Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/296580
CL ASSROOM TO CLIENT PRODUCT INFORMATION Massage therapists should learn to read product labels carefully. The product label indicates the type of oil used in the lubricant, any dyes or fragrances that have been added, any ingredients that might be potential allergens for a particular client, and any undesirable fillers or chemicals. If the fixed oils included in the product are not specifically listed as expeller- or cold-pressed, they are probably refined, and best avoided. The first time you try a product, it's a good idea to review its complete list of ingredients and look up anything you do not recognize to make sure it is acceptable for use on clients. Milady's Skin Care and Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary (Milady: 2010) by Natalia Michalun is a good guide to product ingredients. • Macadamia oil (Macadamia integrifolia) is pale yellow and has a light odor and a lightweight texture. Like jojoba oil, it mimics sebum and is useful for all skin types. • Mustard seed oil (Brassica juncea) is pale yellow and has a distinctive odor and a lightweight texture. It is often used in ayurvedic medicine as a warming oil for muscle stiffness and soreness. This cold-pressed mustard seed oil should not be confused with the steam-distilled essential oil of mustard seed, which is dangerous. The volatile oil is highly toxic and avoided in aromatherapy and massage. • Rose hip seed oil (Rosa rubiginosa and other species) is light yellow-red and has a distinctive odor and a heavy, sticky texture. Oil produced with the CO 2 extraction method is preferable to solvent-extracted oil. It is expensive, but useful for facial massage or for use on scar tissue. • Safflower oil (Carthamus tinctorius) is yellow and has a mild odor and lightweight texture. • Sesame oil (Sesamum indicum) is yellow and has a distinctive toasted nutty odor and medium- weight texture. One of the primary oils used in ayurvedic medicine, and often the base of taila (Indian medicated massage oils), it possesses warming and penetrating properties. • Shea butter (Vitellaria paradoxa—formerly Butyrospermum parkii) is cream colored, has a distinctive odor, and is solid at room temperature. It must be melted for use in massage. It is high in oleic acid, saturated fats, and vitamins E and A, which make it particularly healing for damaged skin and hair when applied topically. • Sunflower oil (Helianthus annuus) is yellow and has a mild odor and medium-weight texture. PROBLEMATIC OILS Corn, grapeseed, peanut, and soybean oils are not regularly used in massage. Corn oil can be found in an unrefined form, but it is most often solvent-extracted and processed. Grapeseed and soy oils are heavily processed and extracted with 40 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k m a y / j u n e 2 0 1 4