The process of selecting the tools and products you use in your massage therapy or bodywork practice should not be taken lightly. Each piece of your practice is a reflection of you as the professional practitioner, so be sure to put the right amount of thought into the purchases you make, especially when it comes to items you actually use in the session room.
One item to consider carefully is the massage cream you choose to use with clients on a regular basis. Perhaps you even have several massage creams on hand so that you can better tailor the session to each individual client’s needs. Either way, you need to be fully confident that massage cream you are using is high quality and in harmony with you, your practice and your personal values.
A big fork in the road that many massage therapists and bodyworkers come upon when they are trying to pick out the best possible massage cream is the choice between massage cream that has a scent and massage cream that is fragrance-free. This decision can be a good starting point, because it can help you narrow down your choices.
However, quite a few practitioners may want to keep at least one of each on hand—scented and unscented massage cream—to meet the needs of each client. You never know when you may have client who asks whether you offer any aromatherapy with your massages, or a client who tells you she is sensitive to any kind of scents.
If you do decide to pick out one or more massage creams that contain essential oils and corresponding aromas, along with one or more massage creams that are fragrance-free, this could open up a few options for you as far as marketing your massage therapy or bodywork practice.
For example, you could let it be known on your practice menu and within any marketing material that you offer an aromatherapy option for all clients, wherein the massage therapy or bodywork session will be conducted using a massage cream that contains lavender essential oils, to help further induce a state of calm and relaxation. You may even consider adding a bit to the fee for such a session.
It may also be business savvy to include information about the fact that you also offer a fragrance-free massage cream, perhaps one that is completely organic and natural, so current and prospective clients know they need not worry about any allergy or sensitivity issues.
Of course, there are many massage therapists and bodyworkers who tend to simply choose one or the other—scented or unscented—when it comes to massage cream, and this is perfectly fine as well. The main point to remember is your massage cream should reflect well on you and your practice.
This means that the massage cream you choose to use on a daily basis needs to be able to work well with the types of techniques or modalities you happen to practice, enhancing or at the very least not detracting from the quality of your touch and the results of each session.