Rub You The Right Way!

I don't know about the rest of you, but I cannot afford to pay for a massage as often as I may want (or need) one. Thankfully, I have a spouse who likes giving at-home massages.

One complaint I have about massage oils and creams is that they are often messy: too sticky, too slippery, too much. I feel like I want to take a shower after being rubbed down with some products to get the resulting yuckiness off my skin. Maybe that's just me?

Anyway, I recently tried out Positive Vibrations massage cream from Abrione. Abrione is an up and coming cosmetics company that sells all sorts of skin care products and facial masks that are packed with natural ingredients. (Their products are available at upscale spas and online here.) Their massage cream includes many ingredients specifically added to calm and relax the skin. The cream felt great on my skin--very soothing, with a pleasant scent, and not too gunky like other products. I give it a thumbs up! If you want to try it out for yourself, order a 1 ounce jar for $13.50--much cheaper than a spa massage!

While we're on the subject, here are some hints for giving the best at-home massage possible:

• Get set up before hand! Create a calm, restful environment. Dim the lights, light some candles, add some incense if you're so inclined, play some soft music in the background, make sure the room is not too cold, and get your massage area in order.
• Make sure your hands are not too cold or have rough patches that could be distracting.
• Try a few different massage techniques. Click here for the "fan stroke", here for the "circling hands", and here for all sorts of different massage styles.
• Listen to your partner to see what they like and what they don't. The last thing you want to do is annoy the person you are massaging!
• Never apply pressure directly to the spine. A massage should not result in a back brace!
• Only use creams, oils, or other lubricants that the massagee likes. If you hate the smell of vanilla, having a vanilla-scented cream rubbed into your skin is far from relaxing.
• Have fun and be generous with the massaging, especially if you want your partner to reciprocate!