5 Essential Oils to Use in Massage
posted July 02, 2025Essential oils have a reputation for being relaxing — but pair them with a massage, and they turn into something seriously next level. From clearing your sinuses to boosting your mood, these natural extracts know how to multitask. With over 90 types of essential oils, you can find many healthful uses. Each type has a unique smell and frequency. Here are five essential oils we love using in massage, and how they can help you feel better from head to toe.
Our Go-To Essential Oils for Massage
Here are five common essential oils and what each offers for massage clients at Natural Body Spa + Med Spa in Atlanta
Lavender
Lavender is one of the most popular essential oils out there, thanks to its fresh and sweet aroma that promotes a soothing atmosphere. It is also one of the most versatile oils and is considered an adaptogenic or balancing oil, meaning it helps the body adapt to what it needs. Lavender is commonly used in spas in Atlanta for stress relief, pain relief, sleep support, and even for boosting stamina and energy.
Be sure to check out our Lavender Scalp Treatment Add On: A deeply relaxing head massage paired with calming lavender oil to relieve stress and tension. It can be added to any massage!
Peppermint
Peppermint essential oil is naturally invigorating, instantly awakening the senses with its cool, minty aroma. Loved for its refreshing and energizing properties, it’s often used to help combat fatigue, tension, and mental fog. This multitasking essential oil is also known to soothe sore muscles and ease congestion, making it a must-have in any wellness routine.
Our Express Peppermint Foot Reflexology Add On is a focused foot treatment using peppermint-infused pressure point techniques to revive tired feet and improve circulation. Be sure to add it to your next massage for next-level relaxation!
Frankincense
This precious oil has been sought after since ancient times and is often used for grounding and relaxation. It blends well with lavender or its complex aroma can be enjoyed on its own. If you’re feeling under the weather, frankincense can deepen breathing, soothe coughs, and even has anti-inflammatory and antidepressant properties. If you’re looking to relieve stress and anxiety while boosting your immune system, try requesting frankincense at your next massage.
Geranium
Geranium essential oil, which comes from the flower, is known for its relaxing and rejuvenating effects on the body. The lovely flowery fragrance adds to the relaxing effect, transporting you to a fresh garden during your massage. In traditional medicine, geranium is used to improve circulation, soothe and stimulate nervous system functions, and contract body tissue—acting as an astringent to give you a more toned look. This essential oil can also be helpful with menstrual and menopausal symptoms.
Coriander
Coriander, which comes from the Cilantro plant, is a sweet and warm essential oil with a relaxing and soothing effect. It can help promote healthy digestive and circulatory systems. Some even believe it can help relieve cramps – both in the muscles and in the throat which causes coughing.
Bergamot
Bergamot essential oils have been used for hundreds of years in Italy to reduce feelings of stress and to soothe skin. It has a pleasant, spicy citrus aroma—the same distinctive scent that gives Earl Grey tea its signature flavor. It’s a versatile essential oil that can be used to relieve feelings of depression, improve mood, and help with anxious and sad feelings. It’s unique due to its ability to be both uplifting and calming, so you’ll feel rejuvenated and refreshed after an aromatherapy session.
Why Essential Oils Are Used in Spa Treatments
A relaxing massage. A rejuvenating facial. Maybe both. When you’re planning your next visit to a premier day spa, those are probably at the top of your list.
At Natural Body Spa + Med Spa, essential oils are more than a finishing touch. They’re a purposeful part of many spa treatments — used to ease tension, clear the senses, and support deeper relaxation. Their therapeutic benefits go far beyond scent, which is why they’re thoughtfully included in everything from massage to pressure-point work.
Essential oils not only enhance your experience, but they can offer you genuine relief. For example, one of our many massages includes sinus relief treatment. We combine pressure-point techniques with essential oils, such as eucalyptus and lemon, to clear out your nasal airways.
How We Use Essential Oils at Natural Body
Natural Body’s licensed massage therapists and estheticians may incorporate essential oils in several ways: blended with carrier oils for topical use, diffused into the air, or integrated into pressure-point work during treatments.
Every massage treatment at Natural Body includes our signature little luxuries like a warm neck pillow, soothing aromatherapy, and hot steam towels on your neck and feet. Essential oils are selected to match the focus of each treatment, supporting goals like deep relaxation, sinus relief, or improved concentration. If you’re looking to up your massage game, add any of these deluxe aromatherapy upgrades to your next massage:
- Hot Herbal Steam Towel Treatment: Warm, aromatic towels infused with herbs are applied to the neck and shoulders to soften tension and soothe the senses.
- Lavender Scalp Treatment: A deeply relaxing head massage paired with calming lavender oil to relieve stress and tension.
- Warm Sugar Back and Shoulder Scrub: Buff away dry skin and release tension with a warm, aromatic sugar scrub followed by a focused massage.
- Warm Sugar Foot and Calf Scrub: Exfoliating sugar scrub with warm towels and massage to smooth skin and soothe tired legs and feet.
How Essential Oils Work
Essential oils are extracted from their plant source through distillation or cold pressing. They contain natural chemicals that can benefit your body in several ways.
When you inhale the aroma of essential oils, you stimulate the limbic system in your brain, which is the area that houses your sense of smell, emotions, and long-term memory. The limbic system can also play a powerful role in your physiological functions, like blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing.
You can also apply essential oils to your body topically, because they easily absorb into your skin. Although more research is needed, many people report a positive physical effect.
Other Essential Oils and Their Effects
Essential oils come in a wide range of scents and strengths, each with its own story. Beyond the five we’ve focused on, many others are celebrated for their potential to calm, energize, or restore balance in everyday life.
Here’s a quick guide to other popular essential oils and their benefits:
- Lemon: Helps with digestion, mood, and headaches
- Tea Tree: Fights infection and supports immune health
- Rose: Elevates mood and eases anxiety
- Ylang-Ylang: Addresses headaches, skin conditions, and nausea
- Chamomile: Boosts mood and encourages relaxation
- Jasmine: Alleviates depression, supports childbirth, and increases libido
- Sandalwood: Calms the nervous system and improves focus
- Eucalyptus, Pine, Tea Tree: Clear congestion and support respiratory function
- Clary Sage and Neroli: Uplift mood and support emotional balance
- Rosemary: Enhances mental clarity and boosts energy
The Safety of Essential Oils
Essential oils are generally safe when used correctly, but a few words of caution.
While essential oils can be wonderfully supportive during pregnancy, a few should be avoided due to their strong stimulating properties. Oils like peppermint (any mint, actually), clary sage, rosemary, cinnamon, basil, and jasmine are not considered safe during pregnancy, as they may potentially trigger contractions.
Some essential oils feel warm or even hot when applied directly. Oregano, for example, can create a burning sensation, while cinnamon tends to feel warm. Diluting essential oils doesn’t reduce their benefits—it just makes them safer and more comfortable to use topically.
It’s worth noting, since we’re talking about safety, that this guidance applies to topical use during massage. Ingesting essential oils is not recommended and isn’t part of any spa treatment at Natural Body.
Experience the Benefits of Aromatherapy Massage in Atlanta
Whether you’re visiting for a massage, facial, or other wellness treatment, aromatherapy with essential oils can take your spa experience to the next level.
Natural Body Spa + Med Spa’s services are tailored to your individual needs, often incorporating essential oils so you leave feeling relaxed, refreshed, and rebalanced.
Book your appointment online or by calling us at 404.609.0060 today at one of our award-winning spa locations in Atlanta and discover the natural difference essential oils can make.