ll get a more advanced treatment (and a whole lot of pampering) if you head to a spa, a treatment like this can be done in your own home. While you won’t be able to do a wrap yourself, you can certainly dry brush, exfoliate, put on a mud mask, and give your body a massage. Since most of the products used in the massage are available in department stores, you can even purchase the same products used in the treatment for at-home usage. 

To do this treatment, Nau advises beginning by dry brushing and exfoliating with the Revive Dry Body Brush and Revive Energizing Exfoliating Body Scrub to start. Then, she says, to bathe or shower with the Revive Morning Bath & Shower Oil or Revive Cleansing Shower Oil. For the massage portion, you’ll use the Revive Massage Oil or Revive Body Lotion to nourish and stimulate the skin and mind. While it’s not the same experience, these portions of it will definitely help you beat that midweek funk while at home. 

Side Effects

After the massage, says Nau, you’ll have an increase in energy. In addition, as with other massages, you’ll have to use the restroom more frequently for the next 12 to 24 hours. This is because it stimulates digestion and causes a diuretic effect, Nau explains. 

Aftercare

You’ll want to increase your water intake after the massage to flush the toxins out of the body. Nau also recommends being gentle with yourself. “Allow yourself to process the treatment and its effect on both the body and mind. 

Before and After

Honestly, I went into the treatment extremely exhausted. Between juggling a puppy, working, and life, things can get quite busy, and sleep can sometimes be hard to come by. I was also struggling with a serious case of a midweek funk when I received the treatment. It truly couldn’t have come at a better time.

When I walked out of the treatment, I immediately felt a difference both mentally and physically. I was completely reenergized, relaxed, and ready to tackle whatever the rest of the week threw at me. I was truly in shock as the massage shifted my mindset. The aromatic scents of juniper, grapefruit, and rosemary allowed my body to detox and my mind to focus on something other than the million things on my to-do list. Somehow, I walked out of there ready to take on the world—and I’m sure it has everything to do with aromatherapy. 

The Final Takeaway 

Heading into this, I felt as if this wouldn’t do a thing for me. I assumed it would be just another massage, but truthfully it wasn’t at all. I needed a way to reset my mind, detox my body, and restore my energy levels to vanish my midweek funk—and this massage did just that. The treatment’s five different stages each utilized different essential oils, and the benefits from all were received. Not only were there so many physical benefits, but the essential oils truly helped me mentally, too. I’ll definitely be getting one of these in the future.

I Tried It: A Full Week of Daily Facial Massage to Smooth Skin and Alleviate Stress