Aromatherapy Soothing Foot Massage
The feet take more abuse than any other part of the body. Reward them with a gentle, soothing massage, to spread pleasure throughout your body.
Best Oils for Soothing Foot Massage
. citronella . lemon
. geranium . peppermint
. lavender . rosemary
BEST COMBINATIONS of Essential Oils for Soothing foot Massage
Relaxing massage
3 drops lavender and 2 drops geranium in 30ml (1f1 oz/6 tsps) sunflower oil
Refreshing massage
2 drops each citrollella and peppermint and 1 drop lemon in 30ml (1f1oz/ 6tsps) sunflower oil
Aromatic massage
2 drops each lavender, rose and geranium in 30ml (1f1oz/6 tsps) sunflower oil
For aching feet
3 drops eucalyptus and 2 drops chamomile in 30ml (1f 1 oz/6 tsps) sunflower oil
For excessive sweating
5 drops lemongrass in 30ml (1f 1oz/6 tsps) sunflower oil
For fungal infections
3 drops tea-tree and 2 drops of geranium in 30ml (1fl oz/6 tsps) sunflower oil
The foot massage, with its soothing aromatherapy soak beforehand, will make you feel better from toe to top and is guaranteed to put a spring back in your step. Sit in an upright seat with cushions for comfort and finish off the massage by stretching out flat for ten minutes with feet propped higher than your head.
You may use the same essential oils for the footbath and massage, or use a purely therapeutic one for the bath and more sensual oils for the stroking afterwards. Spend as long as you can on each step, with plenty of extra repeats.
1. Start sitting comfortably with a plastic basin or large bowl of hot water on the floor. Make sure towels, essential oils and your aromatherapy massage oil are all to hand. Put four drops of essential oils for every 4 litres (1 gallon) of water in the bowl and soak both feet. After ten minutes, start massaging One foot while it is still damp, so essential oils absorb better, and leave the other foot in the basin. To massage, sit with one leg bent at the knee and cross it so the calf is resting across the thigh of the other leg.
2. With the palms of your hands, sandwich the foot and do a fast, friction rub, using lots of oil and doing a sawing movement back and forwards across the foot. Start with one hand under the arch and the other across the top of the foot. Then move hands up to sandwich the toes and instep. Finally, do a heel rub by placing palms on either Side of the ankle and massaging briskly. This is a good way of boosting the circulation, warming cold feet and relaxing them totally.
3. Do a series of foot stretches to loosen tendons and the deep ache of muscles. Hold each stretch for a count pf ten. Point your toes and flex them up, hold, then down, hold, and turn your foot to the left, hold, and right, hold. Still pointing your toes make large, slow circles in the air to rotate the ankle. Then, with your foot resting up on your opposite; thigh again, place your hand palm down over the toes with the fingers wrapped over the sole. Keeping your foot straight (i.e. at 90 degree angle to leg), slowly push the toes down to flex and stretch them, and hold. Then gently pull them back towards the foot.
4. In the same position, use the tips of your thumb and index finger to make quick pinches for several minutes all over the heel of the foot. Then wrap your fingers around the top of the foot with thumbs across the sole, under the arch. Do deep, flowing thumb strokes, one after the other, from the heel to the instep along the arch of the foot. Then use the thumbs to make small circles all over the sole of the foot, in a light, kneading movement.
5. Firmly rub each toe from base to tip, one by one, between your thumb (on top) and index finger (below) for a couple of minutes each. Then do several deep thumb strokes up the underside of each toe, by wrapping your fingers across the tops of toes, bending your thumb underneath, and using it to do the firm, slow, pushing in movement. Finally, finish of with a fast friction rub over the toes to warm them and increase blood circulation.
6. Use your thumb to knead and rub all around the ankle bone and pinch, using your index finger and thumb, all the way up the tendon at the back of the heel. Repeat the foot stretches from step 3, but this time keep both hands wrapped around your ankle as you point, flex and circle them. Finish off with several full foot-strokes. Place one hand on top of the foot, palm down, the other under the foot, palm up. Start at the toes and with hands working in unison, do a firm, slow pull with hands, following the contours of the foot back up to the ankle.
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