Oil Massage

Thai oil massage has many similarities to Thai massage but is much gentler than Thai massage and focuses more on muscle kneading.

Unfortunately, it is now becoming increasingly common that if you choose a regular oil massage, you get nothing more than a very light massage with oil.

For this reason, many salons have started to call a new category of massage "oil/thai", "sports massage" or "combination massage", meaning that they go more in depth and also incorporate elements of Thai massage into the oil massage — something that has actually always been standard in traditional Thai oil massage.


Many different oils can be used, including coconut oil, macadamia oil, sesame oil, pecan oil, walnut oil, olive oil, soybean oil, and mustard oil.
Aromatherapy oils such as neroli oil, pine oil and other essential oils can also be blended into other base oils.
However, by far the most common oil that many salons use is regular baby oil.

During the massage, the entire body is normally massaged, including the feet, legs, thighs, arms, hands, neck, and buttocks. But this can vary from salon to salon — the standard, however, is that the whole body is massaged.

You usually don't wear any clothes during the massage but are covered with a towel. Sometimes, however, you wear underwear — this also varies from salon to salon. The most common practice, though, is to be covered with a towel.

In Sweden, we have noticed that the oil used is most often whatever is easiest (cheapest) to buy in stores, but of course this varies from place to place.

The type of oil used doesn't really make a big difference for the massage itself, but different oils have different properties that can be beneficial for the skin. Some oils are also more pleasant than others.

Many salons tend to choose a neutral oil with no scent, since many customers don't want strong smells during the massage.
If you're looking for a specific oil, you can always ask whether they have it. Normally, salons that use finer oils will mention it as a selling point.