If you have been practicing massage therapy or bodywork for any amount of time — or if you’ve been going to school to learn the skills of touch therapy — then you most likely know that the type of lubricant you choose to use during a session can make a big difference. From oils that provide a lot of glide, to lotions that allow you to stick and focus on a specific area of the client’s body, there is a wide array of products available to today’s practitioners.
One of the most popular categories of massage and bodywork lubricants is massage creams, many of which often aim to bring together the best aspects of several different lubricants all within one product. Typically, this means that a cream will offer the practitioner a nice balance between both friction and glide.
For massage therapists who apply a more varied set of techniques, a massage cream that can go with the flow and offer the right level of lubrication for each and every technique is ideal. For example, if the practitioner can learn to fine tune the amount of cream he or she dispenses before a certain technique, it may be entirely possible to have just the right amount of glide for a longer, lighter stroke, while having just the right amount of friction for deeper and more focused techniques at the same time.
Finding the ideal cream for you and your practice may be a matter of trial and error, searching around and experimenting with different products until you find the one that allows you to apply each of your touch techniques in an optimal way. As you search for this massage cream, there are several factors to keep in mind.
For starters, you will want to look for a product that allows for the greatest efficiency and least amount of waste. You do not want a cream that will require you to use an excessive amount in order to apply those longer, lighter, gliding strokes. That would be the sign of a massage cream with too much friction or stick for you and your skill set.
At the other end of the spectrum, you also do not want a cream that has too much slick or glide. In such a scenario, even if you only use a tiny amount, you may find that you are still slipping and sliding when you really want to be focused on a small region of the body to practice a deeper modality.
Take the time to ask around and do some research on various massage creams. It can be worth the trouble if you are able to find that one product that serves all your needs as a professional massage therapist or bodyworker. However, if you find that you are having a difficult time locating something that allows you to perform all your techniques optimally, it may be time to bring two or more lubricants on board for your session room.