Aromatherapy Massage

Aromatherapy massage builds the session around scent. Essential oils are blended into massage oil and may be diffused into the room, so what you smell is part of the hour. The touch underneath stays slow and full-body. In my experience, people book this when they want fewer demands on their attention, not more pressure on their muscles. I’ll be straightforward about what the oils do: scent can be a pleasant part of settling into the room and letting the mind slow down. Aromatherapy massage is generally described as massage combined with essential oils. What I don’t claim is that essential oils treat or cure health conditions. In my studio they’re an atmosphere and an experience, not a medicine. One real difference from an otherwise similar Swedish session: we choose the blend together at the start, instead of me picking it for you.

Oils are chosen at the start of your session, together. I keep a working set of blends — such as lavender-forward mixes, brighter citrus, and grounding earthy notes — and we choose what feels pleasant that day. I noticed early on that people usually know more than they think. “Nothing too sweet” or “keep the scent light” gives me plenty to work with. A quick note on terms: essential oils are concentrated plant extracts, so I always dilute them in a neutral carrier oil before they go anywhere near skin. Fragrance oils — made purely for scent — are a different product, and not what I use. I use carefully selected essential oils in a diluted blend, and we can keep the scent in the room rather than on your skin if that is the more comfortable choice.

The intake doesn’t need to turn into a long story. If you have spent the week carrying everybody else’s schedule in your head, we can choose a softer, familiar scent, start with broad slow work, and let the room be quiet. If you want a clean citrus note but no oil on your arms before an afternoon outside, we can do that too. Those small choices are the point of this service.

The difference is in the sensory layer, not a secret new technique. The base session is close to Swedish massage in pace and pressure: full-body, comfortably draped, and unhurried. Aromatherapy adds an oil-selection ritual, scent in the room, and a conversation about how you want the hour to feel. Swedish is a better fit if you want classic relaxation and don’t care about scent.

Aromatherapy massage

Gentle, scent-forward relaxation. Choose this when the blend itself sounds appealing and you want the intake to include that extra bit of care around fragrance, allergies, and skin comfort.

Swedish massage

Classic full-body relaxation without making oils part of the plan. It is a good first massage choice, or a good choice if fragrance is not your thing.

Deep tissue massage

Pressure-forward and focused on a specific stubborn area. If that’s what you’re after, deep tissue massage is usually a clearer choice than an aromatherapy session. You can still tell me you’d prefer a gentler touch — you don’t have to choose perfectly; that’s what I’m here for.

Tell me about fragrance sensitivity, allergies, pregnancy, or plans to spend time in strong sun before we choose a blend. The question I get most often is whether someone has to use oils; they do not. If you have sensitive skin or you’re not sure how a blend will sit with you, we can do a patch test — a dab of diluted oil on one small area before using it more widely. Skin irritation or an allergic reaction is possible with aromatherapy products, especially when oils are not properly diluted. Better Health Channel’s aromatherapy guidance also notes that essential oils can cause unwanted skin reactions. I would rather adjust the blend, keep it off your skin, or leave oils out than have you push through a scent that feels wrong.

Photosensitivity is a skin reaction that can be made more likely by sun exposure after certain citrus oils. Tell me if you are heading straight outside into bright sun, and I will take that into account. If you are pregnant, the prenatal massage page explains the service designed around pregnancy; we can also talk through whether an unscented session makes more sense for you.

After we settle on a scent level, you lie down, stay comfortably draped, and let the session move at a relaxed pace. I check in about pressure and comfort, then give you room to be quiet. Most clients tell me they want the blend to be noticeable but never demanding. For example, you can ask me to spend less time in one area, avoid an area, change the pressure, or turn the scent down. It’s a massage with a sensory layer chosen for you — not a lesson on oils. Sessions run 30, 60, or 90 minutes. A 30-minute appointment is a shorter reset; 60 or 90 minutes gives the full-body flow more room. Sessions start from $85; current rates and openings are on Square. I see clients by appointment in my Murrieta office. You can also read more about my training and credentials or check hours and contact details before you book.

There is no required aftercare ritual. If you want to keep the scent on your skin for a bit, wait before showering; if you want it off, wash it off. Take your time getting up and make the rest of your day a little less crowded if you can. If warmth sounds better than scent, look at hot stone massage instead.

For pregnancy-specific comfort, see prenatal massage. If you are booking after pregnancy, postpartum massage may be the better starting point. You can also browse all massage services if none of these descriptions feel quite right.

The oil conversation at the start does more than pick a scent — it slows people down before the session even begins. Someone who arrives still mentally at work will often settle during that two-minute choice faster than during the first ten minutes on the table. I learned to keep the blend simple, because a single well-chosen oil reads as calm and a complicated mixture mostly reads as perfume.

Before you book, it is worth knowing where I stand on what massage does. For most healthy adults it is comfortable, low-risk care, and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health puts the risk of harmful effects as low (NCCIH, 2024). The same source is candid that the evidence for pain relief is mixed rather than settled, and I would rather tell you that than oversell an hour on my table. If you want to know who you are booking with, my about page covers my training and certification, and the contact page has the map, current hours and a short inquiry form. In other words, feel free to look me up before you book — I’d rather you arrive already comfortable with who you’re seeing.

At a glance

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• Wednesday and Friday: closed
• Sessions from $85; the traditional 90-minute hot stone session is $160
• In-office only, by appointment, at 25109 Jefferson Ave Ste 120, Murrieta